WATCHWORD:
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:26-28
When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John do you love me more than these?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” A third time he said, “Simon son of John do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!” He said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” John 21:25-17
Meditation:
Knowing Jesus
It was a gathering of a group of men in what was referred to as the “Fourth Day”, a prayer and support group that grew out of a weekend with Jesus. Our newest member had just returned from the three days of Cursillo, and we joyfully listened to his excited description of what that weekend had meant to him. He said he felt like he was a new man, and the troubles that had plagued him on the previous Friday, were not gone but they were redefined, manageable, and, eventually, solveable. He ended with gratitude and praising God.
As we listened we knew the nature of the experience he had, because each of us had a similar experience, yet, we didn’t know his actual experience. What I mean by that is, we can relate to the kind of the “external experience”, but what was planted in the heart was personal, it is unique to each of us.
I think about Thomas, who had heard all the excited chatter about the resurrection of Jesus, but he doubted. “Unless I see…I will not believe.” Who can blame him, what he was hearing from his fellow disciples was hard to process, hard to believe.
Oswald Chambers tells us: “Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious.”
How do you describe something that is indescribable? Our friend, there in that group, was trying to tell us the sacred power that had touched him. We all knew exactly what he was telling us, but his experience and mine, while similar in so many ways, were vastly different, personal differences that would cause each of us to say with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”
Knowing God is a down-deep, personal thing, an intimate oneness with Jesus that nothing can shake. How about you? Do you have a personal history with Jesus Christ, an easy access to the Almighty that allows you to say, “I love you, Lord” in all its various forms? I pray that is so. Amen.
I love you, Lord:
I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul rejoice
Take joy, my king
In what you hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
In your ear.
Prayer of Saint Richard of Chichester:
Day by day
Day by day
Oh, Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
Oh
Day by day
Day by day
Oh, Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
Amen.
