We can not be afraid to ask God where He is

With this “Embrace of São Paulo,” we say we want the good of all, we want to embrace each with love and have the desire to spread the Word of God.

I want you to take the theme of this conference home: “God is acting, who can reverse it” (Isaiah 43.13). What should be the Christian’s attitude in today’s world? It must be courage, coming from the power of faith, an act of parresia. What was old has passed; now the new has come, and whoever is in Christ is a new creation.

Today’s (Sunday June 21) reading speaks of people who believed without leaving old habits. St. Paul, however, draws our attention to say that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. What is the gift of the Holy Spirit of being courageous? It is the gift of fortitude. We really need this gift today, not to abandon our faith and not to  follow the easy way.

Jesus told the apostles: “He who wants to follow me take his cross and follow me.” To follow Jesus we must carry the cross.

I want to refer to the Gospel and to today’s readings because they have something in common.The first reading tells the story of Job, a friend of God, righteous man who has undergone several tests. In the Bible, we see clearly that is the enemy of the Lord who tests him; then comes a time when it begins to balance in the faith of God and address some things, including he complains: “God, where are you”. So it is with us, we go through difficulties and even a question we ask ourselves, “Where is God?” We can not be afraid to ask God where He is..

The Lord come to the aid of Job and answers: “Who shut the sea with doors when it gushed vehemently the womb, when I gave the cloud the garment and thick darkness by bands; when I scored their limits and put doors and locks, and said, ‘Thus far you will come, and no farther;Here ends the arrogance of your waves’? “; with this, the Lord meant to Job who was with him, asking him not to give up.

The Gospel shows Jesus at the end of the day, being tired, Jesus asked the apostles to cross the sea. They went. There was a storm, the apostles were afraid and woke Jesus. The Lord stood up and ordered the sea and the winds calm down. The apostles asked: “Who is He?”.They had not yet understood who was the Son of God. It is the same one who put limits to the sea, who created heaven and earth. Jesus asked them why they were afraid if He is always with them. We are afraid when we do not trust.

With time and gradually, the apostles understood who Jesus was. Gradually, we will also understand that Christ is the one who gives us courage that does not let us walk alone and is with us.

How many times did God say to the people and to those whom He has chosen for the mission: “I am with you”?

Our culture and mindset cause us to solve everything alone, so living trust in God is very difficult.The Lord has given us the ability to accomplish things, but we can not solve everything alone because we can forget the ways that He has shown us. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.A saint of the Church says we should do everything as if it depended only on us, and pray as if everything depended on God.

We can not want to solve everything by force, it is always good to stop and think where God wants to lead us. He is with us to show us the way. Thank Him for all that is in us. We must live with the proposal of today’s readings, leaving everything old to experience the joy of what is new.

Portuguese Transcription and adaptation: Rogéria Nair