May 14 2024 4 mins
Wednesday 7th week of Easter "Jn 17:11b-19"
"Holy Father...I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one." Have you ever been on one of those boats which are so comfortable that once you are on board you forget you are travelling? But every now and then you pop your head out and are reminded that we didn't get on the vessel to stay on it: we are on our way to somewhere else. The same happens with the world. We are not 'of' the world, but we are 'in the world'. Remember the quote of St Thérèse of Lisieux, "The world's thy ship and not thy home." A priest was one day telling a story in his homily. A young student went sailing for the weekend with a friend and his dad. But when they were out to sea, a storm broke out; the boat capsized and started sinking. The father saw with horror that the waves had separated the two boys. Grabbing a rescue line, he had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: which boy he would save with the other end of the line. His son saw him hesitating and shouted, "Save him, Dad, he is not Christian. I am in the state of grace!" The father then threw the line to his son's friend whilst his own child drowned. After Mass someone approached the priest and said, "Nice story, father, but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in the hope that the other boy would become a Christian". The priest smiled and replied, "Well, that is what God did: He sacrificed His Son so that you and I can be saved. And apart from that, you see? I was the son's friend." Life is just a ship and we are on a voyage to Heaven. We are not of this world (this ship) but on it. On this trip there are dangers (the devil), but ever since Jesus died for us, we are safe. There will be storms but Our Father will protect us. He will not take us "out of the world" (we need the ship to reach Heaven) but, if we ask Him, He will "keep us from the evil one." My Mother, Star of the Sea, please guide my journey and always be close to me when the storm breaks out.
"Holy Father...I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one." Have you ever been on one of those boats which are so comfortable that once you are on board you forget you are travelling? But every now and then you pop your head out and are reminded that we didn't get on the vessel to stay on it: we are on our way to somewhere else. The same happens with the world. We are not 'of' the world, but we are 'in the world'. Remember the quote of St Thérèse of Lisieux, "The world's thy ship and not thy home." A priest was one day telling a story in his homily. A young student went sailing for the weekend with a friend and his dad. But when they were out to sea, a storm broke out; the boat capsized and started sinking. The father saw with horror that the waves had separated the two boys. Grabbing a rescue line, he had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: which boy he would save with the other end of the line. His son saw him hesitating and shouted, "Save him, Dad, he is not Christian. I am in the state of grace!" The father then threw the line to his son's friend whilst his own child drowned. After Mass someone approached the priest and said, "Nice story, father, but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in the hope that the other boy would become a Christian". The priest smiled and replied, "Well, that is what God did: He sacrificed His Son so that you and I can be saved. And apart from that, you see? I was the son's friend." Life is just a ship and we are on a voyage to Heaven. We are not of this world (this ship) but on it. On this trip there are dangers (the devil), but ever since Jesus died for us, we are safe. There will be storms but Our Father will protect us. He will not take us "out of the world" (we need the ship to reach Heaven) but, if we ask Him, He will "keep us from the evil one." My Mother, Star of the Sea, please guide my journey and always be close to me when the storm breaks out.