Don't Look back

The beauty of the Scriptures is that they record not only the brave and valiant deeds of the Apostles, but they also record the shortcomings, the temptations and even the sins of the Apostles.  We look back on these twelve men and we rightly honor them and follow their example.  The examples they left us were the virtues, virtues of humility, wisdom, courage – even in light of arrest, torture and martyrdom.  They were not only saints, but great ones.  And yet, the Scriptures also record their failings.  At times we see the Apostles arguing among themselves on who would be the greatest among them.  We see one of them deny Jesus three times and another betray him completely.  In today’s Gospel we see that two of them, James and John, the sons of thunder as Jesus would call them wish that they could call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritan town that did not accept Jesus.  It shows us the humanness of the Apostles.  

As the Gospel continues Jesus shows what a true Apostle is, one that does not look back, but keeps his eyes forward on the prize, and the prize is God Himself.  We should not judge James and John too harshly, we too would have done the same, and how often have we wished that God reign down thunder and fire on our enemies?  Rather, Jesus asks for perseverance and patience with such things in order to allow time for conversion and mercy.  For James and John there was frustration, in the sense of, how dare these people who do not accept us, who do not accept the Christ, especially after how hard we have worked to spread the message.

Jesus responds by saying, not to worry about what just happened and who did not accept you, keep your eyes fixed forward, and carry on in your duty.  Jesus also was teaching those around Him, what it meant to be a true disciple, because looking back takes on many forms, not just what we perceive as failure, looking back could also mean possible regret we feel, or doubt, fear, past hurts, sin or something else that keeps us from going forward such as attachments.  

You remember the Old Testament story of Lot’s wife who looked back on Sodom and turned to a pillar of salt.  She looked back because she longed for what was before, what she had left, the comforts of what she had, she did not trust that what was in front of her was better as God had promised, “Do not look back!”

How much are we like James, John or even Lot’s wife.  What are we looking back to?  Today’s Gospel reminds us that we must look forward because in looking forward we know we can rejoice in God’s promises, we can have confidence in those promises because the one who made them is trustworthy, we should be brave and know that what lies ahead is better because what lies ahead, even though it may seem like a crucifixion is also resurrection.  God bless you, FJ