When I read the requests I receive for prayers at Catholic Charities, it seems many write to ask God for help with their need for a secure living situation, with safe housing for their families, and steady employment that will provide adequate finances to sustain good living conditions. When a stable life is found, it leads to a clearer mind, more peaceful soul and calmer heart, which eventually leads to happiness.
In the Gospel of John (1:35-42) Jesus asks those following him, and asks us, “What are you looking for?” When asked this question I think most of us, along with those who request our prayers, would respond with “Happiness.” Our society tells us from a very young age what it thinks it takes for us to be happy. You need to get good grades in school to get into college, a good job so that you can make a lot of money and have a lot of stuff; then you will be happy. (Keeping in mind that many in our community are not able to achieve this much on the path to happiness!)
If material gain is our only gauge of happiness, that happiness may last a little while but eventually it will fade; we will still be looking for something, and feel we are a failure. If we see ourselves through the lens of failure, and don’t take time to know the truth, by seeing ourselves in God’s eyes, we can become trapped in a state of misery and despair. So how do we really find what we are ALL looking for?
I think we can take a lesson from the two disciples in the Gospel. When they were introduced to Jesus by John, they followed him. When he asked them “What are you looking for?” their response was “Where are you staying?” He told them to come with him and they would see. They may not have understood the fullness of the messiah, but they knew it was Jesus they were looking for. One of them, Andrew was so excited he went and got his brother and brought him to Jesus. So the question to us is not what are we looking for, but who are we looking for? The answer is, Jesus. It’s Jesus who is the antidote to our misery and despair. It’s Jesus for whom our souls will not rest, ever, until we find Him.
So where do we look for Jesus? Where do we go to find him? For us who are Christian, the logical answer is church. For us who are Catholic, we can go into an adoration chapel, and he is there. We attend mass where we encounter Him in the music and the people around us. We hear him speak to us through the liturgy of The Word. We actually touch His body and take Him into ours in the Eucharist. If we do go to church, we can find Jesus, but this is just one day of the week, what about the other six? What if we don’t go to church? Where is He then? Where is He when we are doing homework, doing house work, when we are shopping, at school or at our job? Where is He when we are struggling, looking for employment to secure finances so we can support our families? Does He care? The good news is, that if we take time to look, to really look, we will find Him, caring for and loving us. Those sending their prayer requests to Catholic Charities have made a good start because we can look for and see Jesus through prayer.
St. Ignatius says that if you don’t do any other prayer, at the end of each day, do this; take a short time to sit quietly or with soft music, and reflect over your day. Recall the events, the people you were with, and pay attention to your feelings. You will become more and more aware of the ways in which God has been present to comfort, care for, and love you, especially through the kind words and actions of others. There He is, He has been with you all day.
More precious than finding a diamond where we don’t expect, we can find Jesus where we don’t expect, in the mundane, ordinary, and even in the moments in our lives where we struggle. We can look and know that He is with us. He knows what we need and promises that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things we need will be given us besides. Then we can get excited too, like Andrew, and bring others.
Take a moment and listen to Jesus as he speaks these words to you.
“I love you and I am with you every moment of every day.
Always with you in your burdens, toils, and labors so you can rest in my arms.
Come and you will see.
Always with you in your sorrows so you can sing and dance with me.
Come and you will see.
Always with you in your weeping so you can experience my joy.
Come and you will see.
Always with you in your strife so you can feel my peace.
Come and you will see.
Always with you when you are weary so you can be refreshed.
Come and you will see.
You are mine, I have always loved you and will love you forever.
Come and you will see.”