Alone with Jesus

Wednesday of 22nd week in Ordinary Time Year A
(Col 1:1-8; Lk 4:38-44)

Today we begin a journey into St Paul's letter to the Colossians. Our reflection each day will try to link the message in this letter with the Gospel of the day.

“...We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven”(Col 1:4-5). The faith exhibited by the Colossians moved Paul and Timothy to give gratitude to God. Faith gives us unique identity.

In Gospel, Jesus moved from the public arena to the private home of Simon's mother-in-law who was sick. After healing her, people brought more sick people and He cured them. We can imagine the magnitude of the demands made on Jesus.

“And when it was day He departed and went to a lonely place” (Lk 4:42). We see here that solitude is a need not a leisure. So we step in with Jesus to the lonely place to regain focus and renew our inner strength. And whenever we locate that place of solitude within our heart, we perceive Jesus. He has gone ahead of us to the lonely place. Where is this place of solitude?

Any quiet place is preferable. This quickness the recollection and encounter. However, the lonely place, which enriches the soul is the place where we meet Jesus! Thus our Catholic faith becomes a kind of place where we have a deep personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Thus, faith makes us “a people set apart” (Cf. 1Pet 2:9). The place of faith—the heart—becomes the place of solitude. Therefore,  no matter how noisy the environment might be or how busy we are, if we recollect into faith, we can be alone with Jesus.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
St Joseph the Worker Chaplaincy,
Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
Wednesday September 4th, 2019.