Consider that they had spent the last three years with Jesus. They had heard his public teaching and even had him explain it to them privately and in greater depth. They had even performed miracles in his name.
Clearly, they were a chosen few. And yet they had to acknowledge that they still didn’t understand.
No wonder Jesus seemed exasperated! But if the disciples’ slowness exasperated him,
their humility and desire to learn must have comforted him as well. After all, they could have pretended to understand. They could have acted as if they had it all together and were ready to shoulder the responsibilities Jesus was giving them. But evidently they took the gospel too seriously—and they considered Jesus’ love and his life too valuable—to play games with it.
They wanted to get it right so that they could receive all that he promised and then give it away to others.
- Do you believe that it comforts Jesus when you admit your weakness?
- Do you believe that he smiles when you confess your ignorance? He wants all of us to come to him like little children with open, trusting hearts.
- This is something we will never outgrow. There’s always more to learn and to experience.
- And Jesus is always ready—even eager—to take us under his wing and keep teaching us.
- So come to his altar today with the humility and openness of his disciples.
- Listen closely to his word and eat
- and drink eagerly of his life.
- We can never be too filled up with Jesus!
“Lord, I want to see your glory at Mass today
—your majesty, your beauty, and your goodness.
I know that I don’t see it as I ought,
so I ask you to open my eyes.
Jesus, let me see you!”
