I am with you!
There are His words which give immense vitality while going through the Sacred Scriptures. “I am with you”. Not just by perusing, but while meditating the warmth of that relationship, tears fill the eyes. His activities, still mysterious passion, and his exhortations are our subjects for reflection. Due to the absence of a perception of his loving presence, forgetting the fact that spirituality is a relationship, we preach, work and follow him.
God had a special relationship with Moses. Like friends, they talked up face to face (Ex. 33:13). This relationship was not only the prerogative of Moses. I will be with you as I was with Moses (Josh 1:5). Later, when he became Emmanuel in history, this relationship became firm – “God with us”. Those who love will feel so, what did John expound on himself? ‘The disciple whom Jesus loved’.
Those who are experiencing a break up in their relationships are sure to be strengthened by his words. At the point when the nearness of such love will decrease, his love will give the warmth. Those who were going to Emmaus were broken in their relationship and lost their warmth. He walked along with them, ate with them and stayed with them. They walked back towards Jerusalem, to their broken relationship. His gaze at Peter was also a reminder about relationship, not an accusation. He cried. Love fills one’s eyes; he had loved so much.
He is in his friend’s house. Mary couldn’t abandon him. Martha is disturbed, occupied doing many things. We often forget our relations by doing much. At last, they also forget what we did for them. There is no justification to the question “what did you lack”? While asking this, the parents will have in their mind, the account of providing everything needed for their studies and nourishment. But that has not touched the hearts of their children. “I have not sat on my dad’s lap”, “Mummy has never hugged or kissed me”, saying this they cry. There is no warmth in this relationship. On the other hand, the parents were very busy and hardly had they found any time for a loving touch. When departing from someone, the rolling tears in the eyes tell about our love for them. I may forget what you did for me or what you told me, but how can I forget those times when we took a gander at each other’s eyes and patted with love. Not only the kids, even the grownups too.
Jesus was very caring by nature. We don’t read about any time which Jesus idly spent with his disciples. But his exhortation to rest a while in a lonely place is an indication of the time he had solely spent, talked, cracked jokes, and idly being with them. It has certainly deepened their relationship. Sometimes, to waste time is an indication of good relationships. Why did he cry in front of the tomb of Lazarus, his dear friend? Is it because he was late?
Amidst our busy schedule, often we forget to take rest and develop and maintain our relationships unknowingly. We even criticize the exhortation to pray unceasingly. Only the number of prayers would have increased, but not the depth of our relation. Isn’t a reminder to be continually in that relationship? The relationship grows through our presence… whether it is with God, man or nature. (It is good to watch soil and the grass sometimes, one day they will own us). Let us reduce the over duties and try to go and meet relatives and own people. Spend more time with children, spouse and parents. Show a little more love towards them. Go and meet your old teachers and doctors with gratitude. Try to meet those Spiritual leaders who had helped you during turbulent times, sometimes even when you are at peace. Mostly at the end the guilt feeling will be due to this thought “I could have loved with more love”.