Tony told us the story of how he first met Jesus. He was one of the younger members of a large family. Being a quiet child by nature, he struggled to get his voice heard amid the clamor of family life. One day he gave up trying to win the attention and acceptance of his older siblings, so he walked out of the house and wandered down the street to his parish church. He walked into the quiet space and began to talk with Jesus. He finally found someone who listened to him and wanted to be his friend. Thus began a lifelong habit. Whenever Tony felt lonely, he would go visit Jesus.
Tony died a few months ago and the young priest who gave the homily commented on how Tony spent so much of his time in church. He was in the choir, served Mass, helped with the St. Vincent de Paul society, and was always the first to arrive and last to leave at Mass. Once he found out where he belonged, Tony settled in and lived his life as a special friend of Jesus.
Much of our life’s quest is seeking to satisfy our need to belong. We may join teams, attend social events, join church groups, and seek friendships that give us a sense of belonging. Yet we do not fully discover who we are until we find to Whom we really belong. Jesus talked about this with his disciples (John 17:1-11).
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”
It is hard for us to understand that we belonged to God even before birth. It is as though he “handpicked” each of us. Then, to make sure we were taken care of, he gave us to Jesus. He gave his own Son to be our Good Shepherd who would watch over us and keep us together as one flock. Being close to the Shepherd, we are reminded that we belong to God—his specially chosen children.
One of the things Jesus does for those committed to his care is to pray for them.
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.”
When Jesus prays he focuses on those who belong to his Father. The Good Shepherd knows that there is a thief who is out to “steal, kill, and destroy” God’s sheep—to take from us our fundamental identity—members of God’s own family. As we spend time with Jesus, he fills us with his Holy Spirit, and so we become more and more like him. It is his glory shining in us that draws others to want to have him as their Shepherd too.
Let us learn what Tony taught us. When we are lonely, confused, tired, or hurting—when we feel estranged even from our own families—let us go to Jesus to be reminded who we are. Spending time with him fulfills in us our need to belong.
As we continue in our Pentecost preparations, let us take time out daily to sit with Jesus, tell him our troubles, and experience his friendship. In doing so, we, like Tony, will find the solution to life.
“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate” (John 14:16).
