DAILY HOMILIES #two disciples

Like the two disciples, many of us become disappointed with God because we assume God’s kingdom is all about finding prosperity here on earth. The crowd met Jesus the next day and demanded another miracle of loaves and Jesus told them: “Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life.” (John 6:27) At the end of the day, just because Jesus was not willing to give them ordinary bread to eat again, “many of his disciples (like these two disciples) drew back and no longer went about with him.” (John 6:66)

Although Jesus worked many miracles demonstrating his concern for our material well-being and physical health, He was more concerned about eternal life. Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) Like the lame man who asked for alms, we would always be disappointed with the church until we realised that Jesus did not establish the church to replace the government.

By healing the lame man, Peter gave him something beyond silver and gold – healing from paralysis. This man would no longer need to be carried from place to place. He would provide for himself. Value spiritual wealth over financial riches. You may not have all the money you crave, but as long as you have God, you have everything.

St. John says: “The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:10). The children of the devil are never happy seeing others behave well. Also, the children of the devil do not love; they are always carrying hatred and bitterness in their hearts, always looking for an opportunity to steal, kill and destroy.

In their frustration, the two disciples met Jesus on the way but could not recognise him. They complained: “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21). In other words, they were hoping that Jesus would overthrow the Roman authorities (their colonial masters) and become King of Israel. Jesus said to them: “O foolish men…” Why did Jesus call them foolish?

Whether we like it or not, there would be moments of suffering in our lives, there would be tough times, and there would be moments of confusion and disappointment. We may even find ourselves praying like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by.”

If you know what you have, you would not get involved in sin just to make money or provide for your family. You know that you only need to pray like Peter and God will bless the works of your hands and reward your sweat with success. If you know what you have, you wouldn’t be like the two disciples who were walking away from Jerusalem in disappointment. They had thought Jesus came to establish an earthly kingdom, they were expecting political power...