Rabbi, Where are you Staying?
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In this week’s Gospel we find the disciples Andrew and Simon Peter asking our Lord a question that we in one way or another also find ourselves asking: “Teacher, where are you staying?” We especially ask this question when we are desperately seeking Christ in light of a tragedy, illness or loss or when we feel lost. However, it is a very important question that we should be asking ourselves not just in the times that we are feeling down but all the time. We need to ask ourselves this question on three levels. Firstly, where is Christ staying in “my” personal life? Secondly, where is Christ staying in “my” family life? And thirdly, where is Christ staying in “my” parish life?
On a personal level we need to find where Jesus is staying in our words, in our actions, in our working life, in our prayer life and in the inner depth of our souls and our faith life. On a family level we need to find where Jesus is staying in our relationship with our spouse, with our children, in our communication with one another and in our family prayer life. On a parish level we need to find where Jesus is staying in our communion and unity with one another, in our co-operation and collaboration with one another and especially in our worship and prayer life together.
Between Christmas and New Years, I was privileged to join a group of families from our parish in a spiritual camp whose theme was “For His Love is Never Ending.” Together with them, we sought to find Christ and revitalise His presence in our lives; personal, family and parish. The spiritual camp allowed each one of us on a personal, family and parish level to seek Christ, find out where He is staying on all levels and follow Him and reside with Him. This was a wonderful experience in which we lived the joy of God’s never ending love together as a family. We came to understand the mystery of His human nature and how we can be like Him so that our love too, can also be never ending.
In the near future, we are planning as a parish to build on this wonderful experience and prepare many events and activities including spiritual days and camps for our families because it is in our families that we will find where Jesus is staying. It is in our wider parish family that we will seek Him, follow Him and then stay with Him so that we can find the never ending love that He is.
