Often I find myself asking if what I think God is saying is in fact God or merely my own thoughts. How do I know what God’s will is for me? When I do believe it is God’s invitation, I am quick to challenge my belief with the question… By what authority am I led to this belief? In today’s liturgy, our Church remembers St. John of the Cross. He lived in Spain in the late 1500’s and struggled with sharing God’s message with others. As a man who came from poverty and whose message was not believed by many, St. John was left with a similar question. He was confident and sustained by his faith in God. The chief priests and elders of the people in today’s Gospel are asking the question because they are finding what they see and hear hard to take in. Does your belief in God give you the confidence to answer that question? What moments of faith have led you to be sustained and confident in God’s presence in your life?
—Fr. Kevin Schneider, S.J. is Director of Adult Spiritual Enrichment Programs at Creighton Prep, Omaha, NE.