Many of us are parents. Or maybe aunts or uncles, grandparents or grandkids. Two years ago I saw my grandson within about 15 minutes of his birth. What a beautiful scene. There is immediate love and bonding with the child. What is the usual next thing which we all do? We say, “The baby has his father’s….or the baby looks like.…” The birth of a child is a gift from God with an immediate link to the lineage of its parents and siblings, grandparents and other relatives who came before.
Today’s gospel establishes Jesus’ lineage to his Father and to the Holy Spirit. How confusing must that have been for the disciples! In fact our Lord even tells the apostles that he wants to say more but holds back because they might not be able to “bear it.” It was all too overwhelming. They must have been very confused.
In just three short verses Our Lord establishes his relationship with his Father and foretells the coming of the Holy Spirit, which is given to us by Jesus through the Father. We are fortunate since we already know about Jesus’ ascension and the subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Imagine how they must have felt not knowing the whole story.
When you and I feel overwhelmed with our busy lives, try to pause as our Lord did in sharing the facts with the disciples. Disconnect from the cell phone, the computer, the tablet, the TV and let your thoughts catch up with you. Ask the Holy Spirit to work within you and through you. Beg the Holy Spirit to fill your heart and strengthen your witness to the Trinity.
—Bob Thomas is Executive Director and CEO of Rainbows for All God’s Children, Evanston IL