Fr. Bob’s Weekly Reflections

There is an ancient epic poem that many of us studied in school called "Beowulf." The tale recounts the adventures of a warrior who battles monsters threatening to destroy lands and kill people because their joy disturbs the creature. Ultimately, the warrior triumphs.

The question posed in this morning’s Gospel is one that every generation of believers must confront: will you also go away?

I once stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel in Colombia. It was a well-guarded oasis amidst a bustling area filled with poverty and drug addiction. Inside, it was safe, bright, and comfortable.

Imagine a close friend hasn’t returned your calls for three days. Knowing they’re struggling, you go to their house. You find no response to your knock, and use a hidden key to enter.

Have you ever been hungry for something but couldn’t quite identify what it was? Maybe you’ve seen enticing ads on TV, gone to the refrigerator, and found yourself staring at various items, feeling a sense of hunger - but not for the melon or the chicken in front of you. Or perhaps you’ve felt a thirst for something, but couldn’t pinpoint what it was?

It has been two thousand years since Philip and Andrew from our Gospel story walked this earth, but we all know people just like them.

Samuel Coleridge was an English poet. One day as he woke up, he remembered he had dreamed the lines of a poem, even the title, "Kubla Kahn." He did not have to compose the lines, they were all in his head.

Today we read about how Jesus summoned the twelve and sent them out. They were the most unlikely cast of characters for anyone to choose to be the cornerstone of a worldwide movement: poor, uneducated fishermen; a tax collector who would be considered a crook; people with no influence or social connections.

When people meet each other for the first time, they tend to ask one another, "What do you do?" In other words, "How do you make your living?"

Imagine yourself in a large crowd at a sporting event or concert. You are trying to get towards the exit, and throngs of people are moving in the same direction; bumping into one another. A tap of the arm or tug of the sleeve goes unnoticed.