 |
|
| Susan Swanke |
When Jesus appeared to St. Faustina and shared his message of Divine Mercy, the words he instructed her to put at the bottom of his image were, “Jesus, I trust in you.”
No subtle hint. Jesus wants us to trust him. Why is it so important to him that we trust him? Surely, it’s not because he needs our trust for his good.
In fact, God needs nothing. It must be for our good that he gives this command.
Relationship of trust
Relationships are built on trust. We thrive when we are in trusting relationships. We know this. And God designed us to live our most peaceful lives in stable relationships.
So, it must be that Jesus is instructing us to trust him in order to give us what we need to thrive.
Then why don’t we just trust him? Perhaps we can ask ourselves what was it like for his first disciples? How did they learn to trust Jesus, and where did they fall short?
Jesus did many things in the Gospels that gained the trust of his first followers. He taught them truths that captivated their minds. He made gestures of kindness toward those in need. He demonstrated his authority over nature. He even spoke with courage before those who criticized him. He truly displayed his integrity and goodness toward others.
These qualities helped the disciples to grow in trust in him. Peter and the others show proof of their trust by making grand promises to follow him even to the death on the night of his Last Supper.
Yet, we know the disciples didn’t follow through on these promises. They left him when the suffering got too much. Was it that they’d totally abandoned him?
Learning to trust fully
Some might see it this way, but I think something else is happening. Perhaps it was simply that they hadn’t yet learned to trust him fully. And what does Jesus do with their incomplete trust? He comes into their locked room and invites those distrusting parts to begin again, to meet him anew.
And so it is with our hearts — we trust Jesus, but not totally yet. Where is the part of our hearts that doesn’t trust Jesus? Would that part be willing to meet Jesus as if for the first time? What would it like to tell him? Does it have a story to tell?
What can we imagine would be Jesus’ response? The events of the Paschal Mystery — his suffering, death, and Resurrection — are his response. Jesus has accomplished the great work of his life, his mission.
After hearing their stories, can we say to these parts, “Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side everyday to enlighten, strengthen, and free you”? (Evangelii Gaudium, 164)
The extent to which we can be tender with the parts of us that don’t quite trust Jesus yet is the extent to which we will be able to invite another person into a trusting relationship with Jesus.
Susan Swanke is a member of St. Christopher Parish, Verona.