In the words of the apostle John, we are God’s children now! Thus, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, God is with us in his Son. I truly appreciate the ways in which the accounts of the resurrection appearances in the Gospel beautifully and powerfully underscore this point. Jesus does not reveal himself in bold, dramatic fashion, with special effects that would be fitting for the Son of God raised in splendor. Rather he simply is present wherever his followers find themselves, like a locked room, on a road outside of town, in a cemetery, on the shores of the sea. Although the followers of Christ were sad, frightened, confused, and forlorn, Jesus cares so much about them that he shows himself attentive to everything they are experiencing because of his death on the cross. He is with them where they are, and that remains true for us today.
—from the book Prayer Everywhere: The Spiritual Life Made Simple
by Fr. Gary Caster
1 thought on “God’s Children”
Although my parents have passed on, I still feel their presence at times. I wonder to what extent we Christians have a different outlook on reality as compared to atheists who don’t feel such things.
After Jesus rose from the dead, he continued to appear to his disciples in person, we Christians believe. (Belief is an emotional thing, by the way.) Something that the atheists refuse to believe. They think the Christians were just experiencing some kind of psychosis. They also have no explanation for the disappearance of Jesus’s body after his death.
The Bible says that unless one is like a child, you won’t inherit the kingdom of Heaven. But can Heaven also be how we live our lives right here in this life? I hope there is also a real Heaven beyond this life, but if not, then at least I can say I’ve made the best of this life. But then again, if there is no Heaven, then there is no point in living, in my opinion. That’s why Faith matters. My gift of Faith is my ticket to Heaven. It’s the most valuable thing I have.