Growing up to Salvation.

Growing up to Salvation.

Ask most parents what is one of the greatest challenges in parenting and they will answer: “Letting them go”.  When your children, leave home, marry, make their own lives, your role as a parent does not come to an end but it does come to its fulfilment.  We do not have children to have them stay as children. We have them to become adults and leave. That can be tough.  Having spent so many years trying to instil in them values to live by, you worry about how they will live them out.  But they will never truly live those values until they do it for themselves.

After his Resurrection, Jesus showed himself to the disciples and then left them.  He ascended into heaven. Wouldn’t the logical thing have been for him to stay around and keep the disciples, and us, on the right track?  No, because he didn’t want us to be childish in our faith but to own it and live it for ourselves.  God wants us to own the life of Jesus, but to express it in our lives according to our own unique personalities.  As followers of Jesus, we are not clones of him. Of course we need guidance.  Instead of Jesus being physically present among us we, have the Holy Spirit to guide us in our lives.  In our lives, especially in times of chaos, we can turn within to hear the still small voice of the Spirit guiding us into the ways of God.

Loving God, you want us to grow up to salvation.  May your Spirit move over our lives, especially when we are fearful, overwhelmed or in pain.  May that Spirit remind us of the love of Jesus and guide us into his peace.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb.