"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God and believe also in me."
John 14:1 NKJV
It arouses tenderness in Jesus' attitude as he lovingly and gently explains to the disciples why he must leave them. The eleven are in a state of deep distress, probably because of the three predictions they received in sequence: the betrayal of Judas (13:21), his departure from this world (13:33) and Peter's denial (13:38). It was not a peaceful day. A state of emptiness and a lack of foothold is assailing them. They are in the grip of a state of abandonment, and Jesus extends his hand to them to go through it. I feel like I am reliving the scene of the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:23) being led to the Master to be healed. Instead, Jesus takes him by the hand and begins to walk with him, all the way out of the village. This man also lives in a perpetual state of abandonment; he needs someone to accompany him and assist him. And when one is afraid of being abandoned the only plausible cure is to abandon oneself, that is, to trust those who extend their hand. Simply words of encouragement cannot be enough for one not to be afraid. Fear does not melt away with words, but through the power of trust, which has the power to overcome all upset because it finds strength in shaking hands and trusting.
The Greek verb used by the evangelist does not imply an inner turmoil, but a real upheaval, a kind of earthquake, a destabilizing jolt that involves a state of agitation. Just like that experienced by those who live with the telluric movements of an earthquake-prone land, somewhat like our souls, continually shaking. Even recently, tremors are reminding us that the earth beneath our feet is shaking, jolting and swaying everything built upon it. Wounds are being reopened, fears that were never quite dormant are being rekindled. Jesus exhorts the disciples (and us with them) to overcome such a difficult time by inviting them to believe in him in a renewed and deeper way:"Have faith in God and have faith in me too". Have faith in God.Believe. We are challenged to go beyond the present, to go beyond the contingent, to lean beyond our reality, even if Jesus is not physically present. The important thing is that faith we have received as an inheritance. Cwith his departure he confronts the disciples with the drama of abandonment, but it is solely to heal them. It is precisely in the space created by His absence that they will be able to experience His presence, for He who loves also knows how to take a step backward in order to move us forward. He is with you, do not be afraid!
We are confronted with a true farewell discourse, comparable to that of Jacob who, before dying, blesses his sons or that of Moses who takes leave of Israel and leaves the handover to Joshua, in which Jesus reiterates "your heart be not troubled nor be afraid" (v. 27). As if to say to be calm, not to be afraid. And how does one do that? When humanly certainties fail or an unforeseen event causes night to suddenly fall? All the more so in the face of imminent physical detachment. The Master is fully aware of the trauma that is affecting them, so here he insistently reassures them, even providing explanations. The disturbance of the heart is not only about emotions, but specifically about intelligence and will. In fact, if in our culture the heart is imagined as the seat of the affections, in biblical language the heart is the seat of intelligence and will, that is, of thought (Matthew 9:4): the heart is the inmost, the center of the person, the deep place where our person becomes self-aware, reflects on events, meditates on the meaning of reality, and takes responsible behavior toward God. Then qthis imperative of the Master may put us in crisis, but it projects us to the after parting, to that place prepared for us, where we will be forever with Him (vv. 2-3) and which no one can take away. I believe therein lies the full consolation.
Weekly Bible Reading Plan #12
March 17, Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15:1-25
March 18, Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15:26-47
March 19, Joshua 1-3; Mark 16
March 20, Joshua 4-6; Luke 1:1-20
March 21, Joshua 7-9; Luke 1:21-38
March 22, Joshua 10-12; Luke 1:39-56
March 23, Joshua 13-15; Luke 1:57-80
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