Fully Present with the Lord
"And he said to them, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?'” (Luke 2:49)
"And he said to them, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?'” (Luke 2:49)
For those of us who are parents, it is absolutely terrifying to look around and see that our child/children who were right next to us one minute are suddenly gone. Of course, we think the worst of the situation and assume that they may have been taken by someone. In today’s Gospel reading, that is exactly what happened; Jesus was taken by his Father or maybe better said, taken by the love of his Father.
My dear brothers and sisters, when have you and I been taken by something, been awestruck, or placed all our trust in something or someone only to be disappointed? If you are like me, it has happened far too many times and yet, I continued to go back to those things that ultimately did not satisfy me. Jesus knew what would satisfy him; being with his Father. Yes, he knew that even though there might be some fear and angst for his parents, he knew that the only thing that mattered was time with the Lord, his Lord, our Lord.
Why is it that you and I do not leave those things that will not bring us joy, comfort, inner strength, security? Maybe it is because we do not spend enough time in our Father’s house. Jesus knew that the only way to truly understand his Father, to do the will of his Father, to be more like his Father, was to always be with Him, to search Him out, wherever he may be. For in our Father’s house, whether that be here on earth or in His heavenly kingdom, he welcomes us with open arms. God is always present, guiding and protecting us, even when we feel lost or uncertain.
What will you choose to leave behind to follow our Lord, to be present in His house?
Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, open my heart more fully to your presence in my life so that I may be fully present with you and for you. Amen.
Deacon Mike Ryba was called to further share the love and mercy of Jesus Christ when he entered Diaconate Formation for the Diocese of Joliet, IL in 2011. In 2016 he was ordained a Permanent Deacon. Up through 2022, he worked in IT for 40 years in a variety of industries, the last 30 years in management. He has since taken on a pastoral position as Director of Parish Life at St. Timothy's in Lutz. He was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and that is where he met his wife, Lisa. They have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. He and his wife relocated, for the second time, to the Tampa area in 2018. He is an avid sports fan and although he still follows his Chicago teams, he now cheers on the teams of “ChampaBay;” especially the Lightning as that is his favorite sport to play and to watch. His favorite scripture passage is John 3:16; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”
