Becoming Brave: Baby Steps Toward His Kingdom

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, May 18th, 2025:
Fifth Sunday of Easter

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Acts
​14.21b-27​
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Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” And after they had appointed elders for them in each Church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.

When they arrived, they called the Church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

After I became Catholic in 2023, I visited my dad and stepmother in New Brunswick – my first time in over a decade. At dinner, my stepmother asked if I was visiting after all this time because I’d “found God.”

“Yes,” I replied, “but that’s not entirely why. At 53, I’m aware of the finite number of Christmases and summertimes we have left. I haven’t made an effort to nurture our relationship in the past 10 years, and finding God is giving me the courage to change that.”
Hearing this opened the door for my stepmother to share her heart. She said that she doesn’t believe in God. That hurt to hear, and I kept listening. I sensed her non-belief was rooted in deep loss.

In 2022, due to complications from COVID, she lost her grandson. He had lived with muscular dystrophy, and she had cherished every moment of his 31 years. But her grief was still raw in our conversation; she was angry, heartbroken, and she missed him terribly.

That night, she said, “Why would God take him away? Why give him MD? Why let him die?” 

I didn’t have answers. I was still new to speaking about my faith and didn’t want to sound preachy. Pain is pain – and no words could take that away.

Later, my husband and I talked about it. We believe that God doesn’t test us, but that He is with us in our suffering. There may not always be a reason we understand, but God supports us as we try to make sense of what we can’t. And I believe He gave her grandson the best life possible – for his whole life.

I also realized I would need to be better prepared next time. The opportunity to share God’s goodness can come unexpectedly, and next time I want to be ready.

This week’s Gospel gives us a peek into the Apostles’ journey. It reminds us that enduring hardship for Jesus is not a fluke or a mistake. Entering God’s kingdom means facing trials that test our faith and trust in Him.

In those early days of Christianity, openly believing in Jesus could get you stoned or run out of town. Today, my challenge is more about being willing to feel awkward or sound preachy. And, if it’s in His name, it’s never a mistake. There is nothing to fear.

I’m hungry to learn what I need to be part of His kingdom. After reading and praying on this Scripture, its wisdom feels simple: when you believe in Jesus, you do hard things.

Was my conversation with my stepmother a missed opportunity to share God’s word? Maybe.

Will I be ready next time? Yes.

Will I pray for her now? Definitely.

Is God leading me deeper in faith? Absolutely.

That conversation wasn’t a significant trial, but it raised a big question: How do I become brave enough to proclaim my faith?

Through Scripture and prayer, I feel Him guiding me. These are the baby steps on my journey. He is showing me His plan – and, in that, I am becoming brave.

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Jacinda Whebby

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