Obey Everything

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, May 21st, 2023:
Ascension of the Lord

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Matthew
28.16-20 ​
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​The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

​This Easter season, I have had the privilege of spending time with Jesus in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As I journey in my faith, I find a lot of comfort in these moments when I get to spend one-on-one time with Jesus in personal prayer. Through the medium of lectio divina, I have come to realize that Jesus does speak to me through His Word as well as through the voices of friends and loved ones. I can no longer ignore that Jesus is offering me His peace and patience so that I may have the courage to explore my unknown future. In this time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: Jesus asks of me to stay obedient through regular prayer and discernment about His will for my life.

Like the Apostles, I, too, have my doubts. Where is my life going? Does Jesus really know how all this pans out? I know that Jesus offers me peace of mind, repeatedly. However, time and again, I am the one who deflects that peace and chooses to worry about the unknown. I choose to worry about the future. I choose to be anxious. Instead, what I need to do is trust and be assured that all is going according to His plan. I am exactly where I am meant to be, and things are falling into place at the pace at which they should be falling into place. I am precious in God’s sight and He is doing something new in my life. I have not seen the riches in store for my future, yet I believe that God has a perfect plan tailored to what I need, not what I want. The Holy Spirit wants to give me peace and patience. I only need to work on accepting them by being obedient in everything.

Lord Jesus, how easy it is for me to assume that you could not be bothered about the intricacies of my life. Forgive me for every time these thoughts have crossed my mind. I trust You, Jesus. Please banish my fears. You have already consecrated me for the mission that You have for me. Help me recognize the mission You have for me and help me obey everything. Amen. 




Rebecca Dmello

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