It's time to get to the next level

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.” One can sense a bit of frustration in Jesus’ voice.

I remember sitting around with some friends one day, and one of them said that he did not have an ego. Another made a more convincing argument that everyone has an ego to some extent.

However, Jesus wasn’t speaking from a sense of ego in the Gospel. His frustration came from the fact he was disappointed the rabbis and the Jewish people were not willing to go to the deeper meaning of his teaching. Jesus is more than a prophet, and the people do not work hard enough to understand that.

These types of readings cause me to think about our students. Some are very smart and talented students who get frustrated because, like the Rabbis, they are not willing to do what it takes to understand the true meaning of a Jesuit education: to listen to unique God’s call for each and every one of us and to help prepare us for the Kingdom.

Very simply, we all need the praise that comes from God, our Father. We need not worry about who is listening to us. Thankfully, with an open mind, we will learn that the Father will show us the Way through his son, Jesus. Then, we won’t worry about human praise. We will only yearn for what God offers to us through his words.

Author: Jack Fitzsimmons, Counseling Department