And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (1:35)
Yes, the communion with the Father was not automatic, I had to nourish this foundational relationship every day of my life on earth. Prayer is where the human pride can be broken, because it is where you depend on God and human efforts cannot accomplish anything. Prayer is the place where you discover the love of the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Praying with others is good and important, yet it will never replace this heart to heart relationship with the Father, with the Holy Spirit and now with me. We want humans to learn the real dependance on us. I had to show the way. After a tiring day of ministry in Capernaum, I woke up very early and found a solitary place where I could speak peacefully with the Father. I could thank him for the wonders of his love for so many in Capernaum, I could rejoice with him of how his love was flowing freely through me. I could prepare the new day in his tender presence, it was so refreshing to me.
It is true that man does not live by bread alone but by all the words that come from the mouth of God. It is also true that man does not find rest with physical sleep alone but needs the rest of the Spirit, a rest that you can only find in the sweet embrace of the Father, as you learn the wonder of prayer. It is through these numerous hours spent in the peaceful and restful presence of the Father that I could keep the pace of these years of ministry. Ministry is first of all service to the Father, and then service to humans, churches or communities. Don’t forget that if you don’t learn to worship, to speak and listen to God, there is no ministry. The intimacy of your communion with God is the heart of every Christian ministry. When this heart is cold, all you do will be cold. If you want to see the fire of love spread through communities of believers, start by allowing the Father to kindle His holy fire in your heart. Keep it burning through the presence of the Holy Spirit during your days, and you will become a torch that can light many fires of love around you.
And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” (1:36-37)
Simon and the other disciples were concerned with the people who wanted to see me. They were trying to respond to the requests and needs of the people coming to them. They did not seek the will of God, but tried to respond to the emergency. People wanted to see me, so the searched for me. They thought that responding to what the people wanted was the most important.
Yet, the most important for me was to respond to what the Father wanted. As often, these two approaches did not match. I knew what was in men, and I did not need any more witness. There is so often a painful self-centeredness in men that makes of the other an object for their use. I love each human being, but I am not blind to what is in each unrestored heart.
What the Father wanted was to bring the fire of His love to many. What many wanted was to get a part of this fire for their own purpose, even at the expense of extinguishing this fire.
As it was the case for me, when you will manifest the power of the Father’s love, everyone will be looking for you. Yet, don’t forget where this power of love comes from, and how to keep it burning in your heart. It is only through a continual and strong communion with the Father that I could keep the Father’s love burning in me, I could not produce it myself.
And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (1:38-39)
Humans tend to be concerned by their importance, many want to impress others. I did not come to impress others, but to do the will of the Father. He knew how to show love in a pure and efficient way. One key element was for me to continue with full trust in the Father to share the Gospel in the next towns. I continued to bring deliverance to the captives and to shine of the love of the Father.
The Father knew what needed to be done, how to bring the fire of the Holy Spirit on earth, I simply followed His direction. In each town, the Father wanted to purify the people in the synagogues, these places where people expected to meet Him. Like what I did in Capernaum, I came to teach and cast out demons in each synagogue. People are often naive, relying on buildings to contain our holiness. This has never been efficient, and will never be. The temples we look for are not made with human hands, it is those made by the Father’s hands - first of all it is humans themselves. I did not come to purify religious buildings, but to purify the hearts of those seeking God in these buildings. The worshippers that the Father is seeking are those who worship him through the Holy Spirit, and through the truth that you can discover in the Scriptures and that I embody fully. The worshippers that the Father is seeking are those who discover that I am the path to this loving communion with Him. Don’t focus on buildings, but simply follow my example, learn to listen to my voice and I will lead you in the fields of the Father. I am the good shepherd, I love each of the Father’s sheep and gave my life for each of them. Follow me and learn to become a temple of the Holy Spirit.
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