June Holy Hour Reflection

Mt 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
"All power 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,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

********************************
Reflection by Thuc Vu:

In these four lines, we have so many themes and lessons. We have

· An example of steadfast adherence to the command of Jesus even though there is doubt present

· His acceptance of our worship, our faith, even with our doubts for Jesus did not admonished them in their doubtful worship of him.

· Our commission, our last command given to us by the risen Christ to “make disciples of all nations”

· The Trinity

· And his promise to be with us “until the end of the age.”

What does all this tell me? What does it mean for me? It gives me hope. I have absolute hope that through baptism, I will be able to enter into eternal beatitude. “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments” (CCC1257). That, even with all my doubts, all my questions and my unsteady footsteps towards God, He will still love and accept me into his folds. As many of you know, I am not baptized. I was raised a Buddhist/Atheist. I am apart of this “all nations.” When he tells the disciples to make disciples of all nations, he is talking about me. Not just me, thought, but you also. For, you are apart of “all nations” too. Without this last command and this example of doubt, consider where you would be now. I personally would be in utter chaos, and I’m not just being overly dramatic.

What can I do with his hope, this hope in his power through my baptism? Well, that is simple enough. I go make disciples of all nations. He told me so right there. But how can I do this? How can I, little doubtful me, make disciples of others, for this was his last command of me? I teach. “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” I live according to his word, and I show others, as Christ has shown me, that it is possible. Through my way of life, I teach others what Christ has taught me. I, then, become a witness as Christ is a witness to me.

He is with me always. The one true God, the Father, Son and the holy Spirit, is with me always. We must never forget his last words to us, his last, comforting word. With my hope in Christ, I am certain that God is “with [me] always, until the end of the age.”