Finding Jesus (11/20/2025)

You know the famous book for children titled Finding Waldo. Waldo is on every page of the book, doing something. The reader is sure Waldo is there. The task is locating him.  I think of that book often when I am teaching faith formation.  I wish I could adequately convey to others that Jesus is on every page of our lives. Can we find Him?

Jesus is there with us as we dream. He is there with us as labor. He is there with us as we struggle. He is there with us in our suffering. The Father gave us to the Son, and the Son has sworn that He will not lose us. Jesus wants us to seek Him; Jesus wants us to find Him. Can we spot Jesus right now? What is He doing?

Last evening, during the prayer session before faith formation for our teens, I taught the prayer method of Lectio Divina. We used the short passage of John 15:1-5. One of those present remarked on the word “remain” repeated several times. And I spoke about that word’s frequency in the gospel. The Spirit wants us to get it…Jesus remains with us always. Will we remain with Him?

Yesterday, Jesus prompted me to make two phone calls to check on others. Jesus encouraged me to meet with a friend to share the journey even if only for a short while. Jesus’ love shared with me for the youth in our parish filled me with the resolve I needed to go out on a cold evening to be a voice for Him. And while I was out, I spotted Him in a young man of courage who spoke up first and answered my question when others would not. I saw Jesus in the reassuring presence of a sponsor during the class exercises for the students. He’s there. I know that. I spend my days trying to find through His presence what He is asking of me.

Jesus promised us in the final verse of Matthew’s gospel that He will be with us always. We on the Way in Christ know Him to be trustworthy. It isn’t a case of whether Jesus is with us. It never has been. It’s a case of our ability to see Him, to feel His presence, to discern His will for us in the moment, to draw upon His love during the struggles, to open ourselves to Him always and everywhere.

If anyone asked me what I want to be, I would have to say a Jesus carrier. I’m working on it.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.