The Lord assures Us of His Presence even in the Dark [Saturday of the Second Week of Easter]

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But he said to them,

"It is I. Do not be afraid."

- John 6:20

Christian life is not a bed of roses. Most of the time, Christians are the ones who encounter various troubles and problems, experience dark nights and stormy waters and become victims of injustices, persecution and even untimely death. And the usual question that we ask when after committing ourselves to God and to His call to a particular mission we find ourselves facing many problems in life is, "Why [me], Lord?" 

When St Teresa asked the Lord that question, He answered her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends." 

Looking at how God treated His only-begotten Son, we can see a glimpse of how He tries to discipline us so that we may never grow as spoiled children. Remember that when the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins He reunited us with the Father and became God's children through Him [see Galatians 3: 26-27]. The Lord said that the Father does not want anyone to be lost [see Matthew 18:14] and one way of keeping someone from being lost is to discipline him or her [see Proverbs 13:24]. The Parable of the Prodigal Son would give us a hint on what happens when a son is given so much freedom, he becomes a victim of vices.

When we encounter problems, when we seem to be in the dark, and we find ourselves facing a ghost which adds to our already troubled soul [see Matthew 14:26], we only have to listen to that voice which says, "It is I. Do not be afraid." Many times we are so engrossed about our problems that we fail to hear the encouraging voice of the Lord, which says something that is full of assurance of salvation from all that troubles us! It is written that God will never give us any problem which we cannot find a solution to; that He won't put us under trials that we can't overcome [see 1 Corinthians 10:13]. It is when we seem to be in our lowest that He appears to lift us up to the highest; it is when we are in our saddest moment when He brings joy to our troubled soul.

Remember the "Footprints in the Sand"? When we try to look for God we couldn't find any sign of His presence for we focus only on one set of footprints which we think belongs to us and fail to understand that it's just one set because He was already carrying us! [This is to ensure that we will never fall.]

"It is I. Do not be afraid," the Lord tells us. And He repeats it by saying, "When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." 

Let us never surrender to the trials of life especially when we seem to be facing a ghost already, for many times that ghost proves to be our salvation, the Lord who assures us of His unending presence and tells us not to be afraid instead experience peace [see Luke 24: 36-40]!

We only have to listen to His voice.