Catholic Outlook Magazine Ordinary Time Spring Edition 2022

The journey within
Gospel Pointers
STORY DR ROBYN REYNOLDS OLSH
As persons on pilgrimage, we engage in the
quest for meaning, and in the movement towards
spiritual health and maturity.
We strive, individually and together, for human
wellbeing, and for the flourishing of all life on
Earth. Whether or not we may identify ourselves as
‘pilgrims’, we are all members of the global family,
moving onwards in a world of continuing war and
violence, of dramatic and increasing climate change,
and of a continuing COVID culture.
This brief reflection will consider some of the
questions Jesus Himself faced in relation to His own
human journey, as well as some of the questions
He poses to those He invited to ‘Come, follow me’
(Lk 18:22). As ones beloved by our Creator God, we
yearn and strive for life within the daily pilgrimage of
the unfolding of our life’s story. And as disciples of
Jesus, we remember that all is grace:
No one can come to me unless
the Father who sent me,
draws him.
(Jn 6:44)
In the fullness of time, the Divine Pilgrim began His
journey: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among
us’ (Jn 1:14). And as we know ‘He emptied Himself…
becoming like us in all things’ (Phil 2:7). He struggled,
questioned, agonised. Being the beloved Son of God
did not remove Him from the doubts, temptations
and challenges faced by us all.
A query (perhaps something like ‘Why should I
help you’?) was implied in Jesus’ response to the
Canaanite woman’s plea (Mt 15:24). Similarly at Cana
– before his public journey began – with the question
to His mother: ‘Woman, what does this have to
do with me?’ (Jn 2:4). Experiencing and reflecting
integrity includes voicing the questions along the
way, looking for answers, struggling with the truth:
the truth of who I am, to what (and to whom) I am
called. Jesus experienced these challenges.
Along the way He Himself took, we may ask what
were His own deep feelings and queries behind such
questions as ‘Who do they say I am?’ (Mt 16:13)
Along with the scholarly biblical commentaries on
such passages, may we also surmise that Jesus
had hopes and fears about his reputation? And what
were His feelings behind the sad, quiet question?
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