Let Us Cross to the Other Side

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.”

Crossing to Eternal Life

Today, the evening of life draws on for those of us counted among the ageing and the aged. Jesus calls: “Let us cross to the other side.” In reality, He has been calling you and me over time for this. You may already have reflected on it in your mental prayer. It’s worth pondering.

Our Lord has been using the aging process over time to get the older members of His Church ready to “cross to the other side.” It’s preparation for that day and time when He will say definitively, “Come to me…” During your time here, He has blessed you with exposure to a whole range of people, places, activities, events, and things.

Some of them, in the moment, you likely were grateful for. And some of them may have caused you at the time to wonder what the heck God was doing. But the way of the cross belongs to all of us. He even said that if anyone wants to come after Him, he needs to deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow Him. (cf. Luke 9:23)

Time to Prepare for the Crossing

If, like me, you’ve been around a while, it’s probably appropriate to give Him thanks for having given you some time to become better prepared to follow Him and to make the crossing. If it applies, thank Him for not having taken you out of this life as an unrepentant sinner, going from mortal sin to mortal sin, as St. Ignatius of Loyola describes it. Give Him thanks for allowing you the opportunity to repent and to know that, while we’re all still sinners–and to borrow a phrase from St. Paul–perhaps among the worst of all sinners (cf. 1 Tim 1:15) –we each are a loved sinner.

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him.

Seek Him, Love Him

Ask God to help you seek and find Him in all things as you make the crossing. Petition Him for the grace to love and support others in this journey, loving others for love of God and as He has loved you. Pray for the grace to become a spiritually fruitful instrument to bring others on board, doing what you can to keep them there for the journey.

St. Faustina, in her vision of heaven, tells us that,

…there is but one thing that is of infinite value in His eyes, and that is love of God; love, love and once again, love; and nothing can compare with a single act of pure love of God. Oh, with what inconceivable favors God gifts a soul that loves Him sincerely! (Diary, 778)

Ask Our Lord for the grace to grow in the virtue of charity and in wisdom, its undergirding gift of the Holy Spirit.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.

The Squalls of Life

Life on this earth presents many squalls–challenges–on the way to the other side, including one’s waning physical state, which gradually diminishes with age. As well, you might be looking at the sorry state of the world, so much pain and sorrow, among friends and family, and so many who seem to have lost their way.

With an increasing frequency, you and many others may be mourning the passing of another friend, colleague or family member. And attacks of the enemy continue. They may seem to be increasing in intensity the closer you draw to Jesus and to the other side. No coincidence there.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

God’s Ways, Not Human Ways

Sometimes it can seem as if Jesus is, indeed, “asleep on a cushion.” When you look at the happenings in the Church, the push by leaders of nations toward war, the plight of so many in so much need, you may ask–“Why, Lord, why?” Yet, you and I know Jesus is not sleeping through it all. God’s ways simply are not our ways. We need to remember that He is God–we are not.

He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Stay Close to the Lord

Do you know in the depths of your heart that Jesus is here, right now, with you? If you’re living in a state of grace, the Holy Trinity has made their dwelling in you. Ask Jesus to increase your faith. Pray for the grace to never forget His unique, particular love for you in difficult times. “I believe; help my unbelief!” (cf. Mk 9:24) Beg Him for the grace to strengthen you against tendencies to wander away from Him, and to protect you against the recurring forces of evil.

Above all, look forward to docking at the other side when the voyage is complete. St. Paul tells us, “…the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18). We haven’t seen or heard, and can’t imagine, what God has in store for those who love Him (cf. 1 Cor 2:9). Docking at the other side is not the end–it’s a whole new beginning, something to look forward to with eager anticipation. Let this be a joyful journey!

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Psalm 122:1