New Imaginings

“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard” – Luke 7:22

The first thought that came to mind with today’s Gospel was a question: Why didn’t Jesus just answer with a “Yes”? Why, when John told his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come,” didn’t He give a straightforward answer? What is this roundabout response?

I often ask Jesus the same question in my own life, wondering why when I’m looking for answers, rarely – if ever – do I get a direct one. Whether it’s related to simple day-to-day activities or the larger wonderings of life’s purposes, I sometimes wish God would just be upfront with me. Wouldn’t that be nice? 

Then I’m answered with a question, something to stir my imagination and look from a different, deeper perspective. It’s almost as though Jesus is saying in his response to the disciples, “Here is the new reality you see before you. What do you think? Is it what you thought it’d be, or perhaps even, something more?” 

There’s an invitation, then, to move beyond the “yes” or “no,” into a new way of looking - one that is open to possibilities, leading to the promise of a deeper peace and joy than anything I could imagine. I find myself learning to look more at God, trying to trust in His mysteries, rather than focusing on my understanding and attempting to figure things out. 

St. John of the Cross, whose memorial we celebrate today, reminds me to continue listening in the quiet moments, to find the stillness within – seeing, imagining, and believing anew for myself “the one who is to come.”

How might I be encouraged today to look beyond the “yes” or “no” in my life? What new perspective might Jesus be inviting me to imagine?

O blessed Jesus, give me stillness of soul in You. Let Your mighty calmness reign in me. Rule me, O King of Gentleness, King of Peace.

Prayer of Peace by St. John of the Cross

reflected by Quyen Ngo