Conversation

“Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip?’” (John 14:10).

Multiplication of the Leaves and Fishes (Unknown)

The disciples spoke to Christ.  Over a period of several years the disciples were involved in day-to-day conversations with Christ Himself.

They asked His advice.  They asked him to clarify things that He had previously said.  They spoke about their day.  They asked Him to explain why He chose to act in one way or in another.  They spoke among themselves to understand what He was trying to do for and with them.  And there they were…  Those disciples, listening to God Himself…

“Jesus said to Thomas, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.’...  Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me?...  he who believes in me will also do the works that I do... Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.’” (John 14:6-14).

What an exchange that would have been!  How much conversation and clarification in that room!  How much love!  I imagine the Holy Spirit filling the souls of the disciples as they spoke with Christ to inspire them to understand the message He was delivering to them.  This is prayer – in its most fundamental form – this conversation with Christ, this gentle conversing and this gentle backwards and forwards.  This curiosity to understand the other person’s perspective.  This curiosity is a sign of the Holy Spirit in a home.

When my children have a conversation with me and when they are curios about what I am saying and I am curious about what they are saying, then that is evidence of the Holy Spirit among us.  But when we are closed to each other and in our conversation, there is only conflict as I listen to retaliate and they listen to retaliate, then we are lost.

And today, as I read that exchange in the Gospel, it occurs to me that Christ had all the time in the world for conversations such as that.  He waited until the disciples had asked their questions in every possible way so that He could address them.  And He did that to set an example for me.  For a miserable soul like mine, and the souls entrusted to my care.  For I am asked to do much the same thing – to ask questions and listen – with curiosity – in conversations where the Holy Spirit flows…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.