“Where Are You Going?” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)

Frans Pourbus the Younger [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

“Where Are You Going?” by Melanie Rigney

Tuesday of Holy Week

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. (Isaiah 49:4)

I will sing of your salvation. (Psalm 71:15)

Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later." (John 13:36)

Piety

Where are you going? Where are you going? Can you take me with you? For my hand is cold and needs warmth… (“By My Side” from Godspell, written by Peggy Gordon and Jay Hamburger)

Study

Maybe it’s been a “great” Lent for you; you ticked all the boxes you wanted to be ticked.  You did all you had hoped when it came to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Congratulations!

Or maybe it was less than great. Maybe those pledges you made to yourself and the Lord fell by the wayside like so many Lenten promises and New Year’s resolutions have. Maybe you’re feeling like a lousy Catholic, a lousy Christian, a lousy mother, husband, daughter, brother, coworker, neighbor, friend.

As challenging or easy as we’ve found the past six weeks, they are drawing to a close. And soon, we will be reminded of the humanity of most of those who surrounded Jesus during His public ministry. Their spiritual runups to the Last Supper may have varied as much as our Lenten journeys do. After all, they quarreled about who was the best and jockeyed for position. They despaired in situations where the faith of a mustard seed would have sprouted into faith and trust. They deserted and denied Him when the going got tough. And those questions, all those questions, from the time He invited them to come and see, right through His earthly end.

“Where are you going?” the ever-literal Peter asks when Jesus says he’ll be leaving and that they won’t be able to join Him right away. Imagine it: being with Him daily for three years, only to be told, to quote from another Jesus musical of the day, “It was nice, but now it’s gone.” Where would they go, if not with Him? What would become of them without Him?

And regardless of whether it’s been a great Lent or otherwise, we are now at that time that the past six weeks don’t really matter. He’s going away, and all our sacrifices and giving don’t seem to matter. Where is He going, indeed? And how can we keep Him by our side?

Action

Write a love letter to Jesus. Ask Him to stay with you always.