Vamshi Eedara csc
Readings: Acts 18:23-28; Jn 16:23b-28
Today both the readings invite us to listen to those who have got experiences in life, persons like the elders, those who are guiding us in our life. When we pay attention and listen to teachers, spiritual guides and our own friends then we will be able to grow and be successful in life like Apollos.
In the first reading we see Apollos, who was a Jew was well educated and successful in his preaching and teaching, nevertheless he was open to learning from those who are more
experienced than himself. When Priscilla and Aquilla took him aside to offer advice he was grateful and saw it as a learning experience. When the brothers opened a pathway for him to continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, he was excited to expand his travels and was highly successful in bringing more followers to the Lord.
Jesus also reminds us in the gospel of today of the importance of being willing to ask God for what we need. Sometimes we do this in prayer, other times we are called to listen to the people whom God places in our lives. Oftentimes these are the people we call family, friends, teachers, Rectors and spiritual directors, etc. they support, challenge, teach, love us and lead us into the person we are called to be.
We often don’t want to ask direction, to be challenged, or to ask advice of others, because in our human pride we think we know it all. Sometimes the degrees we proudly earn become a stumbling block for our success thus giving us a false sense of security, sending a message to others that we have all the answers. When we listen to one another and keeping an open mind and a loving heart before others we would grow in our life.