Our Lord warns us today of the danger of curiosity, especially curiosity about the divine plan for other people. In the Holy Scriptures God reveal himself to us, and he reveals his plan for our salvation. We know that Our Lord died and rose again for the salvation of every single human being. Repentance was won for us by the blood of Christ, but it is not for us to know whether the saved are to be few or many. We are to strive for salvation, loving God with all our strength, with heart and soul.
Curiosity is a very human failure, from which even St Peter suffered. After the Resurrection at the lakeside Jesus foretold Peter’s martyrdom, whereupon he asked Jesus what John’s future was to be. Jesus was not to be drawn: if he is to die a natural death, that is not your concern. You are to follow me. The rebuke is made gentle by the loving and joyful summons to discipleship.
It is our dignity to be educated by the Holy Scriptures, by what is revealed. We are to follow Our Lord. We are to come to know him. Seeing him we see the Father, because Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in him. It is eternal life to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. As we seek God he reveals his will to us, teaching us to keep the commandments and to grow in love.
Our greatest act of love of neighbour is to pray for the salvation of souls. Curiosity and speculations about God’s dealings with others simply have no place in the unfolding of our Christian life. As for curiosity about our own lives, we need to grow continually in faith and hope. We yearn for eternal life with all our souls. We hope for grace and for glory: grace that through repentance and fidelity we may persevere in seeking God all our life long, and so be ready when our time comes to die. We are content with the wonders revealed to us and don’t endanger ourselves by prying into what is not revealed.
While the first reading suggests that those who are saved will indeed be many, the second reading reminds us that we have not chosen an easy option in following Our Lord. We prepare ourselves for trials by cultivating our life of prayer, and fidelity to our Catholic life. Only in this way can we contribute to the continuing growth of new members to the Church, be it on the Island or elsewhere. A vibrant, caring, outward looking community is a true fifth Gospel and witness to Christ. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, who is guiding us all in the way of Jesus to the house of our Father.