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In Scottish and English folklore,
\npeople tell of the will-o\u2019-the-wisp,
\nmischievous lights in the bogs and swamps
\ncarried by fairies and goblins
\nthat lead lost travelers to their doom.
\nAs the travelers follow those elusive and fickle lights,
\nthey leave the path behind,
\nand when the lights are extinguished
\nthe travelers are even more lost than when they began.<\/p>\n
On our journey of faith we sometimes lose our way,
\nfollowing will-o\u2019-the-wisps.<\/p>\n
We get lost, like those travelers in the woods
\nwho wander off the path, following the goblin lights.
\nWe\u2019re looking for fulfillment, for happiness, for peace.
\nBut so many of the things we chase after only bring us
\nthe illusion of fulfillment,
\nthe illusion of happiness,
\nthe illusion of peace.<\/p>\n
And when the illusion fades we feel lost.
\nWe open our eyes one day and wonder, Where am I?
\nWhat am I doing with my life?
\nHow did I get myself into this situation?
\nWe don\u2019t know how we got here, and we don\u2019t know how to get back.
\nWe feel the panic rise in our throats, and our hearts beat faster.<\/p>\n
Panic is starting to set in for the disciples in today\u2019s gospel.
\nIt\u2019s the Last Supper and the meal has turned bleak.<\/p>\n
First, the disciples have heard that there\u2019s a traitor in their midst.
\nNext, Jesus tells them that he\u2019s leaving and they can\u2019t follow him.
\nAnd finally, he says that Peter will deny him three times.<\/p>\n
Jesus sees the looks on their faces \u2014 the doubts, the fears, the panic.
\nHe understands that the disciples are on the verge of losing their way.
\nHe knows that when he\u2019s arrested they will scatter.<\/p>\n
In their panic and in our panic, Jesus speaks the words we need to hear.
\nJust as the forest seems to close in on us
\nwhen the lights of the will-o\u2019-the-wisp vanish,
\nJust as our hearts begin to pound,
\nJesus gives us words of consolation and strength.
\n\u201cDo not let your hearts be troubled,\u201d he says.
\n\u201cYou have faith in God; have faith also in me.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m going away, but I\u2019m coming back for you. You know the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Thomas speaks aloud what\u2019s on everyone\u2019s mind:
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going; how can we know the way?\u201d<\/p>\n
Like a lost traveler, we want a map, some sort of clue or hint.
\nMaybe if we had a compass, or a flashlight, or a GPS,
\nthen we could find a way out ourselves.<\/p>\n
But what is the first rule of being lost?
\nWhat does every parent tell their child to do if they get lost?
\nWhat does every experienced hiker, skier, hunter, and fisherman
\nknow to do if they get separated from the group and lose their way?<\/p>\n
Stop!
\nStay put!
\nCall for help.
\nStay where you are;
\nwait for Mom or Dad or the search party to come find you.<\/p>\n
Whenever we went camping with the kids
\nwe would remind them:
\nif you wander off and get lost
\njust stay where you are.
\nWe will look for you and find you.
\nIf you keep moving you\u2019re harder to find,
\nand it will take us longer.
\nStop, stay where you are, and call for help.
\nDon\u2019t go chasing after things that aren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n
When we feel lost we often go chasing after will-o\u2019-the-wisps.
\nWe chase after illusions that seem to be real,
\nthat seem to promise a way through life:
\nPleasure, power, money, success.
\nLike the lights of the will-o\u2019-the-wisp,
\nthese seem to lead us toward home,
\nbut they so often lead us deeper into the dark woods,
\nand then they disappear.<\/p>\n
If we pause right now, I\u2019m sure we can think of the will-o\u2019-the-wisp
\nthat\u2019s been beckoning us on most recently.<\/p>\n
When we find ourselves lost in the woods
\nof sin, doubt, confusion, or fear,
\nour best bet is stop and stay put.<\/p>\n
But we stay put when we\u2019re spiritually lost
\nfor a different reason than when we\u2019re lost in the woods.
\nWhen we\u2019re lost in the forest,
\nwe remain where we are so people can find us.
\nBut when we\u2019re spiritually lost
\nwe stay put so we can find Jesus.<\/p>\n
We stop what we\u2019re doing so we can look and listen
\nfor his presence among us.
\nWe find Jesus in the still moments,
\nin the quiet moments.<\/p>\n
We stay put so we have a chance to discern what to do next.<\/p>\n
We call for help and ask God to be with us.<\/p>\n
And Emmanuel, \u201cGod with us,\u201d is present.
\nIn the midst of our sin, doubt, confusion, and fear,
\nJesus is always with us.<\/p>\n
We can be spiritually lost, but we are never alone.
\nOnce we realize we are lost, the best thing to do is
\nstop, stay put, and call for help:
\nA pause for a moment of prayer in the middle of the day,
\nA visit to the Blessed Sacrament chapel,
\nA phone call to a friend for advice,
\nA walk outside with a husband or wife.<\/p>\n
Stopping and staying put
\ngives us time and attention to notice God\u2019s presence
\nin the midst of our anxiety.<\/p>\n
God always comes to find us.
\nHe always seeks us,
\nand no matter how lost we are,
\nHe will find us.
\nBecause he is already with us.<\/p>\n
He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
\nHe says to us,
\n\u201cI will come back again and take you to myself,
\nso that where I am you also may be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jesus is the way out of the dark forest.
\nIf we come here today feeling lost, feeling alone,
\nThen this is exactly the place to be.
\nJesus waits for us here especially,
\nat the table of this Eucharist.
\nHere we stop.
\nHere we stay put.
\nHere we call for help.<\/p>\n
And if we aren\u2019t feeling especially lost or alone today,
\nthen we come here to thank God for making us aware of his presence,
\nfor coming to rescue us from the dark forest.
\nAnd we witness to everyone here that God does come back for us.<\/p>\n
That Jesus, the Way, shows us where to go.
\nThat Jesus, the Truth, breaks through our will-o\u2019-the-wisp illusions.
\nThat Jesus, the Life, nourishes us with his Body and Blood.
\nSo that where he is, we also will be,
\nAnd we will never be lost again.<\/p>\n