When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of my own accord. What I say is what the Father has taught me; He who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, For I always do what pleases him.
-John 8:28, 29

The whole of Jesus' ministry pointed away from himself to the Father who had sent him.  To his disciples Jesus said, "The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself; it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work" (John 14:10).  Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, spoke not to attract attention to himself but to show the way to his Father:  "I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I leave the world to go to the Father (John 16:28).   I am going to prepare a place for you...so that where I am you may be too" (John 14:2-3).  In order to be a ministry in the Name of Jesus, our ministry must also point beyond our words to the unspeakable
mystery of God...

If it is true that the word of Scripture should lead us into the silence of God, then we must be careful to use that word not simply as an interesting or motivating word, but as a word that creates the boundaries within which we can listen to the loving, caring, gentle presence of God. Jesus said: "Let us go...to the neighboring
country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came."

The words which Jesus spoke in these neighboring boring country towns were born in the intimacy with the Father.  They were words of comfort and of condemnation, words of hope and of warning, words of unity and of division.   He dared to speak these challenging words because he did not seek his own glory: "If I were to seek my won glory," he says, "that would be no glory at all' my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you 'He is our God, ' although you do not know him" (John 8:54).  Within a few years Jesus' words brought about his rejection and death.

Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered.  This means that the pains and struggles of which Jesus became part made him listen more perfectly to God.  In and through his sufferings, he came to know God and could respond to his call.  Maybe there are no better words than these to summarize the meaning of the option for the poor.  Entering into the suffering of the poor is the way to become obedient, that is, a listener to God.  Suffering accepted and shared in love breaks down our selfish defenses and sets us free to accept God's guidance.

Nothing is real without deriving its reality from God.   This was the great discovery of St. Francis when he suddenly saw the whole world in God's hands and wondered why God didn't drop it.  St. Augustine, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John Vianney, and all the saints are saints precisely because for them the order of being was turned around and they saw, felt, and - above all - knew with their heart that outside God nothing is, nothing breathes, nothing moves,
and nothing lives.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, this is the will of your Father that whoever sees you and believes in you should have eternal life, and that you should raise that person up on the last day.
-After John 6:40

By Henri J.M. Nowen