IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS

IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS

(Friday, September 15)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (Jn 14:1-4)

Early this morning at New Valamo Monastery in Finland, I walked around the place and took pictures, so I could share them with you, my online people. I saw a monk, who approached the main church of the Transfiguration, as I was taking pictures of it. I bowed my head toward him to say hi, and he bowed back, before entering the church. Then I also headed into the church, where the morning-service was already being chanted, in Church Slavonic. I venerated an icon in the back of the church and quietly left, because I still had to write this daily reflection, before today’s conference begins here at the monastery.

What is the point of this little story? I feel extra-grateful today, for my peculiar vocation. I am not in this monastic community, nor in any other one. And that is “meet and right” (axion kai dikaion, достойно и праведно), because in the “house” of our Father there are “many mansions.” I have my job, which involves sharing daily with you, whoever happens to be interested in reading my reflections and looking at my photos online. Just as each of you has your job(s) today, probably quite different either from mine, or from the ones being done by the monks of this beautiful monastery. Let our hearts not be troubled, my beloved friends and foes, and let us be blessed by one another’s vocations, and by our own. Thank You, Lord, for preparing and having a place for each of us.