Why's or wise?

       Today's passage from Luke reminds me of yet another passage. You may recall the Apostles fishing all night ( Luke 5:5 ) and having no luck whatsoever. Jesus asks them to cast out their nets one more time and the bounty almost sinks their boats.  It is a wonderful allegory about the abundance in store for us if we have faith. There is yet another aspect of the reading that charms me. You have Jesus ( the Carpenter ) suggesting to these professional fisherman to cast out their nets after a grueling and unsuccessful nights labor. I am not so sure I would have not waved Jesus off if you get my drift. We never know where the answers to our most pressing problems will come. Does it matter ?

       In this morning's passage Jesus is asked by what authority he is performing miracles.  Look, I certainly don't want a plumber attending to my aching wisdom teeth. I want to see a diploma from a reputable dental school and license on the wall. But that being equal, do we really need to know who is doing good and why? 

         Am I willing to see goodness at face value and understand that it is based on good even if it is , heaven forbid, someone with different beliefs than me?  I find it difficult to believe that God has ulterior motives when supplying us with graces beyond our comprehension. It is not so much important who does what and why but what are we going to do in response?  That is the crux of everything. What are we going to do with our graces, monetary, mental, physical. Are we going to use such things to say thank you and praise God? Or will we ask, why, how come? The wise choice would be to simply accept the love and pass it on.

Luke 20:1-8

One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, ‘Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?’ He answered them, ‘I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ They discussed it with one another, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.’ So they answered that they did not know where it came from. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’