MAY 2, 2026 FATHER JOHN BERTAO
I love that line.
“If in my name you ask me for anything, “I will do it.” What a beautiful promise. A beautiful promise. He doesn’t say when, but that he will do it.
But first, let me start off with a couple of questions to get us thinking about today’s Gospel. It starts off with: What’s the greatest thing we can aim for in this life? Would you not agree then, it is to know God personally, as your Father and redeemer? Also: What’s the best thing that we can possess in life, bringing more joy, contentment, life, and happiness, more than anything else in this world? Is it not true knowledge that the understanding of God is in what kind of relationship we must want to have with him, and him with us?
Scripture tells us that the greatest thing we can do and possess is true knowledge of God. We read in Jeremiah, and I quote. Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, “let not the mighty glory in his might, “not the rich man glory, or in his riches, “but let him who glories in this “that he understands and knows me.” Whatever it is, know God first, above and beyond anyone else.
One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge then of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally. For example, the essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism, and other religion, is the personal knowledge of God as our Father. Our loving Father.
Jesus makes it possible for each one of us to personally know God as our heavenly Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus, we see the perfect love of God. A God who cares intensely, who longs for each one of us, you and me, loving so much to the point of laying down his life on the cross, for each one of us. Jesus is the revelation of God. A God who loves us unconditionally, unselfishly, and perfectly.
The only one who could possibly love us so much, without neglecting or forgetting, even for a moment, of who we are, and how much he loves us. If we put our trust in Jesus, and believe in him, Jesus promises that God the Father will hear our prayers when we pray, as we should, such as the Our Father, and pray it slow, and with meaning.
And someone who was very close to God, and wanted us, wanted you and I, at that time, and even now, to love God as much as he did, was Saint Athanasius, who we celebrate today. In brief, Saint Athanasius was born about the year 297 in Alexandria, Egypt. He devoted his life to proving that Jesus is truly God. This was important, because some people called the Aryans were denying this truth.
Even before he became a priest, Athanasius had read many books on scripture and theology. This is why he could explain the faith so easily. He became the Archbishop of Alexandria before he was 30 years old, and for 60 years he was a brave shepherd for his flock. However, many in authority tried to prevent him from his ministry. For example, four different Roman emperors tried to stop him, but he could not be stopped. His clear writing, his beautiful examples, his beautiful explanations of the faith, were just so important that they were very jealous of him.
His enemies persecuted him in various ways. For example, Archbishop Athanasius was sent out of his own diocese for five times. Exiled from his diocese. His first exile lasted two years. He was sent to a city in Trier in Germany, in the year 336. A kind bishop by the name of Maximinus welcomed him warmly. Other exiles lasted much longer than that.
A very short story I came across, as I was doing research and praying about this. That once the emperor’s soldiers were chasing Athanasius down the river, and they were saying, “Oh!” As they were chasing him, they looked back, and they saw, “They’re catching up to us.” And the saint’s friend said Athanasius was not worried. At all. At all. He said, “Turn the boat around, and calmly row towards them.” Turn around, and go towards them.
The emperor’s soldiers shouted when they came across him, and said: “Have you seen him?” Athanasius said: “You’re not far from him.” And so of course, they rowed even faster, to see if they could catch up with him. Of course, ha, going the wrong way. Very simple, very straightforward, and down to earth.
My dear friends in Christ, we’re all challenged, or called, to be enthusiastic about our faith. Whereas resulting in loving Jesus our Father, more and more every day. Not only to be a saint, but one day to see him, face-to-face, and proclaim him as my Lord and my God.
Another way of doing this is to maybe spend some time in the church. And I’m sure that some parishes do have a holy hour, we do. People at the beginning, when we started our holy hour, they would say: “Oh, Father, it’s so boring to just sit there, and look at this beautiful monstrance, and I get nothing out of it.” And I said, “Okay.”
“What do you give to the Lord? When you’re sitting there? Do you expect to get riches? Do you expect to get a voice, do you expect to get a light coming at you? Give him what you have.”
“Well, what do I have to give him?”
I said, “Well, hello. I love you. I want to be here with you.”
Just try it, try it. And never give up, because he doesn’t give up on you. And some of these people who have tried this said, “Father, now I’m addicted. I cannot do without holy hour, because I realize that Jesus is so much there for me, and I am there for him as well.”
Be there for him. He’s there for you.
And I close with a little prayer.
Lord Jesus, you fill us with the joy of your saving presence, and you give us the hope of everlasting life with God, our Father in heaven. Show me the Father, that I may know and glorify him always, forever and ever. Amen.
