MEDITATION TIPS — Third Sunday of Easter,
May 4, 2025

“Lord, you know that I love you.” (John 21:15)

　The 19th-century Polish Nobel Prize-winning author Henryk Sienkiewicz wrote a novel titled Quo Vadis. Published in 1896, it was adapted into a Hollywood movie in 1951. The climax of the story depicts Peter, the leader of the Roman church, at a time when persecution in Rome was intensifying, causing many believers to flee. Although Peter initially intended to remain in Rome, the faithful pleaded with him to leave for his safety. Late at night, he finally departed. At dawn, as he walked along the Appian Way on the outskirts of Rome, Christ suddenly appeared to him in the morning light. Peter instinctively fell to his knees and asked, “Quo vadis, Domine?” (Latin for “Lord, where are you going?”). In response, Christ said, “If you abandon my sheep, I will go to Rome to be crucified again.” Peter fainted for a moment, but upon regaining consciousness, he turned back to Rome, where he was later martyred. This event signifies Peter’s return to his original intention—the sincerity of his love for Christ, as expressed in today's Gospel: “Lord, you know that I love you.” Incidentally, there is a similar story in the New Testament apocrypha (church traditions excluded from the official New Testament canon) called the Acts of Peter, which Sienkiewicz likely referenced.

　The phrase “Shoshin wasuru bekarazu”, meaning “Never forget your beginner’s spirit,” often used in Japanese, originates from the words of Zeami, the great master of Noh theater. Originally, it signified the importance of remembering one’s early struggles, imperfect skills, painful experiences, and failures. Overtime, it has come to serve as a lesson: “Never lose the humility, pure sincerity, and sense of urgency you had when you first began learning.” We all get lost. We all get lost, lose our bearings, and make many mistakes before we reach a certain goal. Life is like climbing a mountain. Just like life, mountain conditions can change rapidly. Experienced climbers say that whether on a familiar or unknown mountain, when the situation changes and you are unsure whether to proceed or wait, you should not hesitate to return to the starting point. This is because mountain climbing always carries the risk of encountering extremely dangerous situations. The phrase, “Never forget your beginner’s spirit,” applies not only to mountain climbing, but also to life —and especially to faith—where the danger of losing one’s way is ever-present.

　 Certainly, Thomas doubted Jesus. Yet he was saved because he did not leave his fellow disciples. Had he believed he was excluded and left the group, he might never have encountered Jesus. We too, in our weakness, may sometimes doubt the Church or even God. Still, the important thing is not to distance ourselves from our fellow believers. As long as we stay connected with them, even in moments of wavering faith, someone will support and help us, and the path to encounter Jesus will open up again.

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)