Living in Faith, Trusting in God 

   “God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim 1: 7) 

   The problem with Christianity today is that it has become timid, refusing to proudly and loudly profess faith in the Lord our God.  When Christians refuse to live their faith, faith will not survive.

   It’s rare to see anyone who will even bow their head in prayer before a meal in a restaurant and even more rare to hear someone say grace out loud.  They are unwilling to draw the attention of those around them by giving thanks to God.  They would instead say to God, “I love you but only when no else one is around to see or hear.”  

   The life of Jesus was life of ministry toward those who were lost.  He didn’t condemn, but offered new life.  Yet, it was expected that following Jesus was a public journey, not something to ashamed of.  He gained many followers but also many enemies and it cost Him His life on the cross.  The religious leaders saw Him as a problem to be resolved, and the solution was to crucify Him.  How wrong they were.

   Christianity blossomed and grew quickly as documented in the Acts of the Apostles as well as the New Testament letters.  The faith spread to the far corners of the world and that same faith, which the religious leaders had tried to silence, is still strong in many today.

   But where are the Peters and Pauls of today?  Where are those who are willing to stand up for their faith even in the face of death?  I’ve often thought of my own reaction should I be faced with the demand to deny Jesus or die a horrible death.  It is my prayer that God would give me the same strength that has given the holy martyrs throughout history; that I would have the strength of faith to trust completely in Him.

   If Christians are too meek, too timid to even say grace in public, how can our faith continue to grow or even exist?  We must be bold, we must trust in God, and we must be willing to stand and say, “I Choose Christ!” regardless the consequences

 Not of this World 

   “If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” (John 15: 19) 

   Jesus calls us out of the world even though we still live in the world.  The life He calls us to is in many ways a live of exile; the world is not our home and is not meant to be.  The world is full of sin and we are to separate ourselves from its evil.

   Those called to follow God almost always separate themselves from the world at large.  From the call of Abraham to the new Christian communities formed after the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, they separated themselves from society, forming a new community, the Church.  Even when they were not called from their homeland as Abraham was they were called to a spiritual separation from the world.  We too are called to separate ourselves from the world at large.

   I think many people today are too concerned with “fitting in” with the society in which we live rather than distancing themselves from the evils of that society.  No one wants to called a religious fanatic but that is what Christians are called to be; fanatically in love with God.  Instead, we try to get along even when getting along means turning a blind eye to evil.

   We can’t all move to the desert and separate ourselves physically from society, but we can separate ourselves spiritually.  We can resist the evil at every opportunity, even when it may mean that we will be ostracized, persecuted, and perhaps even martyred.

   Society will continue to change based on the wants and desires of the current generation, but our faith, our devotion to God and to the truth can never change with it.

 The End 

   “Oh Death, oh Death, won’t you spare me over til another year.” (“A Conversation with Death”,  Lyrics by Philip Pendergast, Benjamin Hutcherson, Zachary Coleman) 

   We often look forward to the end of some things.  We rejoice when winter ends and the beauty of spring comes once again.  Some have parties when the mortgage on their house comes to an end.  We look forward to the last payment on that new car and many other things.

   There is one thing, however, that virtually no one looks forward to; the end of our mortal life.  But of all the things in life, our death is the one thing that cannot be avoided, though many spend everything they have trying to avoid, or at least, delay it.  As the old bluegrass song puts it, “Oh Death, won’t you spare me over til another year”.

   Rather than fear the end it is far better to be prepared for it.  While death is the end of our life on this earth, it really isn’t an end, but a transition.  A transition from the mortal to the immortal; our mortal body dies, but our soul is eternal.  But to where does our immortal soul go?  Though fewer and fewer seem recognize or acknowledge the truth, our soul will spend eternity in either heaven or hell; there is no other option.

   If I am prepared for this final transition there is no fear of death.  I have no way of knowing when it will come but if I am in a right relationship with God, it really doesn’t matter.  Like everything else, it is in God’s hands; His will be done.  “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3: 16)

Unrelenting Love 

   To consider that God loves even the worst sinner on earth is a difficult concept.  It would seem that those who reject Him would be rejected by Him.  Rather, He never gives up on them, never quits loving them.  He will continue to draw them to Himself right up to their last breath.

   In our eyes those who do evil are to be banished and hated.  But our eyes are blinded by this sinful world in which we live.  God, on the other hand, reads their hearts, seeking to heal them and welcome them home like the prodigal son.  We see only their evil, God sees their potential.

   Jesus said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but the sinner.” (Luke 5: 31- 32).  He saw sinners as sick, needing the treatment of love and forgiveness.  He would never approve of their sinfulness but instead called them to a new life; one of love and devotion to God.

   There is not one among us who deserves the love of God, we have all failed Him not just once, but many times in our life.  Though we are sinners He waits for us to come to Him in sorrow and repentance.  “Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord:  Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow:  Though they be red like crimson, they may become white a wool.” (Isaiah 1: 18).

   When we understand that God loves us and every other person on this earth, past, present, and future, how can we harbor hate in our heart?

  

 False Prophets 

   “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” (Matt 7: 15) 

    There have always been false prophets, those who would lead people astray for their own benefit.  Perhaps they are the sons and daughters of Satan, desiring only to draw the faithful away and into the great abyss of evil.

    Today there are many forums for these liars and deceivers.  One of the worst is the internet.  A quick search on Christianity will deliver numerous sites to visit, some which are true to their faith but also many that are not.  It’s so easy to find a well-designed and well-written website that appears to have only our best interest at heart but are in fact false prophets.

    Our public schools are full of false prophets.  People who would lead our children down the path of evil, convincing them that evil doesn’t exist; that right and wrong is up to the opinion of each individual.  They too fill the internet with their vile teachings.

    Worst of all, our churches have become a haven for many false prophets.  Those who would try to change or reinterpret the word of God in order to “not offend”.  They refuse to speak out against sin, accepting and promoting some of the most abominable desires of a sick and perverted society.

    There are many resources for those wishing to increase their faith, some quite good and some horribly evil. The internet often brings these false prophets into our home, but it also offers the opportunity to  investigate what is being said and who is saying it.  In all things we must test prophecy.  We must turn to God to help us reject the false prophets, to look to scripture and know the truth.

 The Cross of Christ 

   “For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness to the gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1: 22-24) 

   As we begin this Lenten season I think it is very important that we keep the cross of Christ before us.  His cross, on which He offered His life for our sins, is the gateway to redemption, salvation, and the Father’s heavenly kingdom.

   Many came to receive ashes yesterday on Ash Wednesday, but how many immediately went home and washed those ashes off?  How many did not want to go through the day with their faith clearly proclaimed on their forehead?  Sadly, I suspect the great majority did just that and did it as quickly as possible, perhaps even wiping them off in the car before they left the church parking lot.

   But this season is the time to remember that we are dust and will return to dust.  We were created from dust and this mortal body will return to dust.  Yet we are not ordinary dust; if we belong to Christ we are dust that will join the saints in heaven when this life is over.

   Christ did not wipe off the blood of the scourging or the crown of thorns, he bore those signs as He carried His cross through the streets of Jerusalem to Calvary where He was nailed to that cross and died for us.

   His cross means nothing to non-believers, they can’t understand.  Many see the cross but see it empty, without the body of Christ upon it.  But without His body suffering and dying on that cross there is no redemption, no salvation.  It is good that we gaze upon His broken and wounded body and remember; "But He was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity.  He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53: 5).

   During these forty days we need to take time each day to consider all that Christ endured for us.  To sit in silent thanksgiving and praise before our Lord on the cross that saves.

 Ash Wednesday 

   “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen 3: 19) 

   These words to Adam and Eve after they had sinned in the garden of Eden apply equally to me and to every human person.  Life on this earth will end for each of us.  Ash Wednesday is an important reminder of our mortality and urges us to consider whether we are in a right relationship with our God.

   Ash Wednesday sometimes seems to be only a time when we give up something as a sacrifice.  It is that but it is so much more.  The sacrifice is not so much the sugar or coffee or whatever we choose to give up, but it is intended to be a reminder and a participation in the sacrifices Jesus Christ made for us to offer us redemption and eternal life.

   As we begin this season of Lent I believe we should not only sacrifice something material but also something more spiritual.  Some suggestions might be:

 

   Pick up that bible that has been gathering dust and read the gospels.

   Give up that grudge you’ve been holding against one who hurt you and try to reconcile.

   Give up an additional hour or so to attend daily Mass at least once a week.

   Commit to spend time in the adoration chapel before our Lord in the Eucharist.  Contemplate the many sacrifices He made for us and sorrow for the pain He endured.

   Make a commitment to spend more time in prayer.  Not just saying an extra rosary or Our Father, but to remove ourself from the distractions of this world and spend quiet time with our Lord.

 

Whatever we may sacrifice it should truly be a sacrifice.  It should be something that we will yearn for but refuse, offering it instead to Christ who offered His life for us.

 God's Love 

   As I look back over my life I can’t help but sometimes wonder why God loves me.  He knows of all the sins I’ve committed, he knows my weaknesses and how easily distracted I am.  So why does He continue to love me?

   Perhaps He loves me because even though He knows all my failings He also knows my sorrow for those failings.  I sometimes sit and consider some of the things I have done in my life and wish that there were some way I could go back and undo them; wishing that I had resisted Satan’s temptations rather than falling for them.  It was up to me, with God’s help I could have refused, but in my weakness I did not.

   In recent years I’ve come to better understand why God loves me in spite of all my faults; He wants to save me and bring me home to Him.  His love will never cease and He will continue to call me to Himself for as long as I live.  Again, it is up to me, I can answer “yes Lord” or I can reject Him.  I pray each day for the strength to always answer “yes” and never reject Him.  Each day is enough of a challenge, I will pray for the same strength tomorrow should it come.

   In his letter to the Romans St. Paul writes, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38 – 39).  I will accept His love and give Him all praise and glory.  I will spend the rest of my life doing all I can to love Him to the best of my ability.  I look forward to to loving Him eternally in His heavenly kingdom.

 Half A Saint 

   “You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.” (St. Therese of Lisieux) 

   If I am only willing to give part of myself to God, withholding some to myself then I can never be holy, I can never be sanctified, and I certainly can never be a saint.

   It is not foolishness or arrogance to desire to become holy, to become a saint.  That is what God wants for us, that is our destiny.  He will make us saints if we say yes to Him and His will.  But if we withhold part of life for worldly pleasures and desires, if we aren’t willing to give Him our all, then we cannot receive the gift of holiness He wants to give us.  “You shall not bow down to any other god, for the Lord – Jealous is his name – is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34: 14).  When we retain the pagan gods of this world, money, fame, sex, whatever, we have no room in our heart for God.

   Even in worldly endeavors those who are most successful are those who are willing to offer the most of themselves to achieve success.  Many never achieve their goals because they are unwilling to put forth the effort needed to do so.  A marriage in which one does not love their spouse above all others except God, will not last; it will fall apart.  If these things are true in earthly matters they are even more applicable to spiritual matters.

   We are all destined for sainthood; that is God’s plan for us.  But we must say yes to God, we must empty ourselves of earthly gods and allow Him to fill us with Himself.  He will not share us with our earthly desires; we must belong to Him.

 How God Loves 

   “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matt 5: 44 – 45) 

   This teaching of our Lord goes against our human concept of fairness or justice.  He is telling us that we must love even those who have done great harm to us and to pray for them.  It seems crazy to us, but it is what we are to do.

   He also tells us, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5: 48).  Again, how are we to be perfect when we are not capable of perfection because of our sins?  Here again, it makes no sense from our simple human point of view.

   The more I’ve turned to God in my life, the more I’ve tried to learn of Him and get to know Him better, the more I realize that God is love.  Not that God loves, which of course He does, but that He is love itself.  There is no love except that which comes from the Father and that love is what we are to strive to emulate in this life.

   God does not look at us and determine whether or not we deserve or are worthy of His love.  If He did He would not love any of us because none of are worthy.  Instead, He loves us all; the bad as well as the good, the unjust as well as the just.

   This is what Jesus is telling us in the gospel, not only in the quotes above but throughout the gospel, in all aspects of His life.  This is the perfection we are to strive to attain, recognizing that only God can make us perfect and only God can make us holy.

   The love of God overcomes all; it will never be withdrawn or revoked even in those who refuse to love Him in return.  Even as He was dying on the cross our Lord pleaded with the Father to forgive those who had nailed Him to the cross (Luke 23: 34).

   As strange as it may sound and as difficult as it certainly is, if we are to be God’s children we too must strive to love others as He loves us.

 True Happiness 

   “And this is the happy life: to rejoice in you, of you, for you.  This is true joy and there is no other.” (St. Augustine, “The Confessions of St. Augustine”) 

   People spend a lifetime seeking joy and happiness in this world.  Far too often they look for it in all the wrong places.  True joy and happiness can only be found in God.

   We all want to be happy and to know joy in our lives.  God also wants that for us.  The problem comes when we hope to find happiness in worldly pleasures.  We were created to be happy, but to be happy we must know God.  We must recognize that all we have in this world comes to us through His love and generosity.  When we forget this, we will never know the happiness and joy God desires for us.

   More importantly than seeking happiness in this life however, is the happiness available to us in eternal life.  There again, that happiness can only be found in God.  No matter what we have in this life, it will all be gone when the Lord calls us home.   Our money and all our possessions will belong to someone else.  Any fame we may have known will quickly fade and our memory will fade with it.

   Parents want what is best for their children.  They want them to know happiness and enjoy life, being successful in their endeavors.  Our heavenly Father wants the same for us.  If we turn to Him, live for Him, and seek His will in our lives we will not only know happiness in this life, but also the eternal happiness of His heavenly kingdom.

 The Crosses We Bear 

   “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8: 34) 

   Throughout our lives we are called to bear many crosses.  Some are relatively easy to carry, some are more difficult, and some seem unbearable.  In each case, however, we are to pick up that cross and, with the help of our Lord, bear it for the greater glory of God.

   Whenever I think a cross is too heavy or more than I can bear I remember the cross Christ bore for me.  From the palace of Pilate to the place of His crucifixion on Calvary He bore the weight of His cross.  I believe that cross was weighed down not only by the wood of the cross but also by the sins of all humanity, present, past, and future.  “He Himself bore our sins in His body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2: 24).

   But why must we bear crosses a lot of people ask.  If God loves us and cares for why are we given crosses to bear?  In my mind there are two reasons that we are to bear our crosses and to bear them willingly.  First as a reminder of our weaknesses and to teach us humility before God.  By our crosses we are reminded that we are not in control, God is.

   Secondly, if Christ, the Son of God, was willing to bear the many crosses He knew in His life to offer me redemption and salvation, I must freely bear my cross in thanksgiving to Him for all He has done for me.  I believe that when I offer my suffering and pain to Him in prayer the crosses I bear are somehow united with Him and can, in some mysterious way, benefit all of humanity through the grace of God.

   Each time we are asked to carry the cross and follow Jesus, we need to remind ourselves of the crosses, the pain and agony that He bore for us.  We need to trust in God’s will and know that He will never give us a cross that we cannot bear.  In His love and mercy He will give us the strength to overcome any hill, any mountain we are asked to climb.

 God Will Provide 

   “He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.’” (Luke 9: 3) 

   When Jesus sent His apostles to proclaim the kingdom of God He told them to take nothing with them.  I have always read this as indicating that they should rely upon the Lord to provide their needs as they spread the word of God.

   I believe that these words are also meant for me and for all Christians.  It says to me that I must place the mission of all Christians, spreading the word and the love of God, above any worldly needs or desires.  To focus on serving the Lord and trusting in Him to provide as He will for the needs of this world.

   “So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’.  All these things the pagans seek.  Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Matt 6: 31 – 33).  Jesus was again telling His disciples that they are to be concerned with spiritual rather than worldly things; that God know our needs and will provide.  This attitude of detachment from worldly needs and desires applies to all Christians, not just the apostles.

   It comes down to trust in God and His promises.  If I truly place myself in service to the Lord, I must trust that He will provide for me as needed.  I may not have all the things I want or think I need, but God will provide for what is truly needed and will never forsake me.

 He Must Increase 

   “He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3: 30) 

   John the Baptist’s followers were concerned because more and more people were going to Jesus rather than John.  John’s response was appropriate then and is appropriate to my life now as well.  I must become less involved with self and more involved with Christ.

   I was once again taught the lesson that I am able to do virtually nothing on my own and need God’s help to just make it through each day.  Faced with the possibility of needed surgery of a quite serious nature I spent the last four days in the hospital getting multiple tests to determine if the surgery would be necessary.  By the grace of God it was not.

   This experience reinforced what I already knew but sometimes forget; it is God who is in control, not me.  The only way I could cope with the concerns of the potential surgery I might have needed was to acknowledge my inability to do anything except place all in the hands of the Lord.  I was helpless, but He is not.

   As I prayed and offered my worries and concerns to God, placing myself at His mercy I again recalled John’s words to his disciples.  For me as well, I must decrease and allow Christ to increase within me.  St. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.” (Gal 2: 19-21).  This is the lesson I must learn, to allow Christ to be all within me.

 Judging Others 

   “If you judge people you have no time to love them.” (St. Teresa of Calcutta) 

   It seems whenever people get together the conversation quickly turns to judging those with whom we disagree.  I admit that I am as guilty of this as anyone else.  And granted, there are a lot of people both in and out of the church who are accepting and promoting evil that we, as Christians, should disagree with, but it is not our place to judge them.

   I would hate to think that I will be judged on all the stupid and even evil things I have done in my life.  We all have things in our past that would devastate us should they become known.  And yet we have the nerve to judge others.  Jesus said, “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.  For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” (Matt 7: 1 – 2).  If we judge others harshly we too shall be judged harshly.

   That doesn’t mean that we should not object to evil, but it does mean that we should never take it upon ourselves to judge even those who are engaged in evil.  That sounds odd but we are not in the business of judging or condemning others, but of loving them.  We should be praying for healing for those who are led astray by Satan rather than judging them.

   St. Teresa of Calcutta never turned away anyone who needed her help because of who or what they were.  She saw Jesus in the face of all and treated them as she would treat our Lord.  A difficult standard to uphold for sure, but one we must strive to have in our life.

 The Worst of Humanity

   “Of all the bad men, religious bad men are the worst.” – C. S. Lewis 

   We expect atheists and other non-believers to denounce and reject God’s teachings but those who claim to be Christians who mislead the faithful are far worse than any atheist. 

   At least the atheist is being honest in their dismissal of God.  The Christian who misleads others for their own benefit or to acquiesce to the whims and desires of society are betraying the God they claim to love as well as the faithful they are ordained to shepherd.

   In the world today there are more and more religious leaders who refuse to stand firm on the truths of God, willing to appease society in some of its most perverted desires rather than condemning the sinfulness of those desires.  These “leaders” of Christianity are worse even than the religious leaders of Israel who demanded the crucifixion of Christ.

   Christ warned His disciples, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” (Matt 18: 6).  There will be a reckoning, a price to pay, for those who mislead the faithful and the price will be great.

   I pray that there will be an awakening in the churches and that these imposters will be rejected and dismissed.  We need religious leaders who are sincere in their faith and follow the ways of the Lord rather than the ways of a perverted and sinful society.

 Truth and Darkness 

   “But in a conflict between truth and darkness, truth cannot lose.” (Fulton J. Sheen) 

   In a world becoming more and more dark where is truth?  It is where it has always been; truth is in God.  We can overcome any darkness when we place our trust in Him.

   It’s so easy to think that things are so much worse today than ever before, but a look at history will very quickly dispel that idea.  There have been times that were so much worse than today, times of war, hatred, and disease that far surpass our woes of today.

   Corrupt ideas and governments have brought great tragedy and horror to the world through wars, famines, and many other atrocities, but they were eventually overcome.  The evil in the world brings hatred and abomination to our lives today.  But, nothing is forever but the truth of God and that truth will eventually overcome all darkness.

   The only way that darkness can overcome truth is within ourselves; when we give up on the truth of God and succumb to the darkness we have lost all hope.  The road back from that place is arduous at best and nearly impossible for many.

   Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8: 12).  No matter how dark it may seem the light of Christ, the truth of Christ, will always overcome.

 Free Will 

   I’m always amazed when people say they don’t understand why God allows evil in the world.  Evil is in the world not at the choice of God but by the choice of humanity whom God blessed with free will.  We choose evil over God; ironically it is our God-given right to do so through our free will.

   God created us because of love; He loves us and desires that we love Him.  But love can’t be coerced or demanded; if so it becomes slavery and abuse.  Our love must be given to God willingly.  Sadly, many make the decision to deny Him their love and instead love self above all else.  In that choice is the source of evil in the world.

   Some would have God just over-ride our free will so that the evil will stop; He gave us free will, surely He could take it away.  Perhaps He could but He created man in His own image and that includes the ability to accept God or reject Him.  Even the angels had the ability to turn from God; hence Satan and his followers were cast out from heaven and have been creating havoc on earth ever since their fateful choice.

   In the end evil has been overcome, Jesus said, “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16: 33).  Even though our free will is the source of so much evil, God loves us so much that He will allow us to walk that path if we so choose.  But He will never stop loving us and will continue reaching out to us, hoping to bring us home to Him.

 The Futility of Mankind 

   “There are only two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’” – C. S. Lewis 

   God shows us the way, He will guide us home to Him if we will listen and follow His truths.  His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ said very clearly, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6).  So why do so many reject God and His way and condemn themselves to eternal life without Him?

   Maybe it goes all the way back to the beginning, the Garden of Eden.  God showed the first man and woman the way; He gave them all they needed to live in a world free of worry, pain, and sorrow.  And yet, at the tempting of Satan they gave it all up.  Why would they do such a stupid thing? Pride!

   Of everything God had given them He withheld only the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Only He can say what is good and what is evil.  But the serpent tempted the woman with pride, “God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.” (Gen 3: 5).  And so, out of a desire to be like God, they ate it.  The rest is history; the futility of mankind trying to find something other than God to make them happy.

   There is only one source of lasting peace and joy, and it is not of this world.  Only in our Lord and Savior is true happiness to be found.  “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.” (John 3: 19)

 Take Joy in the Lord 

   No matter what this world may throw at me; no matter how messed up things may seem to be, there is joy in knowing the Lord.

   I am amazed at the evil that is so prevalent in our society today.  Perhaps it’s not as bad as I think, but only seems that way because evil is all that seems to be talked about.  I hope so, but I don’t believe it.  Satan has long had too much influence and the weakness of faith in our nation has opened the door to his will like never before.

   Many churches are also struggling with issues of faith, and many have given up the fight and accepted the desires of a perverted society as the new norm, even promoting and “blessing” them.  It is an abomination to bless a sin in the name of God and those who do so will be called to answer.

   In a nutshell, the world is a mess!  Yet, none of this can take from me the joy of knowing my Savior and living for Him.  This world isn’t the final answer, and the desires of this world are not those of the Lord.  If I allow myself to become despondent or depressed by the world I am failing in my trust in God. 

   The choice for me is quite simple.  Do I believe in Jesus and all His promises, or have I given up on Him and fear that the world has overcome Him?  I will continue to trust and place all my hope in my Lord.  This world will not steal my joy and I pray for those who don’t share in the joy of knowing and trusting the Lord.

   “May the Lord reign forever and ever!” (Exodus 15: 18) 

 Seek Holiness 

   “Who must be holy?  Everybody without exception is called to holiness.  But start with yourself.” (Cardinal Frances Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, “The Road of Hope”) 

   I think sometimes we are too concerned with the holiness of others rather than with our own.  It is troubling when we see those who should be leading the flock to their heavenly home leading them astray instead.  But we are not their judge, and they will answer to the Lord for themselves.  So our part is to not judge, not to condemn but to pray for them that they may find peace in the Lord and become the holy people He has called them to be.

   Each of us must make the personal decision to strive for holiness and open our hearts to God and allow Him to make us holy.  We pray for our family and friends to find holiness and salvation in the Lord, and I firmly believe in the power of prayer.  But no one can make the decision for them, they too must decide for themselves. 

   When Gabriel told our Blessed Mother that she was to become the mother of our Savior she responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38).  This is the answer we must be prepared to offer if we are to become holy and we must make if we are to become holy before the Lord.

   In the words of the old gospel song: 

“You got to walk that lonesome valley

Well you got to walk it for yourself

Ain’t nobody else can walk it for you

You got to walk that valley for yourself.”

(“You Got to Walk that Lonesome Valley; Lyrics by Mississippi John Hurt)

 Our Daily Bread 

   “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matt 6: 9) 

   These words from the Lord’s Prayer are rich in meaning.  While they speak of bread, the physical necessities of life, there is a much deeper need that we ask of God.

   We need so much more than just the physical necessities of life.  We need for Him to give us our spiritual bread as well.  We need to feed our souls with His love and His mercy.  The nourishment that is most important is the nourishment of soul that will lead us to eternal life.

   We often get so caught up with our earthly needs and our wants that we think of as needs, that we sometimes forget to feed our spirit.  We overfill ourselves with earthly things while allowing our soul to waste away from lack of spiritual nourishment.

   This body we have will at some point cease to be; but our soul will continue forever.  We must feed and care for our body and seek God's blessings to do so, but we must never forget to ask God for the nourishment our soul needs to remain in Him and with Him for eternity.

 

 The Darkness 

   “When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”  (Isaiah 43: 2 – 3) 

   There are times when I feel as if I am in a dark place.  My prayer life seems frustrated; my faith weakened.  These are the times when I turn to God with increased urgency, seeking to come from the dark; to return to His light.

   I’ve wondered why God leaves me in the dark at times.  Maybe it’s because I've become too comfortable in my relationship with Him.  Perhaps I have lost the wonder and joy of His presence.  By seemingly leaving me alone for a time my complacency becomes obvious; I recognize that I might have been taking God, His presence and His blessings for granted.

   The darkness will recede; the light will return.  The joy and happiness when the dark is overcome by His light far exceeds the pain the darkness may have brought.  I am reminded of my need for His presence in my life.  I rejoice in my relationship with our Lord.

   I am confident that God never leaves me even though I may at times feel as though He has.  He is always there, guiding me, using the darkness to grow my faith.  The darkness will depart and the light of God will return.