There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God
and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart.
- Alan Redpath
(And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Rm. 8:28)
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2 KGS 2:1, 6-14; PS 31:20,
21, 24
MT 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give
alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what
is hidden will repay you."
Reflection on the Scriptures |
Our experiences of being slighted, injured, slandered and betrayed are difficult to be healed. We find it not easy to forgive ourselves as well as to forgive others. We have a strong sense of Justice in such a way that revenge seems the only way for Justice to be served. In a sense grudges, resulting from injury, become a possession of
power and we can hold them as a treasure for a long time, just waiting for that power, that richness, to be served upon our “injurer”.
When Jesus tells His followers about how difficult it is to enter heaven for those who are rich, wealthy and powerful because of their possessions, one of those riches would be all the “grudgeables” to which we can cling more than
home, family and accomplishments. It is some comfort that God does not forgive us as a reward for our forgiving others. Jesus’ prayer does not say that. God forgives us first and waits for us to be Daily Bread rather than the Bread of Affliction. Saint Aloysius pray for us to have a poor and pure heart.
- by Larry Gillick, S.J.
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 51
“He is the Head, and we be His
members.” “Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and worthy Christ” And this was a beginning of teaching which I saw in the same time, whereby I might come to know in what manner He beholdeth us in our sin. And then I saw that only Pain blameth and
punisheth, and our courteous Lord comforteth and sorroweth; and ever He is to the soul in glad Cheer, loving, and longing to bring us to His bliss.
The place that the Lord sat on was simple, on the earth, barren and desert, alone in wilderness; his clothing was ample and full seemly, as falleth to a Lord; the
colour of his cloth was blue as azure, most sad and fair. his cheer was merciful; the colour of his face was fair-brown,—with full seemly features; his eyes were black, most fair and seemly, shewing [outward] full of lovely pity, and [shewing], within him, an high Regard, long and broad, all full of endless heavens. And the lovely looking wherewith He looked upon His Servant continually—and especially in his falling—methought it might melt our hearts for love and burst them in two for joy. The
fair looking shewed [itself] of a seemly mingledness which was marvellous to behold: the one [part] was Ruth and Pity, the other was Joy and Bliss. The Joy and Bliss passeth as far Ruth and Pity as Heaven is above earth: the Pity was earthly and the Bliss was heavenly: the Ruth and Pity of the Father was [in regard] of the falling of Adam, which is His most loved creature; the Joy and Bliss was [in regard] of His dearworthy Son, which is even with the Father. The Merciful Beholding of His
Countenance of love fulfilled all earth and descended down with Adam into hell, with which continuant pity Adam was kept from endless death. And thus Mercy and Pity dwelleth with mankind unto the time we come up into Heaven.
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