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Jesus says, “Cry over your pains, and you will discover that I’m right there in your tears, and you will be grateful for my presence in your weakness.” Ministry means to help people become grateful for life even with pain. That gratitude can send into the world precisely to the places where people are in pain. The minister, the disciple of Jesus, goes where there is pain not because he
is a masochist or she is a sadist, but because God is hidden in the pain.
- Henri J. M. Nouwen
(Where do you experience pain and struggle
in your life? Know that God is in the midst of it, waiting for you to be open to God's presence and guidance.)
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PRV 3:27-34; PS 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5
LK 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have
will be taken away."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"When He is dealing with the
arrogant, He is stern, but to the humble He shows kindness." —Proverbs 3:34
God is perfect, crucified, unconditional, and infinite Love. He wants to lavish His love on us in ways we would appreciate. However, His love is always given to lead us to salvation and sanctification. Thus, many times the Lord expresses His love in ways difficult for us to understand. For example, if we are proud, the Lord will
be stern to us to challenge the pride which endangers our salvation (Prv 3:34; 1 Pt 5:5). Also, the Lord often wishes to bathe us in light when we hear His Word. Moreover, the Lord wishes to answer all our petitions as requested. But because of our sinfulness and selfishness, we often ask wrongly (Jas 4:3). Then the Lord shows His love by answering our prayers in ways which puzzle us but can contribute to our salvation and sanctification.
The Lord is very lavish in doing miracles, healings, and deliverances, but He doesn't want anyone to conclude that anything other than the cross is the essence of life in Christ. The Lord has even delayed His final coming for the sake of the salvation of as many people as possible (see 2 Pt 3:9, 15).
Repent, give your life totally to Jesus, and seek holiness. Then God's love will be very clear to
you.
Prayer: Father, mold me into the image of Your Son.
Promise: "There is nothing hidden that will not be exposed, nothing concealed that will not be known and brought to light." —Lk 8:17 Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence - by Jean-Pierre de Caussade Section VII: To
estimate degrees of excellence
The perfection of souls, and the degree of excellence to which they have attained can be gauged by their fidelity to the order established by God. ____
God makes saints as He pleases, but they are made always according to His plan, and in submission to His will. This submission is true and most perfect abandonment.
Duties imposed by the state of life and by divine Providence are common to all the saints and are what God arranges for all in
general. They live hidden from the world which is so evil that they are obliged to avoid its dangers: but it is not on this account that they are saints, but only on account of their submission to the will of God. The more absolute this submission becomes the higher becomes their sanctity. We must not imagine that those whose virtue is shown in wonderful and singular ways, and by unquestionable attractions and inspirations, advance less on that account in the way of abandonment. From the moment
that these acts become duties by the will of God, then to be content only to fulfill the duties of a state of life, or the ordinary inspirations of Providence would be to resist God, whose holy will would no longer retain the mastery of the passing moments, and to cease practicing the virtue of abandonment. Our duties must be so arranged as to be commensurate with the designs of God, and to follow the path designated by our attraction. To carry out our inspirations will then become a duty to
which we must be faithful. As there are souls whose whole duty is defined by exterior laws, and who should not go beyond them because restricted by the will of God; so also there are others who, besides exterior duties, are obliged to carry out faithfully that interior rule imprinted on their hearts. It would be a foolish and frivolous curiosity to try to discover which is the most holy. Each has to follow the appointed path. Perfection consists in submitting unreservedly to the designs of God,
and in fulfilling the duties of ones state in the most perfect manner possible.
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