Message of 5-25-15

Published: Mon, 05/25/15

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Monday: May 25, 2015
Message of the Day
In this crazy world, there’s an enormous distinction between good times and bad, between sorrow and joy. But in the eyes of God, they’re never separated. Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning, there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is the kingdom.
- Henri J. M. Nouwen

(How is God calling you two wholeness these days?)
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Readings of the Day
SIR 17:20-24;    PS 32:1-2, 5-7;    MK 10:17-27

R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, 
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, 
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.

For this shall every faithful man pray to you 
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.

You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.

USCCB lectionary
Reflection on the Scripture
"He encourages those who are losing hope." –Sirach 17:19

Hope in the Lord leads directly to strength. Those who hope in the Lord will never fail in strength (1 Mc 2:61) and actually renew their strength (Is 40:31). This is because "hope remains" after all else passes away (see 1 Cor 13:13). A people of hope is forever a people of strength.

Since hope is so critical to strength, it follows that Satan would relentlessly attack people to prevent them from growing in hope. To beat down our hope, Satan bludgeons us with:
  • a delaying game. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Prv 13:12) rather than strong. We defeat this by lovingly waiting on the Lord (Is 40:31, RSV-CE) as long as it takes.
  • disappointments. We don't let defeats conquer hope, for "hope will not leave us disappointed" (Rm 5:5; Is 49:23).
  • sadness, which can lead to despair. We must fight this by rejoicing in hope (Rm 12:12) always (Phil 4:4).
  • repeated temptations to focus on self instead of God. Instead, we must look at what God has done in past generations (Sir 2:10). Those who have hoped in God have always been rewarded.
We may be so battered by trials that we are unable to raise our heads, much less grow in hope. God lifts up our head (Ps 3:4) and refuses to let us lose hope. The Lord Himself "encourages those who are losing hope" (Sir 17:19). When all seems hopeless, God Himself will give us a living hope (see 1 Pt 1:3, RNAB). Therefore, never give up, never stop waiting on the Lord, never give in to hopelessness, "and always hope in your God" (Hos 12:7).

PRAYER: Jesus, I will focus on You, my Hope of glory (Col 1:27).

PROMISE: "With God all things are possible." –Mk 10:27

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Spiritual Reading
NOTES ON THE LIFE OF CHRISTIAN PRAYER
 
2716.  Contemplative prayer is hearing the Word of God. Far from being passive, such attentiveness is the obedience of faith, the unconditional acceptance of a servant, and the loving commitment of a child. It participates in the "Yes" of the Son become servant and the Fiat of God's lowly handmaid.
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church, IV, 3, 1)

- part 21 of 24

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, IV
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