For Good

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060315.cfm) reminds me that all things work out for the good of those who love God.

Experiencing problems are tough. While in the middle of things, you are unsure of what will happen next. You are unsure if you can get past the problems and challenges, and what will happen after. Although a lot of times, we can see the wisdom behind every experience, during that time it is difficult to be optimistic about things. We see that in the first reading.

Both Tobit and Sarah have problems they are going through. They both wanted to give up, but eventually just poured their hearts out in praying to God. Eventually they surrendered to God. Though they wanted to die already, God had other plans for them. He was repaid their faithfulness. He healed and blessed them.

Romans 8:28 say that “we know that all things work for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”

We may never understand what we are going through right now. we may not see or feel that things will get better. We may not imagine what good our situation will bring out. But we just have to trust in God. We just have to be faithful in God. His ways are not our ways – his ways are always better.

What problems or challenges do I experience right now? What do I feel about them? Am I ready to give up? What is hindering me from trusting God and surrendering to Him?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another chance to experience your love. Lord, sorry for the times I feel like giving up. Sorry for being impatient and just focus on my immediate problems and challenges. Sorry for not trusting you enough. Lord, I know you have great plans for me, and I know that all things will work together for me good. I just trust in you throughout. I will just surrender. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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June 3, 2015

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

Lectionary: 355

Reading 1 Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17a

Grief-stricken in spirit, I, Tobit, groaned and wept aloud.

Then with sobs I began to pray:

“You are righteous, O Lord,

and all your deeds are just;

All your ways are mercy and truth;

you are the judge of the world.

And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me,

and look with favor upon me.

Punish me not for my sins,

nor for my inadvertent offenses,

nor for those of my ancestors.

“We sinned against you,

and disobeyed your commandments.

So you handed us over to plundering, exile, and death,

till you made us the talk and reproach of all the nations

among whom you had dispersed us.

“Yes, your judgments are many and true

in dealing with me as my sins

and those of my ancestors deserve.

For we have not kept your commandments,

nor have we trodden the paths of truth before you.

“So now, deal with me as you please,

and command my life breath to be taken from me,

that I may go from the face of the earth into dust.

It is better for me to die than to live,

because I have heard insulting calumnies,

and I am overwhelmed with grief.

“Lord, command me to be delivered from such anguish;

let me go to the everlasting abode;

Lord, refuse me not.

For it is better for me to die

than to endure so much misery in life,

and to hear these insults!”

On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media,

it so happened that Raguel’s daughter Sarah

also had to listen to abuse,

from one of her father’s maids.

For she had been married to seven husbands,

but the wicked demon Asmodeus killed them off

before they could have intercourse with her,

as it is prescribed for wives.

So the maid said to her:

“You are the one who strangles your husbands!

Look at you!

You have already been married seven times,

but you have had no joy with any one of your husbands.

Why do you beat us? Is it on account of your seven husbands,

Because they are dead?

May we never see a son or daughter of yours!”

The girl was deeply saddened that day,

and she went into an upper chamber of her house,

where she planned to hang herself.

But she reconsidered, saying to herself:

“No! People would level this insult against my father:

‘You had only one beloved daughter,

but she hanged herself because of ill fortune!’

And thus would I cause my father in his old age

to go down to the nether world laden with sorrow.

It is far better for me not to hang myself,

but to beg the Lord to have me die,

so that I need no longer live to hear such insults.”

At that time, then, she spread out her hands,

and facing the window, poured out her prayer:

“Blessed are you, O Lord, merciful God,

and blessed is your holy and honorable name.

Blessed are you in all your works for ever!”

At that very time,

the prayer of these two suppliants

was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.

So Raphael was sent to heal them both:

to remove the cataracts from Tobit’s eyes,

so that he might again see God’s sunlight;

and to marry Raguel’s daughter Sarah to Tobit’s son Tobiah,

and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her.

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:2-3, 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R. (1) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

In you I trust; let me not be put to shame,

let not my enemies exult over me.

No one who waits for you shall be put to shame;

those shall be put to shame who heedlessly break faith.

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;

teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my savior.

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,

and your kindness are from of old.

In your kindness remember me,

because of your goodness, O LORD.

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Good and upright is the LORD;

thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

he teaches the humble his way.

R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Alleluia Jn 11:25a, 26

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;

whoever believes in me will never die.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,

came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,

‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,

his brother must take the wife

and raise up descendants for his brother.’

Now there were seven brothers.

The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.

So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,

and the third likewise.

And the seven left no descendants.

Last of all the woman also died.

At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?

For all seven had been married to her.”

Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled

because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

When they rise from the dead,

they neither marry nor are given in marriage,

but they are like the angels in heaven.

As for the dead being raised,

have you not read in the Book of Moses,

in the passage about the bush, how God told him,

I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob?

He is not God of the dead but of the living.

You are greatly misled.”