Time for Everything

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/092316.cfm) reminds me that There is a time for everything, including challenges and victories. 

There is a time for everything. Time to be serious and time to relax and be funny. Time to work and time to play. The first reading reminds us of this.

There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for every thing under the heavens.

A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;

a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.

This being said, it will not always be happy in life. There will also be challenges. And in the gospel, in as much as Jesus validated that He indeed is the Christ of God, he quickly told them that he will experience challenges despite of who he is.

Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”

He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly

and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,

and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Challenges are not the end, but rather, the prelude to victory.

Jesus said this when he ended his discussion in the gospel "...and on the third day be raised." Challenges, hardships, and in his case, death is not the end. They just had to happen before the victory.

As children of God, there is a time for everything. A time to be happy and experience God's blessings, and a time to be tested and let our faith grow. During these challenging times, may we just remember that Jesus also went through this, and we just have to trust in Him. We just need to remain faithful to God, and expect that like Jesus, our challenges are just the prelude to victory, to a deeper and stronger faith and relationship with God. We should also remember that just as God as with Jesus all throughout, he too is with us when we are experiencing challenges. Even if we do not feel like it. 

May we have faith in God's plans, and remember that as we experience challenges, he is with us, until we attain victory in his name. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for Fridays! Lord, thank you for the reminder that there is a time for everything - that life is not only problems and challenges, and that after these come victory. Thank you also for reminding me that you are always there especially during tough times. Sorry for the times I forget it. Sorry for the times I forget that challenges are not forever.  Help me to be faithful and remain in you Lord especially as I face these in my life.  Help be have faith and continue to do good and serve you, despite the challenges I face. I know that in your perfect time, victory is at hand. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2016/07/time-for-everything.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2016/08/who-am-i-for-you.html

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September 23, 2016
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Lectionary: 453

Reading 1 Eccl 3:1-11

There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.

What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task that God has appointed
for the sons of men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time,
and has put the timeless into their hearts,
without man’s ever discovering,
from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
LORD, what is man, that you notice him;
the son of man, that you take thought of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days, like a passing shadow.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

Alleluia Mk 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”