Protected

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112316.cfm) reminds me that God will always be there to protect us. 

I used to watch a TV series called “The Blacklist”  , where the main character is a powerful and well-connected criminal who for some reason wanted to work with the FBI to catch other criminals. On one episode, the person he cares for doesn’t know that he sent someone to follow her and keep her safe. She only knew about it when the person actually saved her from danger.

God is more powerful and more loving than that.

In the gospel, we see that he is speaking to us, his followers. People may try to harm us or hurt us or humiliate us. But he promises us help and assistance.

It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speakingthat all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

We need to trust in Him, even if it may seem that it doesn’t make sense. We need to trust him even if we would rather do our way. 

Jesus asked them not to prepare beforehand. This should not be an excuse not to do our part and just hope God will come to our rescue. That’s laziness. Jesus told them not to prepare because he wanted them to trust in Him rather than trust in themselves. Rather than preparing and exerting human effort, God wants us to prepare by having a good relationship with him. And having a good relationship with him takes more time and effort than a one time preparation for something. We need to be consistent in exerting effort and time to build a relationship with God. That is why he wants that. 

People may try to hurt us or humiliate us, but we are reminded by Jesus that not a hair on our head will be destroyed. He is more powerful than the enemy, and he will continue to protect us from all harm. This should reassure us.

May we always remember that as God’s children doing his will, we will always be protected. And may we work on our relationship with God. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for all the blessings and for always protecting me. I may not always see it, and I may not always feel it, but I know that it is precisely the reason why I don’t feel it – because you keep me safe. Lord, sorry for the times I do not recognize it. Sorry for not trusting in you enough. Sorry for not working hard enough to build and strengthen my relationship with you. Help me continue to work on my relationship in you and do your will in my life. May my life be pleasing to you all the time.  Amen

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 23, 2016
Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 505

Reading 1 Rv 15:1-4

I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God’s fury is accomplished.

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God’s harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9

R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia Rv 2:10c

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 21:12-19

Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”