The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122816.cfm)
reminds me that God's wisdom is infinite, and he knows what is going to happen in our
lives, even if we do not understand things.
Today, we celebrate the feast
of the Holy Innocents. The gospel tells us what happened. When Herod realized
he has been deceived, he ordered the massacre of all the boys two years and
below. How horrible, right?
Bad
news – bad things will happen in life.
The powerful people in the world have power in this world!
Even
though God is all powerful and is in control, he is not the ruler of this world
we live in. Satan is, and as such, he has power in this temporary, earthly
world. and in the gospel, we see that in action.
Good
news! God is still in control, even if we
do not understand what is happening!
We
do not know why those innocent children died. We feel it is unfair and evil. We
do not know why God let that happen. We do not know how the parents of those
children coped up with what happened. But what we do know is that everything is still in accordance with God’s perfect plan.
It was written that this would happen, and salvation still happened when Jesus
rose from the dead to save us, so this incident is not enough to destroy God’s
perfect plan. God knows what he is doing and what he is allowing to happen.
In
our lives, we do not understand a lot of things. If we’re blessed, we will
eventually understand things. However, time is not a guarantee. Some things are left for God’s wisdom to know and
understand. We simply have to surrender and trust Him. no matter what we are going
through right now, no matter how tough things may be, we just need to have
faith that God is totally in control, and that as long as we stick to Him,
nothing could get in the way of his perfect plan for us.
What previously unclear things
before do I understand now? What things in my life do I still not understand?
What is my reaction to it? Do I get mad at God, or do I continue to
trust in him?
May
we learn to trust and have faith in God's plan, goodness, and infinite wisdom -
especially when we do not understand the things that are happening.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to know
you more. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I question you
when I do not understand things. Sorry for doubting you, your plans, and your
wisdom. Sorry for not trusting in you enough. Lord, I ask that as we commemorate
the feast of the holy innocents, I may learn to surrender to you completely.
There are a lot of things I do not understand now, probably things that I will
never understand, and I ask that you give me faith and a heart that would just
totally surrender to you. I know that you are in control, and that there is
nothing that will get in the way of your perfect plan for us, as long as we
remain close to you as long as we remain faithful. May we always remember this,
and live this. Amen
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflection:
December 28, 2016
Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
Lectionary: 698
Reading 1 1 Jn 1:5–2:2
Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,”
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
This is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ
and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,”
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
then we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
If we say, “We are without sin,”
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
——
Had not the LORD been with us—
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
——
Alleluia - See Te Deum
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 2:13-18
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.
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