Not Yet Time

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/033117.cfm) reminds me that God's time will always prevail. 

I recently met a lady who worked for Development Organizations. She used to work for an International Agency and got assignments in different parts of the country, dangerous parts of the country. She told me she escaped several harmful events such as bombings, shootings, and even kidnapping. Some of her colleagues were affected, but not her. I was just reminded how powerful God's timing is. 

No matter what situation you are in, God's plans and his time will still prevail. 

In the gospel today, we see that the Jews were already trying to arrest Jesus. However, Jesus was still speaking openly snd can be seen in public but no one arrested him. Why? Because it was not yet time. 

So they tried to arrest him, 

but no one laid a hand upon him, 

because his hour had not yet come.

Before, I used to think why Judas had to lead them to Jesus. They all knew who Jesus was, no one needed to tell them. They could have easily arrested him as he was speaking and preaching openly. But now I am reminded of the answer. It was not yet time. God has not yet allowed it. 

In our lives, we want a lot of things to happen. Career promotion, booming business, financial independence, a good love-life. Sometimes, or oftentimes, the timing is different from what we want. Today, we are reminded that it might not yet be God's appointed time for our prayers to be answered the way we want it to. So let us just have faith and continue to love and serve God. 

What things am I praying for? How do I react when I do not get them? Am I willing to wait for God's time to come or do i force things myself?

May we continue to have faith in God - his plans, his power, and his timing, especially when they do not coincide with ours. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another day to love. Thank you for another Friday. Thank you for the gift of life. Lord, sorry for the times I get impatient. Sorry for wanting things done my way, my time. Sorry for not trusting in you enough. Lord, grant me patience and faith to wait for your perfect time, and humility to keep on serving you as I wait. I know you have great plans for me, and I will wait in faith. I also ask that you use me mightily for your purpose and your glory. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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March 31, 2017
Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 248

Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22

The wicked said among themselves,
thinking not aright:
"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God
and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the just
and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put him to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him."
These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
and they knew not the hidden counsels of God;
neither did they count on a recompense of holiness
nor discern the innocent souls' reward.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23

R. (19a) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

Verse Before the Gospel Mt 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
"You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,

because his hour had not yet come.