The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042017.cfm)
reminds me that I should continue to hang on to God even if I do not
understand what is happening in my life.
Children
do not know anything when they come into the world. They have to learn
everything. They are taught how to walk, to run, to crawl, etc. However, they
do not get it in one try. It takes time. Effort. Practice. But they keep on
trying. They just do what their parents ask them to do. They trust their
parents. And eventually, they learn these things. This is how we should
act.
We
should not give up and instead, hold on to God, especially when we do not
understand what is happening in life.
The apostles did not understand
what Jesus was telling them when he was still with them. Yet, they continued to
follow him. they continued to spend time with him. They were rewarded in the
gospel when Jesus rose from the dead and opened their minds to understand the
scriptures. Though they did not understand things when Jesus was with them, they did not
let go of their faith. They did their best. They trusted in Jesus.
And eventually they were rewarded.
When
God uses us, when things finally makes sense, he will also use us in a great
way. We see
in the first reading that Peter, the one who went away and denied Jesus three
times, testified for Jesus. After understanding the scripture, God used him
mightily. And he was able to glorify God.
I am reminded to be patient when
I do not understand things that are happening in life. That I should
be patient when I do not understand everything I read in the bible. I am
encouraged to be like the apostles, who continued to spend time with him even
if they did not understand everything he was teaching. I need to continuously
spend time with God in prayer and continue to build the relationship with Him,
having faith that in the right time, he too will open my mind to understand the
scriptures and to understand his purpose, plan, and wisdom.
How
do I react when I don’t understand the bible? What do I do when I can’t seem to
understand God? Do I give up on him and walk away, or do I continue to spend
time with him, knowing in faith that in his perfect time, he would reveal
things to me?
May
we be patient and continue to hold on to him, especially when we do not
understand things in life.
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 the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I give up.
Sorry for being impatient and not trusting in you enough. Sorry for the times I
want things done my way, my time. Help me act like the apostles. Help me be
patient. Give me faith in you. May I continue to love and trust you no matter
what. Help me do my best and hold on to you. I know that in your perfect time,
things will make sense and you will use me mightily. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflection:
April 20, 2017
Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 264
Reading 1 Acts 3:11-26
all the people hurried in amazement toward them
in the portico called "Solomon's Portico."
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people,
"You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this,
and why do you look so intently at us
as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus
whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence,
when he had decided to release him.
You denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you.
The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
And by faith in his name,
this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong,
and the faith that comes through it
has given him this perfect health,
in the presence of all of you.
Now I know, brothers and sisters,
that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;
but God has thus brought to fulfillment
what he had announced beforehand
through the mouth of all the prophets,
that his Christ would suffer.
Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,
and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment
and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus,
whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration
of which God spoke through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old.
For Moses said:
A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you
from among your own kin;
to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you.
Everyone who does not listen to that prophet
will be cut off from the people.
"Moreover, all the prophets who spoke,
from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days.
You are the children of the prophets
and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors
when he said to Abraham,
In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you
by turning each of you from your evil ways."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Ps 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 24:35-48
and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.
While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
"Peace be with you."
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have."
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.
He said to them,
"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled."
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things."
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