The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/051617.cfm)
reminds me that I should trust in God and have peace while undergoing
challenges and hardships in life.
They
say that nothing worthwhile comes easy. I believe this is true. You have to
work hard for things. You have to persevere. And I believe that challenges make
victories sweeter. This is true in this world, and even when you relate it to
the spiritual world.
In the first reading,
we see the leaders exhorting the disciples to persevere in faith
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
Why is it necessary to undergo
hardships? Why do we face difficulties and challenges in life?
I
believe this is God’s way of purifying us. Like silver being purified by fire
(See http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/refiner-and-purifier-of-silver.html),
or probably, like Job’s story, the enemy wants to test us and God is just
allowing him as long as he does not take our life, because God knows we can
withstand it, God knows we are faithful. God has faith in us.
It is normal to experience
pain, because as they say, no slave is greater than his master. Just as
Jesus experienced these, so would his disciples. Jesus is not of the world,
that’s why the world hates him. In the gospel, he says that the ruler of the
world is coming, but quickly says that that rules has no power over Jesus. He
may not be of the world, but the enemy still has no power over him. Jesus died,
not because the enemy won, but because He loved the Father so much and
subjected Himself to the will of God.
In the same way Jesus was
subjected to worldly hardships, as disciples of Jesus, we should not be surprised if we experience
the same. However, we should act like Jesus, who remained faithful
to God till the end, even when it was hard to. Also In the gospel, just as he
warned us of what will come, Jesus also gives us peace – peace amidst all the
trials in life, peace that comes only from Him, peace that the world does not
understand. As we pray, as we have faith, we will get the peace of Christ that
is beyond all human understanding (Philippians 4:6-7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7&version=NLT)
What is the one thing that is
troubling me right now? Why is it bothering me? Do i believe that God is
victorious and will be with me as I face life’s challenges? When experiencing
challenges, do I persevere in faith? Do I pray for faith and for
God’s peace as I face life’s challenges? What can I do to strengthen my faith?
May
we be ready and willing to face challenges with Christ's peace that come with
being his disciples
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 lose
hope. Sorry for the times I give up. Sorry for the times I get affected. Help
me have faith in you. Help me love right and pleasing to you. Give me peace
amidst all the challenges in life. Help me persevere and act in a way you want
me to - with humility, dependence in and love for you. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflections:
Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 286
Reading 1ACTS 14:19-28
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God."
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.
Responsorial PsalmPS 145:10-11, 12-13AB, 21
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaSEE LK 24:46, 26
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 14:27-31A
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
'I am going away and I will come back to you.'
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will no longer speak much with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming.
He has no power over me,
but the world must know that I love the Father
and that I do just as the Father has commanded me."
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