Challenges

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041219.cfm) reminds me that real followers of Christ experience challenges.

When people recruit for organization memberships in schools and even outside, and even for work, they say the benefits and how fun it would be to be when you join. However, not all would explain what it entails – the tasks and the challenges that come with it. This is not the same with God, for in the bible he tells us that there will always be challenges and even persecution for those who follow him.

In the first reading, we see the persecutions Jeremiah was facing. People were out to get him, but Jeremiah just called out in faith for God to save him. David in the psalm echoes this, that he calls upon God in time of distress. We also see in the gospel how Jesus himself, the Son of God, experienced challenges and persecution from people at his time.

Real followers of Christ experience challenges.

Jesus was not exempt from challenges and persecutions, much more will his followers be. There will be people saying bad things about us or doubting us and our intentions. There will be unfair situations. There will be hardships and challenges. However, like we see Jeremiah, David and Jesus in today’s readings, we just have to trust in God. We just have to surrender to God and ask him to fight our battles with us. We just have to have faith and know that he will be with us, and that eternal reward is waiting for us as long as we remain faithful to him.

What are the challenges I encounter as God’s follower? How do I respond to these challenges? Do I remain faithful to God throughout?

May we feel that God’s love and strength always be bigger and stronger than our challenges 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 all the blessings. Thank you for all the challenges. Lord, I am sorry for the times I succumb to these challenges and allow these to dampen my spirit. Sorry for letting these challenges affect me so much. Lord, I call on to you and hang on to your word. i have faith that as I continue to follow you and remain faithful to you, you will fight my battles with me. Give me strength to fight these challenges. I just focus on you and allow you to live through me. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

April 12 2019

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 255

Reading 1 JER 20:10-13

I hear the whisperings of many:
"Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!"
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
"Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him."
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!

Responsorial Psalm PS 18:2-3A, 3BC-4, 5-6, 7

R. (see 7)  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

Verse Before The Gospel SEE JN 6:63C, 68C

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel JN 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?"
The Jews answered him,
"We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God."
Jesus answered them,
"Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods"'?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
"John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true."
And many there began to believe in him.