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Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Peace Even on Hard Times


The WORD today 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."

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 http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/refiner-and-purifier-of-silver.htmit, 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 the ruler has no power over Jesus. Jesus 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). The fact that the devil has no power over Jesus should remind us of God’s power and encourage us to have inner peace, no matter how powerful we think the devil is. 

We are still in a tough situation. More than a year already. We are worried. We are concerned. We may feel helpless. However, God is still here. He is still powerful. He is still faithful. We just need to come to him. We just need to trust in him. And we just need to ask him for his peace to enable us to brave this challenge with confidence in Him. 

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, especially this covid pandemic? 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 live right and pleasing to you. Give me peace amidst all the challenges in life, especially now with this pandemic. Be with me. Strengthen me. Guide me. 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:
https://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2016/04/peace-in-pain.html
http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/05/no-power.html

May 04, 2021
5th Week of Easter - Tuesday; Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla

FIRST READING

In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium 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 PSALM

R. (see 12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
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. (see 12) 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. (see 12) 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. (see 12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
or:
R. Alleluia.

ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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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