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Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Against the Obvious


The WORD today reminds me that I should trust God and his promise, even if it goes against the obvious. 

Sometimes, it is hard to believe what God is telling us. Probably all of us can relate to Abram in the first reading. God has been blessing him with a great livelihood, but he wants something else – a son. Sounds familiar, when we have been blessed but still want something else? Then God tells him that he will have a son, and a lot of descendants at that! Probably in his mind, Abram thought yeah right, I’m old already, so is my wife. And we have been trying for years.. yet here you are telling me I’ll have descendants as numerous as the stars? However, Abram kept the faith – and God saw it.

If God sees our faith, we will see his miracles. 

How about us? How many times do we favour the obvious rather than God’s promise? How many times do we let the disappointments and challenges in life bring us down, instead of holding on to God’s promise of his great plans for us? How many times do we let the bad news around us and the evil people defeat and bring us down, instead of keeping our faith and trusting in God?

God sees if our faith is genuine, and will reward us for it. In the reading he saw Abram’s profession of faith and credited it as an act of righteousness. On the other hand, in the gospel, we see that God also sees if we are wolves hidden in sheep’s clothing. He sees if our faith is genuine, or if it’s superficial, and will reward us accordingly. 

I believe this is a fitting reminder for what we are going through. Pandemic is very much still affecting us. We may feel frustrated or helpless with everything. It is understandable. But we should not lose faith snd hope. God sees everything. He will take care of us. 

What are my concerns right now? What are my prayers? How do I feel about things that are happening? Do I still trust in God’s plans and power? What is he reminding me today? 

May we learn to trust in God, no matter what situation we may be in. 


Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me that I should not be limited to what my senses see and what the world has to offer. Lord, sorry for the times I am weak. Sorry for not trusting in you enough. Sorry for not having a strong faith when challenges come. Lord, I pray that you give me faith, faith that will be strong enough to trust in you even if what you say seem to go against what is obvious. I know that nothing is impossible with you and you are not limited by this world. May I always remember that and live that. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflection:

June 23, 2021
Wednesday of Week 12; St. Joseph Cafasso

FIRST READING

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: 

“Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” 

But Abram said,
“O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 

He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. 

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates.”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generationsB Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.”

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