Last night at the parish mission, Fr. Mueller talked about St. Paul's ability to remain joyful in spite, even because(!), of the suffering he had to endure for his mission for Christ Jesus.Are we able to do the same amidst the storms that come our way, both within & without? Or does our real lack of faith & self-reliance start showing through our thread-bare piety?
Something I've been thinking about lately: What are the limits of our belief in a good & loving God who spares nothing for our salvation & eternal joy? What are our limits of our acceptance & reliance on his loving providence? I only ask because, despite profession to the contrary, I see myself & others throw in the towel of faith & begin to rely on self all the time.
In my experience, recommending the use of the tools of faith - such as prayer, fasting, & works of charity - to a "real" problem like a dying loved one, a broken marriage, or a lost job is usually to invite dismissal, ridicule, scorn, or even anger - even from those who call themselves Christians.
Perhaps some use religion as a sort of escape from the "real world" & its difficulties - a kind of quiet sanctuary; however, it seems woefully inadequate if it is left there. Are we not called to live our faith in the Christ Jesus crucified & risen out in the world? To be Christ in the world? To find Christ in the world? Ite missa est. If Jesus is truly Lord of All, this must include our All, even the gritty, broken world most of us live in daily.
Gaudete in Domino semper; iterum dico: gaudete! 1 Tim 4:4
No comments:
Post a Comment