May our Lord Jesus Christ himself… encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

       It was a trying week. I had problems at home and even bigger problems at work. It was the biggest battle I had faced in my life in many years. I couldn’t sleep at night. And during the day, I couldn’t help but fret over my future.

       It drove me to my knees. I implored God to intervene in a seemingly hopeless situation. I believed that even if the worst happened, God was working out His purposes to benefit me.

       It was easy to feel abandoned during a life crisis like that. But the Lord made His presence felt even more.

       On the way to Mass, it was raining hard but the downpour stopped just when I was about to step out of my car. I felt His favor upon me. His messages from Scripture were even more reassuring. “Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you” (1 Peter 2:20).

       During a dark and lonely time, the Lord Himself comforted me with His assuring presence and promises. You can’t beat encouragement like that. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com)

Reflection: “God is in the sadness and the laughter, in the bitter and the sweet. There is a divine purpose behind everything — and therefore a divine presence in everything.” (Neale Donald Walsch)

Lord, remind me that You are with me most especially during my darkest hours.

St. Joseph Calasanz, pray for us.

The virtuous life is about pursuing the life of glory that God offers us. It is a great goal to keep as we endure the trials and difficulties of a life of discipleship. There is indeed something worthwhile that we are aiming to attain — the glory and fulfillment of eternal life with God in heaven. Let us be glory-seekers, but only the glory of the Lord and not of ourselves.

1 We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, 2 not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,” or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. 14 To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

R: The Lord comes to judge the earth.

10 Say among the nations: the Lord is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. (R) 11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; 12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. (R) 13 Before the Lord, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. (R)

It is not what other people think that should govern what we do — it is doing what is right that should command our attention and commitment. The Pharisees are labeled hypocrites by God because they know what is right but insist on doing what makes them look good in the eyes of others rather than in the eyes of God. When we consider that eternal life is a reality beyond earthly death, there is no longer an immediacy to the praise of others.

The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

23 Jesus said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.”

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 6-10

FOCUS ON THE VIRTUOUS LIFE

Following on from yesterday’s reflection, it is good to spend a few moments pondering on the virtuous life as it seems not too many people manage to live this way. Yes, we all have our moments of virtue, but what makes a saint stand out is how he is able to sustain his virtuous moments for long periods at a high level. It is easy to get it right once in a while, and even less frequently manage to string a few of these moments together for a longer period of time. However, a truly virtuous life is much more than this.

       When we study the lives of the saints, and we should spend some time doing so in order to be inspired by them, we are opening our hearts to the graces that made it possible for them to respond to God’s call. I wonder how much you know of the lives of saints that you are familiar with. Their lives are a gift to the Church and it would be our loss if we are familiar with only a few. Why limit ourselves unnecessarily when there is so much inspiration available to men and women who want to increase their faith? I am sure most of us have spent some time reading the books of John Maxwell or Stephen Covey. I hope that we will be more familiar with the lives of saints than these modern-day inspirers. The saints get one thing right that modern-day “self-help” gurus fail to do: that the key to success is surrender to the grace of God first and foremost. No amount of clever tricks and strategies will bring better success than opening our lives to the grace of the Holy Spirit.

       In our secular world today, we tend to think we can do it on our own. When it comes to living a virtuous life, it is only by the grace of God that we will grow in holiness and gain entry to eternal life. It is irrelevant how successful we are by earthly standards. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

REFLECTION QUESTION: Who among the saints inspire you to live a virtuous life? Pray to him or her to intercede for you.

Holy Spirit, I want to surrender more of my life to You. Help me to open my heart and mind to Your grace so that I may draw strength from You when life gets too difficult.