By faith, I accepted the Father's discipline.

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." (Psalm 103).

"Brothers and sisters: In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:

"My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges.

"Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as his sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

"So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled."  (Letter to the Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15).

Wednesday February 1st 2023 in the 4th Week of Ordinary Time.

I heard the above Scripture in a Sunday Mass for the first time after tumbling down the mountain top of corporate ladder to the dark hole in the valley. I have never imagined that misfortune can be engineered by God to serve our higher purpose.

So I was happy and delighted to read again at home this glorious message of Abba Father to me, the once prodigal son:
"Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as his sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it."

My response to the Father is best expressed in the Responsorial Psalm 103 of today's Mass:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him,
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.

"But the kindness of the Lord is from eternity to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children’s children among those who keep his covenant." (Psalm 103).

Now consider this question: Where would I be today if not for the residue of grace I received at Baptism? By faith I recognized at once that the Reading from Hebrews that Sunday morning was for me.

You too my friends, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by Him; for whom the Lord loves, He disciplines; He scourges every son and daughter He acknowledges.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com