"I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children." (Matthew 11: 25)
God's plan of salvation is filled with mysteries. The learned professors may speculate but the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to little children like St. Therese of the Little Flower.
"Moses said to God, 'Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' 'I shall be with you." (Exodus 3: 11 – 12)
Who am I to do the work of God? - I shall be with you.
If God is with me, then it is accomplished. If God is with me in the Enterprise, then it is accomplished.
And surely God is with me.
"All powerful God, may the gifts we present bring honor to your saints, and free us from sin in mind and body."
The experience of the Church is that in spite of our Baptism and participation in the sacraments, we still struggle with sins in our mind and body. St. Paul experienced the same thing when he cried out for deliverance from this struggle. Only the Holy Spirit entrenched in us can help us overcome in this struggle.
"Then he began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles has been worked, because they refused to repent." (Matthew 11: 20)
I have two thoughts on the above scriptures:
"There was a man descended from Levi who had taken a woman of Levi as his wife. She conceived and gave birth to a son and , seeing what a fine child he was, she kept him hidden for three months." (Exodus 2: 1 – 2)
God's choice begins very early. God formed and chose Moses right from the womb. He endowed him with features that ensured his survival. (Exodus 2: 1 – 2)
Other fine boys from the Bible:
"Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footstep is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10: 38)
David said to Goliath: "You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted. Today the Lord shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head…… All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle is the Lord's and he shall deliver you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17)
Everyone has a Goliath to face. Each person has his own cross to carry. With God's grace, we shall vanquish the Goliath and bear our own cross.
"Accordingly, they put taskmasters over the Israelites to wear them down by forced labor." (Exodus 1: 11)
Constant labor wears down the body and the spirit. God who created human beings understands this very well. This is why He prescribes the Sabbath rest. The Sabbath rest is God's gift to humanity.
"Almighty and ever-present Father, your watchful care reaches from end to end and orders all things in such power that even the tensions and the tragedies of sin cannot frustrate your loving plans. Help us to embrace your will, give us the strength to follow your call, so that your truth may live in our hearts and reflect peace to those who believe in your love. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord." (Alternate Opening Prayer on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)
How comforting it is know that God's providence triumphs over the tensions and tragedies of sins. Thanks be to God's power, we are not captives by our past sins. Once we reconcile with God, our path to salvation continues and God uses our past sins in a creative way to enhance our ministry.
"But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold" (Matthew 13: 8)
The rich soil produced abundant harvest. The rich soil is the soil prepared with faith and obedience.
"We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (8: 22 – 23)
Although we are saved and liberated by Christ, the full fruits of the redemption will take place at the Parousia. This is why even we who have the firstfruits experience sickness, sin and ignorance. The Church understands this very well and articulates it in her prayers, for example:
"Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail our lives, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee to we send up our tears, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears…."
Yes, we still live in the valley of tears.
"Thus says the Lord: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55: 10 – 11)
God's word makes us fertile and fruitful. The seed is the word of God. The word of God is fruitful and productive. The word of God is bread for the soul.
Trust and obedience are the essential ingredients that make the word of God very fruitful.
Father, may your word achieve your purpose in my life.
"So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven." (Matthew 10: 32)
When and how do we declare for Christ before men? The Holy Spirit will lead and guide the soul that is open to His influence. When that time comes, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. The Holy Spirit will take care of everything.
Most Holy Spirit, lead me, guide me and use me. Amen!
"The evil you planned to do me has by God's design been turned to good, to bring about the present result: the survival of a numerous people." (Genesis 50: 20)
What a comfort to know that God's providential design is supreme in all situations. The enemies Jesus executed Him in their malice. God raised Him up for the salvation of the world. When we trust completely in God, we can say: "What can mortal man do to me?"
"But when you are handed over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you." (Matthew 10: 19 – 20)
Many times in my life, I have enjoyed the benefit of the promise in the above scripture. I have been provided with what to say in some tough situations. Most Holy Spirit, I thank you for your presence in me. Lead me, guide me and always use me.
"Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I shall go down into Egypt with you and I myself shall bring you back again, and Joseph's hand will close your eyes." (Genesis 46: 3 -4)
Do not be afraid of the Enterprise. I shall go with you. I shall make you great. The Enterprise is a journey with Jesus. Do not fear. If Jesus is with me, it is accomplished.
"Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the laborer deserves his keep." (Matthew 10: 9 – 10)
Peter Maurin the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement lived these words of Jesus to the letter. In doing so, he proved that it is possible to live the principle of voluntary poverty. Not everyman is called to this level of commitment. We are all called to make God first in all lives. This implies complete detachment from all material things. When we trust God completely for all our provision, He never disappoints.
"I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives." (Genesis 45: 4-5)
Jesus is a type of Joseph. Anybody who has experienced persecution is a type of Joseph. The brothers of Joseph intended evil but God's providence prevailed in favor of Joseph. The enemies of Jesus who crucified Him intended a final solution for Him but God raised Jesus to life and His Church bears witness to that truth today.
Those who dealt with me at CAUN intended suffering and hardship for me, but God had other plans.
"Everything becomes bread to nourish me, soap to cleanse me, fire to purify me. Everything is a means of grace for my necessities. The very thing that I seek everywhere else seeks me incessantly and gives itself to me by the hand of all creatures." Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence, Father Jean-Pierre Caussade, S.J.
"He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness." (Matthew 10:1)
What has become of this authority and power today? Unclean spirits and all type of evil spirits are still with us. All kinds of disease and illness abound everywhere. In God's mysterious providence, He wills that other means be used today to solve these problems.
"People came to Egypt from all over the world to get supplies from Joseph, for the famine had grown severe throughout the world." (Genesis 41: 57)
Migration seems to be God's plan for the world. Look at the animals. They have no boundaries. They move with the times and seasons.
"The harvest is rich but the laborers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers to his harvest." (Matthew 9: 38)
Today the mission field is vast and varied. One good development after the Second Vatican Council is the mobilization of the laity for mission work. Without this development and with the shortage of priests, the Church may not be able to fulfill the great commission. Every ministry in the Church is directly or indirectly mission oriented. The great mission is to take the good news to every person. Few are called to be directly involved in evangelization. All are called to build the kingdom of God here and now.
What can we do to support the missions? The missions need our time, talent and treasure but the best gift is prayer as Jesus said in Matthew 9: 38.
