+Dear Saint David Parishioners,
Hope in God. He is always with us. We at times in life may feel like Job in today’s first reading. Job is feeling devastated after the death of his wife and children and the loss of all his belongings. He complains to his friends who suggest that his misfortune is due to some sin he committed; this is what people in those days believed. Job not only turns to his friends, who are not much of a consolation, but also to God and begs for relief from all his suffering.
Even though Job pours out his sorrows to God, he never denounces Him as the devil suggested that he would. Job does not despise God but instead proclaims, “The Lord gives and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21)! Now that is certainly deep faith, trust, and love of God! Eventually Job is blessed for his perseverance and receives many blessings, such as, a new wife, more children, and plenty of material goods.
At this point in time, nearly a year dealing with the pandemic, we may be feeling hopeless due to financial hardships, sickness, loss of a loved one due to COVID, or loneliness in not being able to visit others outside our household, etc. Perhaps after some time of mourning losses and discussing these with family and friends, which is definitely helpful, we must also take our worries and surrender them to Jesus, our Savior.
Jesus is with us every step of the way and wants to accompany us in good times and in bad. Like Job, we need to place our trust in God and allow Him to show us the way. How are we to know the way? To hear Jesus, we need to quiet our minds and hearts and spend time with Him in prayer so that He can gently comfort, console, and lead us. Sometimes in prayer, if you are like me, our minds will not shut down. The to-do list may come to mind or other thoughts and responsibilities may distract us, both of which are normal. Each time these distractions arise, simply take a second to acknowledge them, and then ask the Holy Spirit to help you to pray. Jesus understands our diversions of mind. We cannot forget that He too was human. Recall how He instructed His followers, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. This is how you should pray” (Mt. 6: 8-9). Jesus then taught them and us the Our Father.
Therefore, in faith and trust we can proclaim in today’s responsorial psalm, “Praise the Lord, Who heals the brokenhearted.” If you are feeling heartbroken, then allow Jesus to approach you and help you up so that you may be of service to others as Peter’s mother-in-law did after Jesus healed her. Jesus does not want us to be despondent but wants us to spend time with Him in prayer and allow ourselves to be strengthened with His grace for our ultimate destination, heaven. Safe travels!
In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary