Scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter | USCCB
In this very
comforting gospel, we are reminded by Jesus that no matter what our cares or
concerns are we are not to be troubled. All we need is faith in God and in Jesus
Christ. By placing our cares and concerns into the loving hands of Jesus
Christ, we can find that peace that can only come from Him, through God the
Father and the Holy Spirit. It may seem easier said than done, but we are to
trust in Jesus’ promise that he will bring us peace and comfort.
In our day and age with
a lingering pandemic that doesn’t seem to want to go away; problems with wars
and conflict in Ukraine and around the world; and problems with the economy here
in the United States, there always seems to be something to worry about. But
Jesus reassures us that He’s present even in these difficult times. We need to
turn to Him for healing from the effects of COVID, and we need to pray to Him
to bring peace to those troubled parts of the world, including here in the
United States. Jesus encourages us to place all our cares and problems into his
loving hands.
Jesus goes on to
tell us that He’s preparing a place for us in the heavenly kingdom, and he will
take us to himself. By turning ourselves to him daily in our prayers, and by
the frequent reception of confession and Holy Communion, we can look forward to
a time when we enter that place that the Lord has prepared for us. By our
constant devotion to Him in prayer and sacrifice, we can endure these problems
and look forward to a time of peace and comfort with Him in the heavenly banquet.
During these trying
time of sickness, war, and economic struggles, let us pray the prayer of St.
Teresa of Avila: “Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing
away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks
nothing; God alone suffices.” Amen.
I LOVE this particular passage from the Gospel of St. John & have selected it whenever I have planned the funeral liturgies of several family members. I remember that you proclaimed this Gospel at my Mom's funeral almost 3 years ago.
ReplyDeleteYES, our lives in this world give us many causes for worry, especially with COVID-19 & Russia's attacks on Ukraine & even shortages & inflation, not to mention the everyday worries.
I don't know how people who don't have faith survive. But the LORD assures us in His Word & in the midst of the various circumstances of our lives that He is with us.
When problems are overwhelming, when the people in government act in opposition to our cherished beliefs & when we see loved ones suffer from various illnesses, our consolation, in addition to the LORD'S faithful & loving Presence, is that this life on earth is not the end but that the LORD has prepared a place for us in heaven where we will be with Him & our faithful loved ones who have gone before us & where there will be no more suffering, no more conflicts, no more illnesses & no more sorrow. PRAISE GOD.
This Gospel is an easy read hard do b/c it's comforting i like the prayer by St. Teresa of Avila it makes me believe more factually that God is in the midst of all this chaotic disordered war torn world diseases death criminal corrupt diabolical run world and there is a dwelling place HE has gone to prepare for as we rely on blind faith where there is no more of the devil roaming and destroying the earth
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