Reflections of a beloved son

“Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6 Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus There is nothing that God cannot do. He is the Master Artist, the Potter, Our Creator and Maker. We need to want to be clay. We need to want to be shaped. The Potter has a plan for His work.  God has a plan for us. A plan only for good. Do we believe it? Do we believe Him? When life takes us to places we’d rather not go, will we trust that we are in God’s hands?  We will trust that God remains with us? Do we believe that those difficult moments of our lives will somehow make us stronger? God will give meaning to those struggles and challenges, those pains and sufferings. God will turn those struggles and challenges into means by which we may receive great grace. But we must be willing to let Him shape us. We are God’s masterpieces, each perfect and unique, each sp...

“She said to him,   ‘Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’” John 11:27 Memorial of St. Martha When Jesus finally got to the village where Martha, Mary, and Lazarus lived, there was a cloud of grief and mourning for Lazarus had died just a few days earlier. Martha was probably feeling a multitude of emotions – relief and joy in seeing Jesus, disappointment that Jesus did not come sooner, sadness over the lost of her brother. Despite her sorrow, she went out to greet Jesus and she said to Him that if He had been here sooner, Lazarus would not have died but also that she knows whatever He asks God He will grant unto Him. Jesus then assured her that Lazarus will rise again. Martha understood and believed that her brother indeed will rise again on the Last Day. Little did she know what was going to happen. Instead of telling Jesus off and giving Him grief about what kind of friend He was for not being there ...

“Is it not you alone, O LORD, our God, to whom we look?” Jeremiah 14:22b When things are going smoothly, where do we look to? When things are growing increasingly difficult, who do we turn to? When times of trouble come and hardships arise, who do we ask for help and guidance?  Do we face them or do we hide from them? Do we ignore them and find a distraction? Do we turn to people or do we turn to drugs or alcohol or some other quick fix and temporary comfort? None of those things will bring us the peace and solution we so desperately want and need. We ought to look to the Lord, to God, to Our Father. In our time of desperate need, we must turn and look to God for He alone can give us what we need – not escape from our pain, but – to walk through those dark valleys, to weather those violent storms, and to climb up from the bottomless pit, trusting that all the pain and suffering we come to experience will only bring about good. The good that makes us strong and that enables us to ...

“So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 13:9 Pride is a tricky thing. Is it wrong to be proud of yourself for a job well done? I don’t think so, but if it gets to your head and you begin to look down on people, then I’d say yes. Pride can get in the way of everything that is important to you, relationships being a major one. Pride focuses on the individual and slowly blocks out other people, even God. While we may feel that we are on top of the world because of our accomplishments and achievements, our relationships may be deteriorating, and our hearts may be rotting. This is not to say that accomplishments and achievements are not worth celebrating but if those are what drives our being and all that we do then the important parts of life may be withering. Sometimes we care so much about the bloom of a plant that we neglect what is needed to ensure the continued growth and health of the plant – the roots, the soil, etc. Selfish pride w...

“I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.” Jeremiah 3:15 Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest God promised the people of Israel that He would send people to lead them, guide them, encourage them, teach them, and comfort them. He would not abandon them in the midst of slavery or exile. That even when all seems dark and lost, there remains a light and a hope that can never be extinguished. The Lord sent prophets throughout the history of Israel, encouraging the people, speaking for the Lord, anointing kings, and in the fullness of time, God sent His Son, the King of Kings and Lord or Lords, the greatest prophet and the Good Shepherd to save us and to lead us to Paradise with Him. But the people did not always listen and heed the messages of the prophets and leaders. God continued to send but the people could choose to listen or ignore. When finally He sent His only begotten Son, many ignored and even called for His death. T...