March 8, 2009
A Word for Perspective and Fortitude
Begging the indulgence of our non-Christian readers, I found working through today's newspaper to be such a discouraging exercise, following on weeks (months) of seeing, personally and societally, people's economic vulnerability viciously exploited, that the second reading at today's Mass had an especial poignancy for me, and I'd like to share it:
Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?
Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised—
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
"It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?" If God created all — is all — then how can we not trust His strength in our lives to overcome the negative strength of bosses and politicians?
Move forward. These hard times will pass, and we'll be judged, and judge ourselves, on the basis of how well we tended the longer threads of our lives.
It's an inspiring message. A little reminder that God judges us, not politicians or TV talking heads (or even bloggers).
Too many people need that little nudge.
Begging the indulgence of christian believers, another word for perspective and fortitude.
When goodness grows weak,
When evil increases,
I make myself a body.In every age I come back
To deliver the holy,
To destroy the sin of the sinner,
To establish righteousness....Bhagavad Gita
When you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough. When you have realized understanding, even one word is too much....Fen-Yang
OldTimeLefty