The Core

by Food For Thought on January 31, 2014 ·

Loving and believing in Jesus is the core of all Christians. Being a Christian does not mean that we will live a charmed life, that we will have it all, that success is a certainty and that Jesus will never let us feel pain and sorrow. Jesus gives his love to all of his creations regardless of what we do, what we have achieved, and what we are. Jesus loves us unconditionally. He sees the whole picture. What we consider as the milestones of success and failure might not be the same measuring stick he uses to measure our success and failure. What we see as a mustard-seed-size success will grow “and become the largest of the plants in the garden and even grow branches so big that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.” It may not bear fruit now but it will blossom under his direction in the future.

“Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” (Vaclav Havel) Think back in your life. Were there incidents in your life in which you thought you worked hard for something but received little success? Or when failure, pain and sufferings were your constant companions? Or when you cried out to the Lord for help and received none? Now look back in hindsight. Was that part of your life an integral part of who you are and where you are now?

Pray for the grace to receive the strength to trust in the Lord all of who you are and all that you do. For only he knows what is in store for us and will give us what is the best for us.

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St. John Bosco

2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17
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Psalm 51:3-7, 10-11

Mark 4:26-34
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MID-LIFE CRISIS

"At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel...David, however, remained in Jerusalem." —2 Samuel 11:1

For many years, David had been a strong, successful warrior. He fought many battles, even after becoming king. Eventually, the powerful David reached middle-age. The time came for kings to fight (2 Sm 11:1), but now David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

It's possible the manly warrior David might have been wondering if he had "lost it." Perhaps David felt a need to prove his manliness and usefulness. David suddenly had lots of free time on his hands during the fighting season. Instead of using his "free" time to pray for his army, help his subjects, grow in spiritual strength, or worship God, David let his idle mind and eyes wander. The weakened warrior was also too spiritually weak to fight off the sexual temptation of seeing the beautiful Bathsheba. This resulted in the grave sins of adultery and murder (2 Sm 11:4, 17).

David's fears came true. He was losing strength, but not because of his middle-age. He lost strength to fight spiritual battles because he wanted to be something other than what he was. Thus, he was unable to die to himself, pick up his cross (Lk 9:23), and let God's power be made perfect in his weakness (2 Cor 12:9).

Are you growing in maturity as you grow in age? (see 1 Cor 3:1ff) Do you place your hope in advertisements and products which promise a return to the vigor of youth? God alone restores your youth (Ps 103:5; Is 40:29-31). "Be on guard" (Lk 21:34), trust in God alone (Ps 62:9), and pray for final perseverance.

Prayer: Jesus, I lose myself in You. Make me a new creation.

Promise: "He kept explaining things privately to His disciples." —Mk 4:34

Praise: St. John Bosco trusted that, with God's help, he could reach even the most seemingly hopeless. Many of the poor boys whom John reached became priests.