IN SPITE of all the in spites of, we
have all the reason
to be always hopeful and optimistic. And that's simply because God our
Father, our unfailing lover, is always in control of everything,
regardless of how we mess up his designs for us.
We have reason to be hopeful and optimistic as long as in
all our affairs and situations in life, we manage to go to God to ask
for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence,
even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions appears unanswered,
if not, contradicted.
This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that
can only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is
always in control of things, and at the same time can also leave us in
peace and joy even in the worst of scenarios.
Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for
everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a
time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill,
and a time to heal…” But everything is under God’s control, and even
if we are capable of eternity, we just the same “cannot find out what
God has done from the beginning to the end.” (3,1ff) We just have to
trust him.
We have to follow the example of the many characters in
the gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were
in, earnestly rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him
unafraid and unashamed and they got what they wanted.
We should not forget that God will always listen to us and
will act on our requests promptly and in the best way for us,
considering both our immediate and the ultimate needs, and no matter
how imperfect the object, motives and manner of our petitions are.
Remember the parable of the persistent widow and the
unjust judge narrated in the gospel of St. Luke, chapter 8. The
conclusion of that parable is the following lesson we should learn at
heart:
“Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who
cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off.?” (7)
This lesson is reiterated in the gospel of St. Matthew
where Christ said: “What man of you, if his son asks him for bread,
will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a
serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is heaven give good
things to those who ask him!” (7,9-11)
In the gospel, many are the instances where Christ told us
to be hopeful and optimistic. “In the world you shall have distress,”
he said, “but have confidence, I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
We need to revisit these words and probe its basis more
extensively. Thing is, we should not just be good at citing gospel
passages. We should also try to fathom as much as we can the truth and
wisdom of these divine words, so that these words can also be truly
ours.
Christ, of course, has conquered everything that is
detrimental to our dignity as children of God through his passion,
death and resurrection. This should be the core belief to have, to
which everything else in our life, whether it is a success or failure,
should be referred.
We need to be clear that what is truly harmful to us is
sin that can deal a death blow to our spiritual life, to our relation
of love with God and others. Everything else, whether we succeed or
fail in a business venture, etc., only has a relative value, which can
be used for good or for evil.
In our earthly affairs, we should learn to be sport, to be
tolerant and patient, and not to be easily taken by the twists and
turns of life.
If we succeed, good and give thanks to God. If we fail,
it’s still good and we should never fail to thank God just the same.
But also we should try to learn the precious lessons occasioned by our
failures and defeats.
Let’s remember that Christ has assumed our sinfulness and
all its consequences—our failures and defeats—and has given them a
certain quality to make them our path to our salvation.
Yes, we have every reason to be hopeful and optimistic.
to be always hopeful and optimistic. And that's simply because God our
Father, our unfailing lover, is always in control of everything,
regardless of how we mess up his designs for us.
We have reason to be hopeful and optimistic as long as in
all our affairs and situations in life, we manage to go to God to ask
for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence,
even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions appears unanswered,
if not, contradicted.
This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that
can only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is
always in control of things, and at the same time can also leave us in
peace and joy even in the worst of scenarios.
Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for
everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a
time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill,
and a time to heal…” But everything is under God’s control, and even
if we are capable of eternity, we just the same “cannot find out what
God has done from the beginning to the end.” (3,1ff) We just have to
trust him.
We have to follow the example of the many characters in
the gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were
in, earnestly rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him
unafraid and unashamed and they got what they wanted.
We should not forget that God will always listen to us and
will act on our requests promptly and in the best way for us,
considering both our immediate and the ultimate needs, and no matter
how imperfect the object, motives and manner of our petitions are.
Remember the parable of the persistent widow and the
unjust judge narrated in the gospel of St. Luke, chapter 8. The
conclusion of that parable is the following lesson we should learn at
heart:
“Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who
cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off.?” (7)
This lesson is reiterated in the gospel of St. Matthew
where Christ said: “What man of you, if his son asks him for bread,
will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a
serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is heaven give good
things to those who ask him!” (7,9-11)
In the gospel, many are the instances where Christ told us
to be hopeful and optimistic. “In the world you shall have distress,”
he said, “but have confidence, I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
We need to revisit these words and probe its basis more
extensively. Thing is, we should not just be good at citing gospel
passages. We should also try to fathom as much as we can the truth and
wisdom of these divine words, so that these words can also be truly
ours.
Christ, of course, has conquered everything that is
detrimental to our dignity as children of God through his passion,
death and resurrection. This should be the core belief to have, to
which everything else in our life, whether it is a success or failure,
should be referred.
We need to be clear that what is truly harmful to us is
sin that can deal a death blow to our spiritual life, to our relation
of love with God and others. Everything else, whether we succeed or
fail in a business venture, etc., only has a relative value, which can
be used for good or for evil.
In our earthly affairs, we should learn to be sport, to be
tolerant and patient, and not to be easily taken by the twists and
turns of life.
If we succeed, good and give thanks to God. If we fail,
it’s still good and we should never fail to thank God just the same.
But also we should try to learn the precious lessons occasioned by our
failures and defeats.
Let’s remember that Christ has assumed our sinfulness and
all its consequences—our failures and defeats—and has given them a
certain quality to make them our path to our salvation.
Yes, we have every reason to be hopeful and optimistic.
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