If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Romans 8:10.
He…said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem.” Luke 18:31.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33.
And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 152: His character – Compassionate, Gracious, et al. Psalm 112:4: Light arises in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious and compassionate and righteous. And, Matthew 9:36: Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
You know I never really understood what Jesus meant when He told His disciples that He has overcome the world. Because we have so many problems still! And all of those problems still, are exactly what He warned, that here on earth we will have many trials and sorrows. He not only overcame the world – but He personally showed us the way. The way He chose. How do we who love God now show the way Jesus chose? Trust Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. Show His love for us. Show His trusting our Father as we also trust Him. Show His faithfulness to the Truth. Show our own trust and hope in God because the way forward for all of us can also be seen in we who love God and are trusting Him to show us how to love one another. No one will ever understand the way forward out of the mess of this fallen world by choosing the world’s anger and violence and greed and lies. LIGHT arises in the darkness for the upright – HE is gracious and compassionate and righteous. We are seeing and living through today the way the world chooses. We are caught up in it as well. Whatever our own trials and sorrows we have in this life, we can choose to trust God for how everything unfolds knowing that His will is for our good always. Our hope can be in Him. Our heart can turn to Him for strength and refreshing. Our spirit can rest faithfully in Him. His peace can fill our minds because He overcame the world and He showed us the way. God’s love and His Truth are eternal. The Way of Life Eternal with God – and with one another. And the beautiful thing is, we can take His hand now and let Him lead us forward through all the unfolding of this life now. We have so much to learn and it begins with Him with us.
***AN ACT OF CONTRITION – O God, I am sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins; they hurt me, they hurt others, but most of all, they offend You, O my God. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You, who deserves the love of all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I firmly intend, with the help of Your grace, to repent, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins, and I want Him to suffer no more. Enable me to hate sin, flee from it, and love righteousness. LORD have mercy on me, a sinner. Then I will teach sinners Your ways and make Your grace and holiness known for Your glory and honor. Amen. “Act of Contrition,” usccb.org. Adapted.***
