Reflections

Every year this seems to happen... when the King Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego reading comes around it's my turn to lector! Are you familiar with this passage from Daniel? You have to say these names multiple times throughout the reading. Now the names just roll off my tongue, but at first I couldn't pronounce them to save my life. I lector at Mass on Wednesday mornings and it seems like every year I get this passage!

The story is very familiar to me: three men refuse to worship any god besides the one true God and so they are thrown into the fiery furnace. God works a miracle, spares their lives and King Nebuchadnezzar is converted because of it.

As I was proclaiming the Scripture I noticed this quote for the first time, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up."

The faith of these men really struck me - whether or not God worked a miracle, they would still believe in him, trust in him and serve him. Their faith did not depend on a miracle or a sign. And yet they FULLY believe that one was possible. We are called to do the same. We know that anything is possible with God - we must believe that, or else we deny that God is all-powerful. And yet at the same time we must realize that God's ways are mysterious to us. We don't know why he chooses to work miracles at sometimes and not others. The one thing we do know is that it's always part of his plan and his will for our lives. For some reason.

The other part of this story that hit me for the first time is that the miracle was done not simply to save the lives of these three faithful men, but largely to instill faith in new believers, to touch the lives of others. The same applies to my life - if God chooses to work a miracle, it's not only for my benefit but for others around me who might learn and grow from my story. This includes suffering too - God can use our suffering to teach and touch others. I am always so amazed when I learn about the suffering of others and how they faithfully endured it. I am showing my students the movie about the life of Pope John Paul II and my eyes always well up with tears when I watch the suffering he endured throughout his life. He was such a holy and faithful man!

Yesterday's reflection by Giussani was about hope. He says, "Hope is an energy, the energy of vigilance, an energy that continually pierces through, continually tries to penetrate through the shadows. The energy of hope breaks, perforates the hard walls of the tomb in which distraction, intemperance, and worries enclose us. It's not the disappearance of distraction, intemperance or worries; it's that in the midst of distraction, worries and intemperance, unconquerable hope continually breaks the walls that continually form. This is the living heart, the sign of God living within the land of the dead."

Wow. I hadn't really thought about hope in that way before. To me hope has been somewhat of a passive thing. As if I just sit back and "hope" that everything will work out. Giussani is telling us that hope is not passive but very active. Our hope breaks through the walls that surround us. I feel the Lord calling me to have a much more active hope. As I posted the other day, I feel that I should also be more bold in my prayers. Even though my heart is afraid to hope too much, I realize there is sin in that. How could I not have complete hope and trust in the Lord?

Last night my hubby and I went to confession. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed and it was such a beautiful way to pray before our trip. We made our consecration this morning and it's hard to believe that our next Mass and next candle lit will be in Lourdes!! Ahh! I promise to hold you all in prayer during this time. I have no idea what is in store for us but I feel completely open to receiving God's graces during this time.

Have a very blessed Holy Week and a joyful Easter!