Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suffering. Show all posts
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Genesis Ministries
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For thus says he who is high and exalted, living eternally, whose name is the Holy One: On high I dwell, and in holiness, and with the crushed and dejected in spirit, To revive the spirits of the dejected, to revive the hearts of the crushed. Isaiah 57:15
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Psalm 86:3-7
There are so many of us out there walking around with heavy hearts, the weight of the world on our shoulders. Whether it be grieving the loss or sickness of a loved one, dejected by the injustice in the world, or fearful of what the future may bring, we each carry our own burdens...or do we? Sometimes in the midst of anguish, we forget that there are others out there who suffer with us. Though each one's agony is of their own variety, and it is not quite truthful to say we know fully what the other is going through, the fact still remains that we suffer together. More importantly, the fact remains that we suffer with Christ. Christ before us, Christ beside us, Christ behind us - whatever we need.
I am perplexed at how the "faithless" can get through the many struggles of life without the solace of knowing that someone walks beside them. I suppose in the end, I won't know the answer to that question entirely, and it would be presumptious and arrogant to say that in some way, they simply are blinded to an inherent faith that exists within (no matter how much I believe that). It only goes to emphasize, though, that we, who have kinship with Christ through our baptism, should remain ever mindful that when we feel dejected, that when we want to scream, there is always someone there to pick us up and to listen. The end we have in mind may not be the end He has in mind for us, but He is always there to show us His love and mercy if we seek it and open ourselves to the possibility of it.
Lord, have mercy on us now and always!
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Psalm 86:3-7
There are so many of us out there walking around with heavy hearts, the weight of the world on our shoulders. Whether it be grieving the loss or sickness of a loved one, dejected by the injustice in the world, or fearful of what the future may bring, we each carry our own burdens...or do we? Sometimes in the midst of anguish, we forget that there are others out there who suffer with us. Though each one's agony is of their own variety, and it is not quite truthful to say we know fully what the other is going through, the fact still remains that we suffer together. More importantly, the fact remains that we suffer with Christ. Christ before us, Christ beside us, Christ behind us - whatever we need.
I am perplexed at how the "faithless" can get through the many struggles of life without the solace of knowing that someone walks beside them. I suppose in the end, I won't know the answer to that question entirely, and it would be presumptious and arrogant to say that in some way, they simply are blinded to an inherent faith that exists within (no matter how much I believe that). It only goes to emphasize, though, that we, who have kinship with Christ through our baptism, should remain ever mindful that when we feel dejected, that when we want to scream, there is always someone there to pick us up and to listen. The end we have in mind may not be the end He has in mind for us, but He is always there to show us His love and mercy if we seek it and open ourselves to the possibility of it.
Lord, have mercy on us now and always!
Posted by
Genesis Ministries
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When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, the flames shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2
Today marks the feast of St. Lawrence. Though much is not known about his life, it is known that he was set on fire for Christ, most literally. Under persecution, told to produce all the wealth of the Church, Deacon Lawrence brought with him all the poor, diseased and crippled to present as the riches of Christ. In response, Lawrence was grilled...again, literally set over coals to be burned to death.
We do not do well with suffering in our age. Suffering is thought a sign of weakness. In the eyes of Christ, however, suffering is solidarity and strength. It is solidarity with not only the weakest among us, but with Jesus himself. It is strength to turn over our own power and trust that amidst the struggles and flames of life, we will not be consumed if we remain in Christ. More than asking us to bear whatever may come, Jesus tells us that we must suffer for his sake! Being "on fire" for Christ is literally to be willing to come under fire for his sake.
In light of that, I wonder how many of us are, really and truly, on fire for Christ...
Read more about St. Lawrence
Today marks the feast of St. Lawrence. Though much is not known about his life, it is known that he was set on fire for Christ, most literally. Under persecution, told to produce all the wealth of the Church, Deacon Lawrence brought with him all the poor, diseased and crippled to present as the riches of Christ. In response, Lawrence was grilled...again, literally set over coals to be burned to death.
We do not do well with suffering in our age. Suffering is thought a sign of weakness. In the eyes of Christ, however, suffering is solidarity and strength. It is solidarity with not only the weakest among us, but with Jesus himself. It is strength to turn over our own power and trust that amidst the struggles and flames of life, we will not be consumed if we remain in Christ. More than asking us to bear whatever may come, Jesus tells us that we must suffer for his sake! Being "on fire" for Christ is literally to be willing to come under fire for his sake.
In light of that, I wonder how many of us are, really and truly, on fire for Christ...
Read more about St. Lawrence
