One time, a very pious woman prayed aloud, “Lord, give me my daily bread.” His neighbor heard her and decided to play a trick on her. He bought a loaf of bread, placed it at her door, and knocked. The woman opened the door and, seeing the loaf of bread, looked up to heaven and exclaimed, “Lord, You never fail me. You always answer my prayers.” The man then approached her and said, “You fool! I was the one who put the loaf of bread at your door.” The woman sweetly answered, “Sir, I know God always answers prayers, even if sometimes He has to use the devil to answer them.”
God blesses us in many ways—through our family, friends, acquaintances, and in the light of today’s Gospel, even through our enemies. These past days, our readings showed us many encounters of Jesus with His enemies.
Our heroes in the Bible also had their villains. But they are not cinematic villains written into the biblical script to make for an interesting biblical tale. They are enemies God allowed to stand in the path of these men for them to realize their potential and fulfill their calling.
Goliath was a part of David’s story. Without Goliath, David would have remained an unknown shepherd tending his father’s sheep. Couldn’t God just have made King Saul abdicate his throne and pass the crown to David? He could have but He didn’t. Without the challenge of Goliath, David would never have discovered the royal courage and kingly talents that lay dormant within him. Without his persecution as King Saul’s servant, David would never have discovered unrelenting perseverance, firm faith in God, and a heart of mercy. Without his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, David would have remained arrogant. The humiliation of his sin made him face his own weakness and constant need for God’s mercy and direction.
Sometimes, God allows “enemies” on our path not to demolish us but to establish us. Fr. Joel Jason
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment