Nov. 13, 2015 Friday: St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
Nov. 13, 2015 Friday: St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
[Jesus said to the disciples] “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them.” LUKE 17:26–27
Reflection:
We know people who loved to work out every morning until they suffered a major physical setback. We have friends who were confident that they could meet their weekly expenses and other financial obligations until they were laid off from work. We know coworkers who felt safe in their neighborhood until people started being attacked. We anticipate with great joy going somewhere special for vacation until we receive the unexpected news of the death of a loved one.
We cannot read into the future. We cannot always anticipate what will happen in the next moment. We try to go with the flow of life, hoping only good things for ourselves, our family, and our friends. Life is wonderful until something terrible and painful happens. We are never prepared for that sudden tragic event that comes upon us, disrupts our daily routine, and changes our world completely. Our foundation is shaken; we become disoriented, lost, and confused.
We need the gospel to keep us grounded and hold us together for the present and the future. We need the gospel to remind us that there is life after tragedy. Just as we cannot predict what lies ahead, we cannot predict the end of time. As Christ’s followers, we move forward with faith, trusting that God is always with us, loving and supporting us. No matter what happens in life, we are with God.
Ponder: What personal tragedies changed my life?
Rev. Warren J. Savage & Mary Ann McSweeny
[Jesus said to the disciples] “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them.” LUKE 17:26–27
Reflection:
We know people who loved to work out every morning until they suffered a major physical setback. We have friends who were confident that they could meet their weekly expenses and other financial obligations until they were laid off from work. We know coworkers who felt safe in their neighborhood until people started being attacked. We anticipate with great joy going somewhere special for vacation until we receive the unexpected news of the death of a loved one.
We cannot read into the future. We cannot always anticipate what will happen in the next moment. We try to go with the flow of life, hoping only good things for ourselves, our family, and our friends. Life is wonderful until something terrible and painful happens. We are never prepared for that sudden tragic event that comes upon us, disrupts our daily routine, and changes our world completely. Our foundation is shaken; we become disoriented, lost, and confused.
We need the gospel to keep us grounded and hold us together for the present and the future. We need the gospel to remind us that there is life after tragedy. Just as we cannot predict what lies ahead, we cannot predict the end of time. As Christ’s followers, we move forward with faith, trusting that God is always with us, loving and supporting us. No matter what happens in life, we are with God.
Ponder: What personal tragedies changed my life?
Rev. Warren J. Savage & Mary Ann McSweeny
