Liturgy & Devotions | Daily Meditations

I will embrace with faith what I cannot control

by Fr Alex Yeung, LC | Source: Catholic.net

John 11:45-56

Introductory Prayer:
Lord, you are life and truth and goodness. You are also peace and mercy. How grateful I am to have this moment to turn to you. Without you I can do nothing good. In fact, when I do good, it is you working through me, despite my failings. Thank you, Lord. Here I am ready to love you more.

Petition:
Help me to see your will, Lord, above and beyond my own will and my own plans.

1. No Middle Ground:
Today's Gospel opens with the response to Jesus raising of Lazarus from the dead. Some eyewitnesses of the miracle believed in him, but others did not; in fact, they went to pour fuel on the fire with the adversaries of Christ who were seeking a reason to condemn him. Here we see the mystery of human freedom at work. The overt action of God in our lives obliges us, in a certain sense, to move to either side of the truth. To what side of the truth am I moved when I sense the manifest action of God at work in my life, in the voice of my conscience, or in the lives of others? Does it help me to believe ever more deeply in Christ?  

2. Is it All About Power?
Why did the Pharisees so oppose the message and action of Jesus? One way of looking at the problem is to see it as the natural consequence of the human tendency toward control – even the control of things spiritual. The religious authorities of Christ's time no doubt saw themselves as the custodians of the faith handed down to them by their forefathers. But it seems that slowly this custody became control. The authorities become less interested in the legitimacy of Jesus identity, message and mission and more interested in maintaining the established religious and political order. Yet even their resistance is incorporated into God's plan. Their rejection leads Jesus to die for the nation, "and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God." How much do I try to control God's action in my life?
 
3. Willingly Embracing the Father's Will:
We can only imagine the inner thoughts and feelings of Christ as the events leading to his suffering and death begin to unfold, just as he knows they will. Instead of resisting the Father's plan, we see Christ serene and composed as the tension builds. We see his sense of determination and decision increase. He is fully committed to the Father's will. Jesus teaches us the wisdom of letting go of circumstances that are fully within the Father's purview. He teaches us to embrace the divine will with total trust and serenity, no matter how difficult it may be for us.

Conversation with Christ:
You know, Lord, what is best for me because you are my Father,
immensely good, inclined towards me, attentive to my pleas, eager
to give me the body of your Son ever present in the great mystery of your Eucharist.

Resolution:
I will embrace with faith what I cannot – and should not – control.