Friday After Ash Wednesday
Have you been using the prayer book that Father sent you in the mail? If you haven’t, it’s a great resource to get you started each day on your Lenten prayers. Of course, the fact that it’s based on St. Patrick’s spirituality doesn’t hurt.
Yesterday’s reading concerned evil. It’s the age-old question, “Why is there evil in the world?” The Bible tells us that it’s our fault, which it is. God doesn’t make bad things happen. We make bad things happen by OUR actions, or inactions. By we, I don’t necessarily mean you and me, “we” includes everybody. You and I aren’t going out to rob a bank today, or to shoot somebody. You and I aren’t personally responsible for hunger and poverty. But the bigger “we”, the society in which we live, is responsible for a lot of evil.
The book talks about the “Lord’s Prayer”, where we ask God to deliver us from evil. Of course, He’s already delivered us from the greatest evil of all, our own sins. He came to earth as a human being to die for our sins.
As the book says, “Because of Jesus, God delivers us from evil. God fills us with love so that we can help instead of hurt. God empowers us to be the means to bring healing to others. And God promises that, no matter what may happen to us, all things work out for our good.”
Twenty-six years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I was fired from my job. We didn’t have much money then, anyway, and most of what we had bought for Christmas, we’d put on the credit card. There I was, less than a week later, with no job. Fortunately, I had interviewed for another job a few weeks before. I called them back and asked if the job was still open. It was. I made an appointment for the following week and got the job. Actually, because the company that fired me gave me a week’s severance pay and I had another job less than a week later, I actually came out a little bit ahead.
In the long run, I came out a lot ahead. There was really no future in that other job, but there was a lot of future with the new one. I’m still there. What started as one of the worst experiences of my life turned into a life-changing good.
I’ve been fired more than once in my life, and I’ve had to fire a few people over the years too. I have never lost a job that I didn’t end up better off in the long run. And, I’ve never fired anyone who didn’t go out and get a better job. God does deliver us from evil.
In the first reading today, the prophet Isiah points out the hypocracy of some who fast. He’s not impressed. He suggests that the real fast is one that “releases those bound unjustly”. It’s one that “sets free the oppressed”. He suggests that we share our bread with the hungry, clothe the naked and not turn our backs on our own.
He says, “Then your light shall break forth like the day and your wound shall be quickly healed.”
The reading concludes, with an excerpt from the 46th Psalm. “God, you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Yesterday’s reading concerned evil. It’s the age-old question, “Why is there evil in the world?” The Bible tells us that it’s our fault, which it is. God doesn’t make bad things happen. We make bad things happen by OUR actions, or inactions. By we, I don’t necessarily mean you and me, “we” includes everybody. You and I aren’t going out to rob a bank today, or to shoot somebody. You and I aren’t personally responsible for hunger and poverty. But the bigger “we”, the society in which we live, is responsible for a lot of evil.
The book talks about the “Lord’s Prayer”, where we ask God to deliver us from evil. Of course, He’s already delivered us from the greatest evil of all, our own sins. He came to earth as a human being to die for our sins.
As the book says, “Because of Jesus, God delivers us from evil. God fills us with love so that we can help instead of hurt. God empowers us to be the means to bring healing to others. And God promises that, no matter what may happen to us, all things work out for our good.”
Twenty-six years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I was fired from my job. We didn’t have much money then, anyway, and most of what we had bought for Christmas, we’d put on the credit card. There I was, less than a week later, with no job. Fortunately, I had interviewed for another job a few weeks before. I called them back and asked if the job was still open. It was. I made an appointment for the following week and got the job. Actually, because the company that fired me gave me a week’s severance pay and I had another job less than a week later, I actually came out a little bit ahead.
In the long run, I came out a lot ahead. There was really no future in that other job, but there was a lot of future with the new one. I’m still there. What started as one of the worst experiences of my life turned into a life-changing good.
I’ve been fired more than once in my life, and I’ve had to fire a few people over the years too. I have never lost a job that I didn’t end up better off in the long run. And, I’ve never fired anyone who didn’t go out and get a better job. God does deliver us from evil.
In the first reading today, the prophet Isiah points out the hypocracy of some who fast. He’s not impressed. He suggests that the real fast is one that “releases those bound unjustly”. It’s one that “sets free the oppressed”. He suggests that we share our bread with the hungry, clothe the naked and not turn our backs on our own.
He says, “Then your light shall break forth like the day and your wound shall be quickly healed.”
The reading concludes, with an excerpt from the 46th Psalm. “God, you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
posted by Mike at 10:00 PM
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