God Does Not Disappoint

Today’s significant feast is a glimpse of the ‘bigger picture’ in the middle of this increasing struggle for freedom. As this fortnight continues, something written by G.K. Chesterton comes to mind where he counsels that we beg to be made worthy of the battle for truth. Sts. Peter and Paul – today’s great men – and so many of the holy men and women of the past who have this same attitude of heart are not only encouragement for us, but intercessors as well. Just to recall a few of those well known souls … Moses - who pleads that God not send him rescue the people of Israel, saying that Pharaoh would not listen to him. There is Jeremiah who protests that he is too young to speak as the Lord’s prophet. Elizabeth at the Visitation of Our Lady echoes this humility of soul: “who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me.” John the Baptist – perhaps the most real of men in that day – seeing Jesus for who He was, so poignantly asks to be baptized by his Lord. Peter’s initial response to Christ’s mercy reveals this same gaping reverence “depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” And then the “last of the apostles” insists that he is not worthy to be called an apostle, but is one because of God’s design.  For us, feeling insufficient to this task of carrying the light of truth about God, man, and salvation into the darkness of an unbelieving world is a legitimate reaction… but not a reason to compromise on the mission. Since Christ is the one who entrusts His disciples with the Gospel, and is the Truth to whom we are called to witness, He will Himself give the grace, the strength, and all that is necessary to carry out this ‘work’ in day to day practice. He does not disappoint! Let us pray for the grace to remain steadfast to the task at hand and continue to pray that the Holy Spirit comes anew to enlighten our hearts & minds and to empower us to pray, sacrifice, stand and work for the freedom to live and worship as free citizens and ultimately – children of God!

From an address of Pope Benedict XVI in England…
Newman teaches us that if we have accepted the truth of Christ and committed our lives to him, there can be no separation between what we believe and the way we live our lives. Our every thought, word and action must be directed to the glory of God and the spread of his Kingdom... [Newman] saw clearly that we do not so much accept the truth in a purely intellectual act as embrace it in a spiritual dynamic that penetrates to the core of our being. Truth is passed on not merely by formal teaching, important as that is, but also by the witness of lives lived in integrity, fidelity and holiness: those who live in and by the truth instinctively recognize what is false and, precisely as false, inimical to the beauty and goodness which accompany the splendour of truth, veritatis splendor.