22ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME A

 

(image from the internet)

 

FIGHTING…!

 

A friend shared with me a reflection she wrote about her struggles in her marriage. There came a time life became too difficult to continue.

 

She wanted to quit. She wanted a new life. Enough of stress and troubles!

 

Enlightenment came through a retreat, intense prayer, and the guidance of trustworthy Christians in her life. She recovered her sense of meaning, of love, of family.

 

Now, there was only one thing she wanted to do; only one thing the Lord wants her to do.

 

And that was to continue her commitment, not out of obligation, but out of love for the Lord and for the people around her. As cheering Koreans, with raised fists would say: “Fighting!”

 

The first reading (Jer 20) shows us an exhausted, disappointed prophet. He did as the Lord wanted and was faithful to his role as prophet. But he suffered much because of this.

 

At a desperate moment he vented his anger on the Lord and said he would quit. He wanted to return to a normal, peaceful life. He would not speak the Lord’s name again.

 

But in his heart he felt something different: “it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” He realized he couldn’t give up that easily because:

 

It was God’s word that spoke –  assuring him of his blessing, his help, his love

 

This word lived in his heart – he accepted it before and now it is part of his life

 

This word burned inside of him – he felt this was what he loved most and he would fight for it against all trials and challenges.

 

Has there been a moment in your life that you seem to be powerless to carry on? Are trials and problems making you think of giving up on relationship, on service, on life itself?

 

These days of the pandemic are putting a lot of stress on all of us. The challenges are huge.

 

Like the prophet, we need to listen to our heart, to what we really want, to what we really love.

 

We need to listen to the Word of God; it is there that God encourages us and inspires us to be strong and to be positive.

 

Going back is not the solution. Stopping on your tracks is not the answer. 

 

When the going gets rough, the only way to go is forward… with the Lord as our companion.

 

The Lord Jesus in the Gospel (Mt 16) reminds us of the need for us to appreciate our daily crosses.

 

We cannot run from the cross. We can only carry it so that in the end, we will experience life.

 

Sounds strange, yes, but it is true! Those who carry the cross find the springs of overflowing life.

 

Life is not easy but as the Koreans say: Fighting!!!

 

(pls share with a friend)