God's Intervention in Our Lives

Yesterday morning, all the Bears and I attended Mass as part of G-Bear's VBS finale.  This was a feat that should not be overlooked.  It is quite worthy of its own post.  I was so thankful, we made it through  the whole Mass!  J-Bear slept, Buddy Bear sat quietly (!!), E-Bear and G-Bear even joined in on a few of the prayers and knelt once or twice.  But, I am digressing.

The readings for today were taken from Genesis 17 and Matthew 8.  The first reading recounts God's promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah while the Gospel recounted Jesus' curing of a leper.  This afternoon, I read part of a beautiful homily that Pope Francis offered, reflecting on the protagonists of the two readings and the way that God acts in our lives:

“The Lord slowly enters the life of Abraham, who is 99 years old when He promises him a son. Instead He immediately enters the life of the leper; Jesus listens to his prayer, touches him and performs a miracle...

..."When the Lord intervenes, He does not always do so in the same way. There is no ‘set protocol’ of action of God in our life. Once he intervenes in one way, another time in a different way but He always intervenes. There is always this meeting between us and the Lord....

..."Life’s troubles at times become so dark that it makes us want to come down from the cross.  This is the precise moment: the night is at its darkest, when dawn is about to break. And when we come down from the Cross, we always do so just five minutes before our liberation comes, at the very moment when our impatience is greatest.....

....“He tells us exactly what He told Abraham: 'Walk in my presence and be blameless', be above reproach, this is exactly the right word. Walk in my presence and try to be above reproach. This is the journey with the Lord and He intervenes, but we have to wait, wait for the moment, walking always in His presence and trying to be beyond reproach. We ask this grace from the Lord, to always walk in His presence, trying to be blameless'.”

~Pope Francis, June 28, 2013

Homily at the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae

I have been so slow to learn this lesson in my life.  I have needed to hear this message so many times.  I will likely need to be reminded of it again.  Today, I'll start by thanking God for intervening in my life, according to His perfect timing rather than mine.