Reflection.
How
do I react to this story? How do I feel about it? Does it make me fearful or
does it lift my heart?
What
memories does it invoke, painful or pleasant? How do I feel about the characters,
their actions, and the words they say? Who do I identify with or whom do I
reject?
This
is still happening today. There is turmoil and distress in our lives when we
are bewildered, and the powers of our very existence are shaken when our
security is threatened by loss of employment or the death of a loved one or
when a friend in whom we trusted lets us down.
Jesus
is present and active today in people who calm our fears and give us reason to
hope when our world seems to be falling apart and we are uncertain about the
future because of illness or the break-up of a relationship which was central
to our lives.
Jesus
is alive and active today in people who are concerned for our welfare and warn
us about the dangers of allowing our hearts to be coarsened by the cares of
life and urge us to be watchful, praying at all times for the strength to
survive, putting our confidence in the Son of
“There will
be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered
by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what
menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Have you ever had the experience of feeling
your world collapse about you and all the things, which seemed secure and
immovable in your life, begin to fail, and you ended up fearful and afraid of
what the next day might bring? What was it like for you at that time?
I thank you,
Lord, for my parents, my family and my friends, who were the sun, moon and
stars in my life, providing me with security and stability and giving me the
courage to face the future with confidence, when nations are in agony and the
powers of heaven are shaken.
Forgive me,
Lord, for the times when I became fearful and afraid when my life was in
turmoil, forgetting your words of hope and consolation that all would be well
and that my liberation was at hand.
Grant us, Lord,
the wisdom to hear your word and to understand that you will not abandon us in
times of trouble and disaster when nations on the earth are in agony,
bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they
await the menaces of the world.
“When
these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because
your liberation is near at hand.”
Can you
remember a time of distress and turmoil in your life when trusting in God and
struggling on, you discovered an inner strength that you did not know you
possessed and you came through your end time experience a better person, ready
with confidence to make a new beginning in life. What was this experience like
for you?
We thank you
Lord for the many Jeremiahs who in times of great distress in our own lives and
in the history of the world, when it seemed that wars would destroy the earth,
were beacons of hope and who by standing erect and holding their heads high,
gave people the strength to survive what was happening all around them, until
their liberation was accomplished.
Forgive us,
Lord, for the times in our lives when we became discouraged in the face of
disappointment and loss and failed to stand erect, holding our heads high,
because our liberation was at hand.
Grant, Lord, that all those people who are being oppressed by unjust
regimes and those being exploited by powerful multinational companies in the
pursuit of profit, will have the strength to survive and that their liberation
will come soon.
“Watch yourselves, or your hearts
will be coarsened by debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that
day will be sprung on you suddenly like a trap.”
Have you ever had the experience of being so taken up with the cares of
life or the struggle for advancement or with the enjoyment of success that God
did not feature very much in your daily living until some illness or disaster
was sprung on you suddenly, like a trap? How did this affect your life?
We thank you, Lord, for our parents, family and friends who cared
enough for us to challenge our way of thinking and living when they saw our
hearts being coarsened with success and the cares of life. They brought us back
to our senses and once more set us on the right road.
Forgive me,
Lord, for the times when I became bewildered by the clamour of success and the
good times, and allowed the cares of life to come between me and the reign of
God, putting my trust in wealth and possessions and failing to practice honesty
and integrity.
Grant, Lord,
that as a Church we would watch ourselves, lest our hearts be coarsened by a
desire for power and success. Give us the grace to stay awake, praying at all
times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand
with confidence before the Son of
Updated by Br. Dick
Burke 22/11/2009.