Have you ever heard the song “Blessings” by Laura Story? It talks about blessings coming amid the storms and healing being granted through pain. These types of contradictions sometimes happen during the four seasons as well. Last winter it was 55 degrees on Christmas and some Easters we have had snow. We may even experience some seasons of our lives when things are so topsy turvy that we don’t know which way is up and which way is down.
Those of us who have lived a few decades understand that that’s just the way life is. We have good times and bad times, moments of plenty and moments of scarcity, laughter and tears. For those who are a bit younger, it may be difficult to understand why life has to be so hard or why things don’t go their way just a little bit more often.
Although I’ve been around the block a few times, I still have a lot to learn, and like it or not, much of that learning comes during times of difficulty. When my mind and my heart are stretched to function beyond their normal capacity, when I am called to make changes in the way I act and react in order to become a better person, when I am asked to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his followers about a case of opposites as well. “The hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. (John 16: 2-3) Imagine thinking that you are offering worship to God by killing someone! It is hard for us to fathom.
But if we take a long and honest look at our interior, we may find that we have a few areas for growth as well. They may come in different shapes and sizes. They may be mountains or molehills. They may be complicated or simple. But all of them can be refined and healed at the hand of our loving Savior. All of them can truly be transformed into blessings.
I pray that you are able to find a few of those hidden blessings today.
Daily Reading
Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter – Mass in the Morning
Reading 1 Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,with the soldier who was guarding him. Three days later he called together the leaders…
Saint of the Day
Pope Saint John I
Pope Saint John I, born in Tuscany, confronted Arianism in Constantinople, martyred under Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths.
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