Have you ever questioned God’s will, and been struck mute because of it? I would guess your answer is no. Sometimes it is difficult for me to believe that such extraordinary things happened to the people in the Bible, and to saints. I’ve questioned what God asks of me millions of times in my life and have never been left mute, blind, deaf, or anything else.
Zechariah questioned God’s will and experienced a radical consequence. For us, the consequences of our doubts may not show on the outside, but to us they are just as real as a sleepless night. When we are faced with those doubts, we have two choices: we can dwell in them and let them take over, slowly destroying our faith altogether OR we can acknowledge our struggles and rely on God to bring us through them.
Growing up I had a sign in my bedroom that said “The will of God will not take you where the grace of God will not protect you.” This saying got me through many situations that brought a lot of doubt. Faith is an incredible gift from God, and perseverance through the darkest times often leads us to the biggest breakthroughs. “Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.” As dark as our doubt can be, our faith can be just as bright on the other side if we persevere and allow God to do the rest.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I Genesis 32:23-33 In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the…
Saint of the Day
Sts. Aquila and Priscilla
Sts. Aquila and Priscilla
Feast date: Jul 08
Saints Aquila and Priscilla were a Jewish couple from Rome who had been exiled to Corinth, and were friends of St. Paul in the first century. They hosted St. Paul on his visit to that city and were probably converted by him. They are mentioned a few times in the New Testament in glowing terms by their friend Paul, who calls them “my helpers in Christ, who have for my life laid down their own necks” (Romans 16:3-4).They were tentmakers, thus sharing the same profession as Paul, and because of this it is thought that Paul may have worked with them. Acts 18:18-19 tells us that they accompanied Paul to Ephesus and stayed there with him for three years.In the era of house churches – when Mass was always celebrated in the house of one of the Christian community – their house was an important one.According to tradition they were martyred in Rome on their return, probably around the same time as St. Paul.