Today marks the 5th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the north-eastern region of Japan in 2011, affecting a number of prefectures. Let us remember the victims and all those displaced by this tragedy and pray that they can feel God's love and healing hands as they continue to rebuild their lives.
Perseverance
Although tension was high because the Jewish leaders were looking for opportunities to kill him, Jesus still went to the Temple to preach. Many people saw him and knew he was the Christ, but they were looking for signs.
Do we need signs to know that God is near or that God loves us? If we spend our precious time focusing on signs to prove the authenticity of God, then whatever good things God does for us will elude us, just like the people of Jerusalem in today's Gospel (Jn 7: 25-29). They were so busy looking for signs that they failed to recognise the Christ among them.
Despite difficulties and rejections, Jesus persevered in his teachings. There was a sense of urgency in him trying to convince the Jews that he is the Messiah sent from God; such was the great love he had for his kinsmen, but the lure of power, riches and recognition blinded them from seeing the Divine, come as human to allow them to see him, touch him, and feel his love, mercy and compassion.
We too must persevere in our quest to love God more and to see him in each one of us. We must persevere in our prayer life; be spiritually nourished in the Mass and Eucharistic celebration, so that the grace of God is enough to let us experience his living, loving presence in our lives.
Though perseverance does not come from our power,
yet it comes from within our power.
- St Francis de Sales-
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