Last week, I saw a one-legged shiny black bird hopping around, searching for his morning meal. The bird seemed to have adapted well to its handicap. It did not look frightened or challenged, just hungry. About a week later, my husband told me about a black bird he noticed that was in the process of losing a fairly large wing feather but seemed at ease as it searched for its buggy meal. Despite the challenges they endure, the birds were faring well.
On a much, much larger and certainly more spiritual scale, experience tells us that we Christians are capable of great endurance, making the best of bad situations and difficulties because of our faith in an ever-present God who loves us.
In today’s first reading at Mass, from the second Letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Paul is writing for himself, Silvanus, and Timothy.
We ought to thank God always for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith
flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows
ever greater. Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God
regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions
you endure. (1: 3-4)
St. Paul is encouraging and praising the Thessalonians for their evangelizing. We can spread the good news about our loving Father as we make the best of any challenging life situation. Our examples of patience, understanding, tolerance, and love as we live our lives and cope with our frustrations, handicaps, and conflicts can teach observers about the merciful, ever-present God that we worship. We may not realize the differences our responses can make or even teach. We might not know what child or adult is watching us and making assumptions about the God we adore. We can even learn more and more about ourselves as we practice trust in the Lord.
We can be encouraged by reading and praying with this passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans:
…we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does
not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the holy Spirit that has been given to us. (5:3-5)
Nowadays, with all the social media and numerous available computer websites, we can evangelize by sharing personal examples of how God reveals his love for us even in our tough times and worrisome circumstances. We can fly high with courage and gratitude if we stop to consider how God gives us many gifts and courage to walk (or even hop) through the challenges!
🙏
Image: St. Paul is arrested, from a Bible illustration in the early 20th century. Public domain.
The scripture passages are from the New American Bible , Oxford University Press, New York. 1990
Sharon Krause is a RENEW volunteer whose writing has appeared in several resources for small-group faith sharing. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. Over the years, she has served in many parish ministries.