Protected by God's mercy

Good News Reflection Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent April 11, 2011 This reflection is also available as an audio podcast: http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts Today’s Readings: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 Psalm 23:1-6 John 8:1-11 http://www.usccb.org/nab/041111.shtml USCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_04_11.mp3 Protected by God's mercy Have you ever been accused unmercifully? Whether we have been rightly reprimanded (like the woman found in adultery in today's Gospel reading) or falsely accused (like Susanna in Dan. 13), we feel terribly invalidated when we have to endure condemnation without forgiveness. Feeling remorseful for a genuine sin does not make it easier to accept the harsh reactions of others, so we defend ourselves rather than admit our guilt. We want to protect ourselves from a crushing sense of shame, so we try to rationalize away our sins. Does this really work though? No, only mercy can protect us. Only mercy can validate our worth. Without it, we try to manipulate people into liking us and approving of us and affirming us. The more we sin, the more desperate we become for other people's approval. And the more desperate we become, the less remorse we feel for what we've done wrong, because remorse is a feeling that says we deserve disapproval. To fill the emptiness and heal the wound, we need to realize that we've been forgiven by the mercy of God. The Sacrament of Confession gives us audible proof of this mercy. And we must understand that it's only God's opinion of us that really matters. Even if others refuse to give us mercy, if we know that we have God's mercy, we will have peace and the sense of personal value that we need. When we're falsely accused, we feel empty and invalidated because the truth has been misjudged and we're at the mercy of others' wrong opinions of us. They're rejecting us and it's totally unfair. We hunger for their affirmation, and if we don't receive it, we defend ourselves and offend them. We convert our innocence into selfishness and pride and unloving behavior. To fill this emptiness and heal this wound, we need to realize that we are protected by the mercy of God, and we must remind ourselves that it's only his opinion of us that really matters. No one can validate us or heal us like God can. He alone loves us no matter what we do. Mercifully, when we deserve punishment, Our Father says: "I do not condemn you, because My Son took your punishment for you. I love you. Go on with your life and sin no more, but be assured that I will always love you, even if you sin this way again." God has more mercy to give us than we allow yourself to receive. Meditate on this and open yourself to his steady, merciful love. He wants to free you from the need to be validated and healed by people. This truth will free you to love others even when they sin against you. With Jesus, tell the Father: "I do not condemn them. Please grant them your forgiveness even if they do not ask for it." We forgive others not because they repent (some never will), but because God has been merciful to us. As we have received mercy from him, so do we share his mercy with others. © 2011 by Terry A. Modica This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission. You may print one copy for your own personal use. For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm Seeking a past reflection? Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

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Dare to care

Good News Reflection Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent April 5, 2011 This reflection is also available as an audio podcast: http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts Today’s Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 John 5:1-16 http://www.usccb.org/nab/040511.shtml USCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_04_05.mp3 Dare to care In today's Gospel passage, Jesus faces an important decision when he notices a man who's been sick for 38 years. Should he protect himself from being rejected, ridiculed, and persecuted for breaking the religious law about not working on the Sabbath? Or should he respond to the man's suffering and work a healing? The lame man did not ask Jesus for a healing. It was entirely Jesus' decision. Apparently, the poor guy hadn't heard of Jesus yet, as evidenced by his reply about needing someone to put him into the pool. Why did Jesus focus on this man amidst a crowd of many who were ill, blind, lame, and crippled? Maybe he'd been sick the longest. Maybe he had more love for God than the others did. Maybe the Father had a special plan for his life. We don't know, but whatever the reason, Jesus recognized his need and readiness to be healed, and so he decided to take the initiative and reach out to the man. We don't know why Jesus picks any of us out of the crowd. When he takes the initiative to give us any gift, healing, vocation or other blessing, all we can do is trust in his wisdom and accept what he does and praise him for being so good to us. Jesus knew the ramifications of inviting the lame man to receive his healing gift: Both he and the man would be condemned as sinners. Have you ever been in that kind of a situation? Following in the foot-steps of Jesus means responding to the needs of others, whether it will backfire or not. This is compassionate love. In compassion, we contact the authorities when we see children being abused, even though their parents might retaliate. In compassion, we take meals to a sick neighbor, even though his illness is making him cranky and he's likely to lash out at us. In compassion, we speak up for someone who's been misunderstood and rejected, even though we'll become the next target of condemnation. In compassion, we advocate for employees who are being ill-treated by their employers, even though we'll be disdained or fired or blacklisted for stirring up trouble. RIGHT? Or do we think God won't take care of us if we work this hard for his kingdom? To do less is unChrist-like. When we get nailed for doing good deeds, we are truly being like Jesus. We're taking our compassion all the way to the cross. Actually, it's Christ's compassion. Our compassion is his. Our crosses are his. We are intimately united to him when we suffer for the sake of love. Dare to follow your heart to where others need the caring touch of Jesus. Look for opportunities to be Jesus for others in ways that you've avoided before. Stretch your ability to face the cross, because you love others that much. The word "compassion" means "with passion" – you are with Jesus in his holy Passion! © 2011 by Terry A. Modica All rights reserved. For PERMISSION to copy my reflections, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DRm.htm Please visit Catholic Digital Resources, the official publisher of Terry Modica's writings. Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message! WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND? To sign up for your own subscription, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/index-mobile.html Why do I need your help in my daily ministry? Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. Please visit http://gnm.org/donate.htm where you can make a real difference - even if you cannot make a financial donation!

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Miracles without signs and wonders

Good News Reflection Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent April 4, 2011 This reflection is also available as an audio podcast: http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts Today’s Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21 Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13 John 4:43-54 http://www.usccb.org/nab/040411.shtml USCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_04_04.mp3 Miracles without signs and wonders Why is it that we so easily feel discouraged when we don't "see" the answers to our prayers? Jesus says in today's Gospel reading, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe." He said this to a dad who wanted Jesus to come to his house to heal his son. This man's faith depended on the same thing that ours so often does: "Seeing is believing". He thought that he could only get a miracle if Jesus physically showed up at his house to pray over the boy. Jesus invited him to grow beyond that. Have you ever wished that Jesus would appear to you in person to assure you that everything is going to turn out okay? I sure have! But then where is our trust in the power and goodness of God? What kind of faith exists without trust? Jesus told the worried father, "Go on with your life as normal. Your son will live." This is what Jesus is saying to all of us every time we pray. "Go on with your life as normal," he says. "Now that you've given the problem to me, trust in my wisdom and perfect timing. Don't take it back by disbelieving that I'm working on it. Go about your normal business as if I'm taking care of it beyond your field of vision, because I am." Do you know why Genesis says God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh? To teach us that God never rests until his work is done! He's not asking us to ignore our problems. Ongoing prayer keeps us in touch with God so that when he says, "Okay, here's what I want you to do next...", we'll be able to hear him and follow his instructions. Some of our church prayers accidentally contribute to the feeling that God's not working outside our field of vision. For example, when we end our intercessory requests with "Lord, hear our prayer", the implication is that God hasn't already been listening, watching, and working, and that we need to beg him to take action. We should consciously remind ourselves that we're really saying: "Lord, THANK YOU for hearing our prayer! I know you'll take good care of this need, and I trust your timing and your way of handling it." That's what "amen" means. What miracles do you need? Write down all your prayer requests, then tuck them in your Bible. As you close the cover, give Jesus your trust. This is how to live an "amen" kind of life instead of worrying and disbelieving and seeking signs and wonders for proof of God's involvement. The signs and wonders will happen, but the who, what, when and where of them will be God's choosing, not ours. After all, would you really want it any other way? © 2011 by Terry A. Modica All rights reserved. For PERMISSION to copy my reflections, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DRm.htm Please visit Catholic Digital Resources, the official publisher of Terry Modica's writings. Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message! WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND? To sign up for your own subscription, go to: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/index-mobile.html Why do I need your help in my daily ministry? Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. Please visit http://gnm.org/donate.htm where you can make a real difference - even if you cannot make a financial donation!

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