E&W 10-6-13

Sacred Story

Encouragements & Wisdom: October 6, 2013

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Encouragements and Wisdom: October 6, 2013 (PDF).

E & W reflections are additional helps for your Sacred Story prayer journey. Reflect on them at week’s beginning or outside of your 15-minute prayer periods.

The Affirmations

I will have difficulties in this life.

 
The grandfather of all modern self-help books is M. Scott Peck’s, The Road Less Traveled. It took five years to become a New York Times bestseller but once it did, it stayed on the list, often at #1, for 694 weeks. The opening line of the book is, “Life is difficult.” Obviously the message struck a chord with millions of people and the message that self-discipline is required to tackle life’s challenges did too. People, Peck once said, try to avoid difficulties and it only makes life more difficult.

It should be noted that the book also challenged the prevailing mood that life should not be difficult. We can often be upset that we have difficulties in life, but they are present nonetheless. We either choose to avoid them or deal with them. The original sin guaranteed that life would be difficult. Yet the advent of God’s saving mission in Christ provides a super-guarantee that through those difficulties, grace and love will triumph.

We never face our difficulties alone. We have Christ, daily present to us in the Eucharist, to bring us hope and comfort. He promised to stay with us “until the end of the age” (Mt 28: 20), and his promise is true.

Lord Jesus, you endured all the pains and difficulties of life to free us from the burden of sin. Thank you for your gift of presence to us. May we seek you often in the Eucharist and by helping our brothers and sisters in distress,
so that one day we may all praise you in
Creation, Presence, Memory, Mercy and Eternity.

“Will the Lord reject us forever, never again show favor?
Has God’s mercy ceased forever?
The promise to go unfulfilled for future ages?”
I will recall the deeds of the LORD; yes, recall your wonders of old. I will ponder all your works; on your exploits I will meditate.

(Psalm 77: 8-9; 12-13)

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