What is so amazing about Abraham is that he started on his journey without knowing what the end result was going to be. Then one day, he saw three men approaching his tent. He was not expecting any visitors. As they drew near he realized that they were messengers from God. With the customary Middle Eastern hospitality, Abraham welcomed them and treated them with generosity and with all due attention. As they were leaving, one of them said to Abraham that by next year he would be a daddy. His wife would bear him a son. Sarah was listening behind the curtain and when she heard these words she laughed. “This is impossible, this is ridiculous, how could it be. I am well past child bearing days. I am too old to be a mother.” The following year, she gave birth to their only son Isaac who became the father of the Jewish nation. Moreover, the Second Vatican Council, calls Abraham “Our Father in Faith.” All of us, believers and followers of Jesus Christ have Abraham as our father in faith. The promise has been fulfilled. Today, the children of Abraham are indeed more numerous than the stars in the heavens and more numerous than the sand on the seashore.
Our God, is a God of faithfulness to His promises. Our God will not forget or back away from the promises that He makes. Jesus made us many promises to you and to me that very often we neglect or fail to remember. “I will not leave you orphans. I will send my Holy Spirit to give your whatever help you might need. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in me and in God. Do not be afraid. I will be with you always till the end of time. I am the Resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me even though he dies he would live. These promises have given the necessary encouragement to so many to live according to the values and principles of our God, thus making a difference both in their own lives and in the lives of so many around them.
I think of all the parents, who constantly try to give their best to their families. I think of all the husbands and wives who constantly strive to love and respect each other with the love that God has for them. I think of so many people in our Diocese who are eagerly giving their best in serving their own families. So many who give so generously as members of the different organizations in the Diocese. I think of the amazing number of our people who do so much to bring the life and the teaching of Jesus Christ to our young people in our schools and of so many others who at the present time are walking with those suffering from the effects of the draught and other situations of anxiety.
These attitudes as Christian people do not always guarantee a life of plain sailing. This way of living is challenging and is to be navigated through some stormy waters and conditions. However, knowing that the promises made by Jesus are still fully alive and active within us we can keep persevering knowing that our faith and relationship with our God is the only way to bring the desired peace and integrity in our lives and in the lives of those who we come in contact with. I will always remember the words of Mother Teresa, when she came to visit us at the Seminary in Glen Waverley in 1973 during the time of the Eucharistic Congress. She said, “God has not asked us to be successful, but to be faithful.” It is only be persevering with our God that we can receive and give the best that we possibly can.
St Paul knew that his mission was to live and proclaim Jesus Christ. This caused him a few difficulties. In his second letter to the people of Corinth, Chapter 11, he describes what he went through as a consequence of following Jesus. “Five times, I have been given the thirty nine lashes by the Jews, three times I have been beaten with sticks, once I was stoned, three times I have been shipwrecked, and once I have been in the open sea for a night and day, continually travelling, I have been in danger from rivers, from brigands, in danger from my own people and in danger from the gentiles, in danger from the towns and in danger in the open country, in danger at seas and in danger from people pretending to be my brothers. I have worked with unsparing energy, for many nights without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty, and often altogether without food or drink. I have been cold and lacked clothing and besides all these external things there is, day in day out, the pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:24-28)
What was Paul’s reaction and attitude to all this? He did not give up. He persevered because Jesus Christ made a promise to be with him for ever and he knew deep down that this God is faithful to His promises. How did he persevere? He did this by repeating constantly this powerful phrase that he wrote to the people of Philippi, a town in Greece. “I can do everything in Jesus who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:13)
Wow, what a great consolation. I will persevere with my faith in Jesus Christ, I will continue to live according to his values and teachings. I will continue to do good in His name whenever I can. I will continue to be faithful to my responsibilities and be part of His church, even during those times which I find difficult and draining, because I know that He is within me now, loving, encouraging, empowering, forgiving and healing me. This is his promise and I stand on this promise.
God Bless
