Trust to understand

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to trust God when we struggle with the difficulties of life that seem to put us down.

Trust and challenge

The Book of Sirach cites the crucible of humiliation as an opportunity to restore our trust in God.

* [2:1–11] Serving the Lord is not without its trials (v. 1); but no matter what happens, the genuine believer will remain sincere, steadfast, and faithful (vv. 2–3). Misfortune and humiliation are means of purification to prove one’s worth (vv. 4–5). Ben Sira believed that patience and unwavering trust in God are ultimately rewarded with the benefits of God’s mercy and of lasting joy (vv. 6–11).1  

In the Gospel from Mark we are exhorted to trust in God even as we lead from the position of being the last of all.

* [9:33–37] Mark probably intends this incident and the sayings that follow as commentary on the disciples’ lack of understanding (Mk 9:32). Their role in Jesus’ work is one of service, especially to the poor and lowly. Children were the symbol Jesus used for the anawim, the poor in spirit, the lowly in the Christian community.2 

Vivian Amu seeks forgiveness for her shameful daily response of ‘why me?”.

 Don’t you remember what God whispered to you just before you were born?  God whispered, ‘all that you will find easy and all that you will find to be a burden and difficult, will all work together for your good, because you are mine.  You are a manifestation of my love. Trust me to guide your path. Trust me.’ So, when life doesn’t seem fair, when we don’t understand why, and our hopes and plans are crushed, let us remember that God has our best interest at heart, and there is meaning; you have a purpose which is bigger than can be imagined.  It is so, because you are a child of God; we are children of God.3

Don Schwager quotes “Downward roots enable upward growth,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 "Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, SERMON 38.2)4

The Word Among Us Meditation on Sirach 2:1-11 comments that in times of adversity, we may feel as if we’re trapped in a fiery hot crucible. And far more often than when life is going smoothly, the heat of our trials can cause sinful thoughts, attitudes, and actions to bubble up to the surface.

 Let’s say you’re feeling exhausted or stressed, and you end up reacting harshly to a family member who needs your help. Don’t hide in shame! Don’t make excuses for yourself! Just bring that over-the-top reaction to the Lord. Ask him, and the person you have hurt, to forgive you. It may be uncomfortable, but that’s what refining is all about. Keep the end result in mind, and that will make it easier.5

Friar Jude Winkler examines the Jewish Wisdom of Ben Sira who advocates that in adversity, though it seems difficult, we should continue to hope and trust God. The disciples did not get Jesus as Son of Man and Suffering Servant and His pointing to anawim as positions of leadership. Friar Jude underlines our call to do for those who cannot return our efforts.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains that, except for the rare Augustine and many of the Catholic mystics and hermits, it took widespread literacy and the availability of the written word in the sixteenth century to move believers toward a more interior Christianity, both for good and for ill. [1].

 It’s important to remember that Paul is just like us in never knowing Jesus in the flesh. Like him, we only know the Christ through observing and honoring the depth of our human experience and gaining new eyes. When we can honor and receive our own moment of sadness or fullness as a gracious participation in the eternal sadness or fullness of God, we recognize ourselves as a member of this one universal Body.6

The interior faith, from an awareness of our life in the Body of Christ, provides the Spirit for our transformation through humble love in all circumstances.

References

1	(n.d.). Sirach chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Retrieved February 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Sirach/2:1
2	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 9. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/mark/9:14
3	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 26, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 26, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). 7th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved February 26, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/02/26
6	(2019, February 24). Daily Meditations Archives — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/02/