Fr. Don's Daily Reflection - April 2, 2024
Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”
Reflecting on the letter to the Hebrews over the years still leaves much of it a puzzle to many. However, a passage in chapter 12 seems more open to us mere mortals. It follows a listing of great people; e.g., Abraham, Sarah, Noah, and Moses, who lived in accordance with great faith and trust in God. It goes: “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.”
Instead of ancient Hebrews who testified to the faith, we might think with gratitude of the witnesses that surround us, you and me, daily. The quality of our life, our hope and faith, our perseverance, all depends on the witness of many people we take for granted. There are the people whose faith and hope, whose trust in prayer, whose gentleness, enthusiasm, and dependably good cheer, make it easier for us to believe and hope and love and work. Their unpretentious faithfulness to daily obligations support our efforts to be faithful. Whether witnessing to our faith out of its abundance or not, we all witness to something, to our values or to our indifference. If our witness is negative or indifferent, our manner will hinder those around us; if positive, we console and inspire others.
And daily, beyond these supportive witnesses, we have put before us in the Eucharist the witness of Jesus, our leader in faith, “who endured such opposition from sinners, in order that we may not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3).
Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”
