Hope

I don't know if you have noticed this, but life is HARD.   Yesterday was my fifth funeral for the month, for a sister of my dear friend Rachel.  My core group of friends has been rocked by tragedy and loss this past month.  It's the type of thing we would sit and ruminate about in high school . . .  things we hoped would never happen to us.  And now they have. And it's so very hard. Each day as I flip on "on" switch on my Hope light, I say an extra prayer for Marilyn,  that God will allow her to awake from her coma SOON and speak to her family once again.  Hope does not disappoint. Yesterday I had the opportunity to end my day on a Rosary Walk with the youth of our church.  Believe me, walking in the cold wind (with a cold) was not high on the list of things I wanted  to do, but as we prayed as one  for an increase of faith, hope, and love, and for respect for all life,  I was blessed.  So very blessed. How appropriate that Gus Lloyd commented on these same things in his reflection for today. For more Reflections by Gus Lloyd, visit www.GusLloyd.com The Love of Christ St. Paul’s letter to the Romans is such great reading. Today we hear St. Paul asking the question, “What can separate us from the love of Christ?” He then gives a list of things that we are afraid of. More on that in a moment. In the Gospel reading from Luke 13, some Pharisees come and tell Jesus to get outta Dodge because Herod wants him dead. Jesus says that he will continue on His way. Read what else He says. Anguish. Distress. Persecution. Famine. Nakedness. Peril. The sword. These are all things that St. Paul proposes might separate us from the love of Christ. But do they? I don’t think so!! “No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.” St. Paul then goes on to give a laundry list of much more powerful things, none of which will separate us from the love of Christ. I hope you realize that we are in a constant spiritual battle. Satan and his minions tirelessly try to get us to despair, to give up, to think that, especially when we’re going through trials – like those mentioned by St. Paul, God can’t possibly love us. But Jesus loves us ALWAYS! In fact, it is in those times of great tribulation that Christ loves us all the more. Don’t let Satan let you think otherwise. Fight on, brothers and sisters!! Father, we thank you for victory! Victory over sin and death and Satan and evil. Teach us to rely on the strength of Your Son, Christ Jesus, from whose love nothing can separate us. Amen.