Hope in action

Residents of a small town suffering from drought decided to make the following Sunday a day of prayer for rain. On that day, every person in the town went to their church or to a church in their neighborhood to pray for rain.

But only one girl trusted in the power of prayer and carried an umbrella. Now that is TRUST! She was a woman of great trust and love for God and neighbor.

St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta stated, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.” This is faith in action from the mind and heart not by words and deeds and that is the challenge that God is presenting us this week as we dare to pray in the Responsorial Psalm, “Blessed are those who hope in the Lord.”

Jeremiah, our first reading from the Old Testament wants us to know it is time to choose sides. Jeremiah states. “Cursed are those whose hearts turn away from God.” He clearly shows what happens to those who place their trust in God and those who place their trust in others. St. Paul in the second readings wants Christians to know and realize that with a belief in the Resurrection we should always have the hope we need to remain strong through every ordeal in this life.

Keep your faith perspective alive and well by daily stopping and putting trust and hope in the Lord, even in the little things like carrying an umbrella when praying for rain. Your actions speak louder than words.

St. Luke’s Gospel gives us the Beatitudes, and we are asked to see in mind and heart which one truly touches me, because it helps me rejoice and trust more in the Lord. Even on a negative level, for which one do I feel a negative feeling, thought or resistance to and I need to pray for acceptance of it? When my heart is breaking because of the doubts, fears, misery or from others who are suffering, I must not think that God has forgotten me or them, but ask for trust or deeper hope. To pray, “I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to rely on thy infinite promises and trust that the best is yet to come.”

It’s the bottom line for we who believe in eternal life, and that must be our perspective and goal to be lived and acted upon each day.

Monday, is Washington’s Birthday, also observed as Presidents’ Day. We pray in thanksgiving for those men and women who trusted us and our nation and gave themselves in hope to lead us to be truly a nation that in mind, heart and body worked for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. From the example of George Washington, may we pray always for our leaders, that they strive to imitate his stature, faith and integrity.

May all of us know that hope is responsible to make us bold, strong and courageous and working for a better nation and world.