Gospel Reflections 800x800 gold outline

Today's Gospel: Luke 21, 29-33

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares with his disciples the parable of the fig tree. After several passages about the future persecutions and the second coming, Jesus finishes by calling us into this beautiful image. As we sit here on the cusp of winter, how can we not be struck by this promise of summer?

In the last few months since I write this, the news has been filled with terror and sadness. It can be so easy to become overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. Hearing the stories of our brothers and sisters at gunpoint declaring their yes to God, seeing the images from Paris with all the candles and flowers for those who were so mercilessly killed… all these things can leave us longing for peace.

Jesus tells us, though, that despite these horrific things, not to lose hope. There is a sweetness beyond our imagining waiting for us. We have nothing to truly fear, for God is always with us. When faced with the evil of the world or the sufferings of our own souls close to home, we can always cling to the budding branch of hope.

Jesus is our peace and our promise. He is waiting for us in the tabernacle. That beautiful Host is our visible promise of an eternal summer not out of our reach. I know when life seems out of control, when the evil of the world feels heavy on my shoulders, I can go and sit for an hour before the Blessed Sacrament and know that He has it all under control.

Ponder:

Hold fast to His promise of summer and know that when life doesn’t make much sense to you, it is all a part of His mystical plan to bring us all into the eternal happiness of Heaven. Spend time today thinking about times when you didn’t trust in God’s plans and despite your worry, eventually, it led you to something better and even more beautiful.

Pray:

Beloved Father, you are our Eternal Summer. Help us to keep focused on You and Your plans for us, even in the face of tragedy and suffering. Amen.

 

Copyright 2016 Amy Velho

Amy Velho, a convert of over 20 years, lives in the lovely Pacific Northwest where she cares for her husband and 9 children. When not knitting or homeschooling her wild crew, she blogs at Abundantly Catholic.