FOODFORTHOUGHT

How can we feel thankful when so much is wrong, so much is difficult, so much is not the way we'd like it to be? In today's Gospel passage, we see Jesus crying. We know this same sorrow. We have felt the pain of crying for others, grieving over the harm that they are doing to themselves by remaining in sin or addictions or bad decisions, mourning also because of the harm that they are doing to us and to others. When we have felt this way, we have felt HIS pain, Christ's own pain.

As he came within sight of Jerusalem while making his way down the Mount of Olives, Jesus stopped to look across the narrow valley and gaze into the soul of the city. He longed to give his peace to all those who lived there. Don't you sometimes feel the same way toward some of the people you know? United to Jesus, we can say: "If you only knew what makes for peace, but you have completely lost it from view!" We see how darkness surrounds them and how sin is infiltrating their walls. We're aware that if they had heeded our warnings or followed our advice, they would not be doing so poorly.

Crying because you care about someone who's rejecting the saving power of God is a great blessing to Jesus who cries with you.

But, what about the ways WE reject God help? How can we feel thankful when it's us who have lost peace? Jesus has cried for you, too. Do you have any turmoil or stress within you? Jesus yearns to give you his peace.

Whatever is disturbing us, if we expect it be resolved the way WE want it fixed and as fast as WE demand it, we shall meet with disappointment and failure and hopelessness. We can't see the good that God is doing while we're focused on our miseries and our own so-called solutions to the problems.

Stuck in our limited perspectives, we fail to recognize the time of Christ's visitation. So we reject what he offers us and we fail to notice that he is right here in front of us offering us a greater good than what we think we need. We fail to recognize how he's trying to bless our lives. Stuck in our frustrations, we reject what he offers, and thus we blunder deeper into the disasters that we're desperately trying to avoid.

The way out of this mess is to remember that we don't know everything and we really don't understand what's best for us. We don't know how God, in his great love for us, is already turning our problems into blessings — and that's okay!

The way out of the mess is to thank God for whatever he is doing, even if we can't see it yet, trusting that of course his plans are good and that his timing is perfect. Thankfulness is what makes for peace.

1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 (with 23b)
Luke 19:41-44

The Thanksgiving Prayer

"Our Father,

Help calm the distracting thoughts swirling around our minds so we can pray peacefully. Remind us that words alone are not gratitude. We open our hearts... as we remember that You know us infinitely better than we can ever know ourselves. We are struck dumb, wordless, humbled, yet comforted by the faith you placed in our souls at our baptism, the friendship of your saints, the utterly reliable embrace of Mary, the protection of Joseph... yet we have nothing to offer but our silence as we wait for your word. O Father, what should we pray?

Our prayer of thanksgiving is one word, one way, one truth, one life, one priest, one king, one man carrying us in His arms, bringing us into the very depths of the Holy Trinity. Our word of thanksgiving is: Jesus.

Jesus, we whisper.

Jesus, we long for You.

Jesus, the tears well in our eyes.

Jesus. You are our prayer.

Thank you, Father.

YOU ASK WHY I FOLLOW THIS JESUS?

You ask why I follow this Jesus?

Why I love Him the way I do?

When the world's turned away from His teachings

And the people who serve Him are few.

It's not the rewards I'm after

Or gifts that I hope to receive

It's the Presence that calls for commitment

It's the Spirit I trust and believe.

The Lord doesn't shelter His faithful

Or spare them all suffering and pain,

Like everyone else I have burdens,

And walk through my share of rain.

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose,

And that joy only Christians have known,

I never know what comes tomorrow,

But I do know I'm never alone.

It's the love always there when you need it;

It's the words that redeem and inspire,

It's the longing to ever be with Him

That burns in my heart like a fire.

So you ask why I love my Lord Jesus?

Well, friend, that's so easy to see,

But the one thing that fills me with wonder is

Why Jesus loves someone like me.

-- Author Unknown

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