Rm 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
In addition to his only Son, is the Father really going to give us "everything else along with him?"
I've known people who find the so-called "hard sayings" of Christ – those concerning Hell and Judgement – to be the most difficult biblical passages to accept. Perhaps I'm a little strange, but the passages I've always struggled with are those that take the opposite track – those in which the faithful are promised the world and more.
A friend of mine once got pulled in by the allure of the "prosperity gospel," believing that God's love ought to manifest in material riches if we are being faithful. He's still waiting on those riches.
Certainly, God wants us to be happy, both in this life and the next, but perhaps he keeps us from getting to complacent here so that we continue to long for what's to come, so that we don't fall into the lie of self-assurance. It may be that while God wants to give us good things, he doesn't want us to get distracted from the Best Thing.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Donald Amodeo, Pastoral year
Home parish: St. Mary's Catholic Church
Did you know...
Donald Amodeo is in his fifth year of seminary formation and is currently assigned to St. Paul's Catholic Church. He is the author of the afterlife adventure: Dead & Godless.
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and relgious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
