1 John 5:5
Who is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
In today's first reading, we see that it is our Faith in Christ with which we conquer the world. It's through our faith in the resurrection and the hope in eternal life which puts all temporary situations into a new perspective. When we go through trials, we can have confidence that they are not only temporary, but through them our hearts are stretched and through communion with Christ's suffering. I had a friend say to me the other day, "With all the crazy things happening in the world, I wish God would just show Himself." My friend, a wonderful Catholic, was not doubting God's existence, but rather wrestling with His power and goodness. For many of us who have faced hardships and loss in our lives, including myself, it may be difficult to believe that it is by faith that we conquer the world. Yet, I believe God permits sin, suffering, and sickness in order to produce Saints. God draws good out the bad. That's why St. Paul says: "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more." While the world may appear to be absent of God, we only have to look to our own hearts and the hearts of the Saints to see God drawing eternal goodness out of our temporary and broken world.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Kenneth Keenan, Theology I
Home parish: Our Lady of Lourdes
Did you know...
My hobbies are baseball, college football, and tailgating! Go Noles!
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
