by Br. Nicholas Hejka, O.S.B.

       God is always present and at work for our good and He is always speaking to our hearts; we must look for God and listen for His voice, just like Elijah in the First Reading (1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a).  The more we realize and grow in appreciation of God’s presence, voice, and work in our lives, the more we also grow in confidence in His goodness and providence.  Since we know that He takes care of us and those we care about, we are set free to give everything we have to Him and to others out of love for Him, through His love within us.  Even if we do become worried or afraid, our awareness of God’s loving presence and our memory of all the good He has done for us enables us to call out to Him with complete confidence and dependence, like Saint Peter did when he began sinking as he walked on the sea toward Jesus in the Gospel Reading (Matthew 14:22-33).

     As we give ourselves totally to God, our hearts become one with His; we rejoice over the things that make the Lord rejoice, and we grieve over the things that break His heart, like Saint Paul’s grief over the unbelief of his fellow Jews in the Second Reading (Romans 9:1-5).  However, because of our experience with God and our transforming relationship with Him, the sorrow that comes from seeing others losing their way leads not to despair but action and trust.  We do what we hear God inviting us to do and leave the rest to Him, confident that God’s love for them is infinite, relentless, and powerful.  The more someone comes to know God and grow in relationship with Him, the more hope there is that they will not be lost, even if for a time they lose their way.

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