While I certainly do not understand why God allows evil and heartache in this world, I do trust in his mercy. How else can a human being make sense of this world? Looking through history we see a continual pattern of discord interlaced with joy. Right now people across the world are suffering pain and heartache, while others are experiencing love and joy.
Sometimes this convoluted pattern of pain and joy exists under the same roof, within the same family. Looking through scripture we witness this phenomena throughout. Beginning with Adam and Eve, moving forward through Abraham and his household, we witness both pain and joy in the hearts of family members. Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac all experienced pain and joy. This complex pattern, reflecting the span of human emotions, continued with Isaac, Rebecca, Esau, and Jacob. Down through the generations families experience both division and unity. There was a time when I sought to figure this out; however, alas, I have let this desire for such understanding go.
It’s Just Not Fair
It almost doesn’t seem fair. Why are some human beings born into a charmed and blessed life while others seem to be born with what appears to be every disadvantage working against them? Why were Isaac and Jacob born into such blessings, while they’re older brothers Ishmael and Esau were born with such burdens? If we are all God’s children then why such injustice? It just doesn’t make sense.
Yet God promised he would be faithful and he has backed it up. He was faithful to Abraham when he promised he would have a son with his wife Sarah. God was faithful when he looked over Ishmael in the wilderness. And God was faithful when he provided a wife to Isaac. Looking throughout scripture we witness God’s faithfulness to the children of Abraham over and over again. God keeps his promises – this is something we can count on.
Created in His Image
So how can we work with God to bring about greater peace and love in the world – and in our own families? To begin, we must accept that are created in the image of an all perfect, all loving God. Every part of us; from our body, our heart, our mind and our spirit we are created in this perfect image. While we can never understand all of this, we can count on it and use this wisdom for the good of all mankind – including ourselves and our loved ones. Understanding that we are but a reflection of God is at the foundation of such truth. Since we are only a reflection, and not God himself, all we can do is mirror God in an attempt to become congruent with his mind and his mercy.
Think for a moment what happens when you look in the mirror. You see a two-dimensional image of yourself. And this image is just that, an image. It is not the real you. It isn’t alive, it doesn’t think, it doesn’t love, and it isn’t who you really are. It just looks like you. In a similar way our relationship with God resembles this image we see in the mirror. We can never be God because we are not him. At best, all we can do is strive to accurately reflect him. Fortunately for us, our loving God came into the world to reveal to us the way into such perfect reflection.
Everything Changed
When Jesus Christ entered into the world everything changed. A veil lifted and heaven touched earth in a new and miraculous way. Through him we are no longer bound, locked in viewing a distorted image of our true selves in the mirror. Now we are free to see our true human image. However, such vision can only be accomplished when we orientate ourselves towards Jesus Christ. When we become like Jesus we become the real image God created us to be – an image full of love for all.
No longer will we need to try to understand why things are as they are. After all, such comprehension is beyond human understanding. Conflicting world events will still happen. Joy and pain will continue to exist in the hearts of God’s children. However, we have a signpost to follow in Jesus, a roadmap that leads us to more accurately reflect our true image.
Jesus’ Way
In our Gospel today Jesus proclaimed the power of God’s mercy. We are called to mirror this mercy outward into the world. By mirroring mercy into the world we allow love, forgiveness, and acceptance into our relationships with one another. Through mercy we allow a space for unity and God’s love to heal the pain we witness in the world.
Before we can fully express such mercy we must understand that we have within us inclinations towards sin. These inclinations confuse us and they distort the image of who we really are. Let’s face it, sometimes not so nice thoughts bubble up within our hearts and minds – at least they do within me from time to time. When such thoughts arise we no longer reflect the fullness of who we really are as God’s children. No longer do we reflect love and mercy, rather we begin to reflect hate, anger, fear, and/or unforgiveness into the world. When this happens we must turn to our Truine God and seek to be like Jesus – our perfect signpost. He will guide us and help us become the child of God that we were created to be.
It’s a spiritual battle my friends. When such thought arise consider the source – they are not of God! Remember, we do not fight flesh and blood, rather, we fight powers and principalities. We must always remind ourselves of this. Given the battlefield we live in, we need the spiritual support God offers. And I believe it is through these very inclinations that we can grow closer to God and become who he created us to be – a perfect reflection of himself. We can, and must, turn to Jesus and strive to model our lives after his.
Surrendering The Hard Times
I believe the hard times of our lives offer the greatest opportunities to grow closest to God. At least this is true for me. By surrendering to God, and striving to mirror his son Jesus Christ, during the toughest and most challenging times in our lives we can come to know him more. This includes our most sinful periods in our lives as well – remember Jesus came to call the sinners, not the righteous.
For me personally, I have become a more accurate reflection of the One whose image I am created in as a result of the tough times in my life. Tough times where I chose to surrender to Jesus and more fully deepen my relationship with him. I did this through continued prayer, frequent Mass attendance, Adoration, Novena’s, reaching out to Mother Mary, and studying the lives of the saints at some of the lowest and most painful periods of my life. Exercises that have now become a part of my daily life.
You see, we all need mercy because we will all sin and continue to be a distorted image of who God created us to be. Maybe the challenges in life provide the friction necessary so that all of us can grow closer together in a movement towards God – the Alpha and the Omega.
Let’s model Jesus Christ together and show our brothers and sisters ever-increasing mercy. Through his mercy we can love more as we practice forgiveness of ourselves and of others. Then I believe God’s smile will widen as he gazes in his divine mirror at the human image he has created.
May your family be blessed my friends in Christ. – Carolyn
The Nine Faces of Struggle
Over the years I have witnessed what I call the Nine Face of Struggle – places where I see most of us become “stuck”, unable to feel the healing love God has for them. From unforgiveness to childhood wounds, we are experience life challenges that hold us back from experiencing the fullness of Jesus’ Sacred Heart. I invite you to learn more, here is the link: Nine Faces of Struggle.
Sacred Heart of Jesus – have mercy on us.
Father God – consume us.
Holy Spirit – enter in to us.
Mother Mary – pray for us.
Saint Matthew – pray for us.
