September 30, Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Daily Readings: Zec 2:5–9, 14–15a, Lk 9:43b–45
What would you feel if someone dear to you revealed that he was destined to die in the cruelest way—and very soon? It would be devastating news to hear, for sure, and you might do everything in your power to stop it from happening.
However, when the Lord informed his apostles about His forthcoming passion and death, “its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.” Their failure to comprehend Christ’s mission made them fearful for their own lives. And when their faith was tested in the Garden of Gethsemane, they deserted the Lord when the soldiers came to arrest Him. Jesus was captured alone, tried alone, and died alone. All of the people He considered his closest friends went into hiding.
Why did the Lord allow this? Perhaps He knew His apostles would try to stop Him from going to Jerusalem to be sentenced to death. They would become obstacles in God’s plan of salvation. In fact, Peter rebuked the Lord upon learning that He was destined to die. Without hesitation, Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23)
If Jesus had never died, He would never have risen again. Our faith would be empty and meaningless. His apostles would never become His steadfast witnesses, talking about the Gospel far and wide. They may have fallen short on understanding what the Lord meant when He talked about His death, but everything still unfolded according to His will. The apostles may not have been physically present during Jesus’ crucifixion, but they shared in the glory of His resurrection and received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
When things in life are not going our way, do not immediately grumble to God and question His decisions. There is a good reason for what you are going through. Always choose the silence of prayer and let the Lord reveal His plans to you.
You may not like what He has to say or what He wants to do, but do not be the one to mess up his perfectly laid story for you. One thing is certain: Jesus will never wish for you to suffer. He endured the passion on the cross so that we might live. If we allow Him to work through us, nothing can ever stand in our way, and no burden is too heavy to handle.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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