John 16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for those you know who have fallen away from the Church, that they may be guided back to the faith.
I directed a retreat a few years ago, and the first thing I asked when we gathered in the chapel to pray was, "how many of you had some hardship getting here?" Every hand was raised. I asked that question from my own experience that day.
As I gave the final talk, I forgot all about the hardships that I was facing before getting there. All I felt was gratitude to God, and a glimpse of what could happen when I'm united to Him in prayer and sacrifice.
The sacrifices that I made for that retreat were no longer seen as sacrifices but blessings. The hardships and anxiety that came before were opportunities for grace to manifest itself.
There will be hardships on our journey to heaven. Let us accept them as opportunities for God's grace to manifest itself in our own lives so that we may give glory to God for His goodness and love. Take care and God Bless.
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