Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Faith, Hope and Love


       Someone once asked me why I believe in God.  I said That I believe because I have experienced God.

       I’ve experienced the Risen Jesus in the Sacraments of the Church.  I also experienced Christ in the poor lady who asked if she could help by donating clothing to the poor.  I’ve experienced God in the forgiveness of someone whom I have hurt.  I’ve experienced God in a family helping a relative who is bedridden and each member of the family helping in their own way.  What a good example this is to the children who acted likewise.  I’ve experienced God in the beauty of creation, in the majestic mountains, the beautiful peaceful lakes and in the expansive starry sky on a clear night.

       I’ve experienced God during COVID 19 in seeing the many health care workers and support people continuing to help others.  Like the Apostle Thomas, in last Sunday’s Gospel, these workers continue to touch the wounds of Christ. Yes, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
 
       You may ask where is God during this pandemic?  God is right here in the midst of us all in every country, working with the  good people who are using the gifts God gave them to help others.
I know that God does not cause evil but that God works in these times to bring good out of it.  What might this good be?

       During this time of COVID 19, we have a chance to re-evaluate Our lives.  Our Faith, family, friends, and communities become values important to us.  We will emerge from this crisis hopefully
with a deeper faith and resolve to make our world a better and a more loving world.

           Sr. Barbara Woeste, OSB

5 comments:

  1. Prayers to God and prayers to St. Corona are desperately needed. St. Corona, the patron saint of epidemics, will celebrate her feast day on May 14th. Hopefully, by May 14th, we will be back to a “new normal”! Thank you, Sr. Barbara for your thoughts and insights,

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  2. Prayers to God and prayers to St. Corona are desperately needed. St. Corona, the patron saint of epidemics, will celebrate her feast day on May 14th. Hopefully, by May 14th, we will be back to a “new normal”! Thank you, Sr. Barbara for your thoughts and insights,

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  3. This is the most important question today for all people of faith -- it is a secular world increasingly -- and the affirmation of belief in God is now a more positive act than before, when consensus was so strong. If we can experience God as a result of prayer, the intense uplifted feeling of hope and joy, and resolve to give back and be more loving, this is a powerful gift; if we can feel the presence of God in the Natural World (the most ancient and universal feeling) we are truly blessed. Our ancestors, the ancient native peoples of the world, would feel the presence of God when the thunder spoke or the sea roared, and who is to say that they were wrong? In the veil of Nature there is surely the most beautiful Bible of all teaching us about the miracle. When I was younger I felt Jesus more strongly and personally, and nowadays life is dry; also the feeling of the Spirit, of God's immense power, the strength they have in Judaism and Islam, I have felt this at times. The immense love that is God includes and offers the world to us, Mary herself shows us, Christ lives for us, the Father loves us -- we can only truly find God in our love for one another, it is so much more important to understand that point than any other point, whether theology, House or faith. Happy Easter OSB Christ is risen alleluia amen

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  4. Thank you Sister Barbara.....your sharing was very meaningful and inspiring! Take care and God bless 🙏

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