Too often we give our thoughts and time over to worrying about all the threatening gloom and doom that seems to be happening everywhere in our troubled world.  With gasoline prices skyrocketing and potential food shortages on the horizon, to the ill-timed mortgage crisis working against the American dream and with the controversial upcoming presidential campaign and election, added with various health issues and conflicts around the world, we can lose our peace and hope.  As Catholics we don’t want to give into the pressures and stresses of the world but sometimes we are surrounded by so much negativity that we have no choice but to turn our life over to worry.  God knows our situation and he reaffirms our life and hope in him through his only son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

We should post this responsorial psalm, “I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the Land of the living,” on every desk and refrigerator, on all our mirrors, on doors and dashboards, as we come and go throughout our day and anywhere we will see it often.  

This psalm has the power to uplift us when we are experiencing the darkest of times and the most hopeless of  situations.  Here, God uses this psalm to reaffirm that we can trust in his promises.  God lets us know that he has not abandoned us and that he will prevail in this life and in the life to come.

The Gospel reading shows us that Jesus recognized the good things of his Father in the land of the living.  Jesus also appreciated the trust that his followers had placed in him.  Together they lifted up one another to the point of positive thinking and perseverance no matter what they faced around them.  They helped each other to hold onto their peace and joy by generously sharing their resources, time and talent.  They found delight and peace in giving.  Their trust in God grew with each gift.  We too can find delight, peace and trust when we believe and trust in God’s promises and give our gifts, resources and blessings even in the face of adversity, shortages and hard times.

During these trying times we can turn to Jesus and give him and his Church the love that the world rejects.  “I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the Land of the living.”  Accept his words, as revealed to us in sacred scripture, and know that he came from God the Almighty Father, and sends us the Holy Spirit to show us the way, the truth and the life.  With truth and faith in Jesus together we will indeed see the good things of the Lord in the land of living!

 With faith, hope and love,
Father Steven C. Rogers