Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
We live in a broken world, a world that, at times, feels out of control, a world that seems filled more with bad than good, a world, even where evil sometimes appears to have the upper hand. If we’re not careful, it’s easy to become bitter, suspicious, critical, negative, despairing, or hopeless. Our readings today remind us that we are a hopeful people, confident in God’s sovereign goodness, trusting in God’s mercy, and resting in God’s promises. Today, let us trust that God is working behind the scenes for our good; today let us anticipate taking our place at Christ’s table in the Kingdom of God.
We all have times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed by trials and heartache. We all experience seasons “when it rains, it pours.” I imagine we’ve each had moments where we recall the scripture where God says he will not give us more than we can bear, and we cry out, “I’m at that point, God!” People often ask the question, why do bad things happen to good people? I pray today that we might allow St Paul’s confident and hopeful declaration to wash over us: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Not all things in life are good – some things are very, very bad, if not evil. But in the midst of sin, suffering, and brokenness, God works behind the scenes superintending it all and working it out for our good.
I invite you to pause and think back on your life to the trials and tribulations, or perhaps you find yourself in that place right now. Meditate on the ways that you’ve seen God at work in those situations – perhaps it’s through the charity of others, through a timely homily, through a miracle small or large, through a turn of events that only God could accomplish, through someone showing up at just the right time to provide just what you needed. It’s as if God is busily at work behind the scenes synthesizing the events, patterns, situations of our lives for our good and the good of those around us. How have you experienced God working all things for good in your life? Can you hear the beautiful harmony created by God’s orchestration of the events in your life?
I think another aspect of God’s working things for good is our formation in Christ. Trials and suffering become fertile ground for growth in discipleship and transformation into the image of Christ. It’s an ultimate “working together for good” when we can submit and surrender to God’s formative work in our lives. If we can not only endure a trial but allow it to be a season on the Potter’s wheel, a time of refinement, a dying to self, then we rise from the ashes looking a little bit more like Jesus.
During such times, it’s often difficult to pray, especially when we don’t see God’s movement in our situations. St Paul comforts us with these words, “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings... he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.” A humble and powerful prayer can simply be, “Holy Spirit, please intercede for me; please groan for me that God’s will be done and that this situation is worked out for good.” We can trust with complete confidence that God is at work behind the scenes, that the Spirit is interceding for us, and that Christ is forming us more and more into his image.
The ultimate working out for good is that we journey along the path of eternal holiness in the Kingdom of God. St Paul assures us that those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, and that those who are predestined are also called, justified, and glorified. That is the life in Christ that is our journey regardless of our state in life. Whether in the highs or the lows, we can trust that God is working all things together for good and shepherding us along this pathway from foreknowledge to glorification in Christ Jesus.
As our psalmist proclaims, “My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.” Oh what a sweet assurance with which to join our voices! As we struggle and suffer through seasons of life, let us remember that a heavenly banquet awaits us, a table at which we gather every Eucharist to receive a foretaste. We are numbered among the ones who will “come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.” Thanks and praise be to our loving God who knows us, calls us, leads us, works all things for our good, and lays an eternal table for us! Let us take comfort, hope, and confidence in God’s sovereign love and mercy today. Amen!
Elizabeth Wourms