19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B - 12/8/2012 - Gospel: Jn 6:41-51
Trust in God
"I have had enough. Take my life." Elijah was not the only prophet who said no to life. Several prophets felt very much the same.
Job (3:1,10) in his suffering wished that may the day perish when I was born. Why did I not die new born, not perish as I left the womb?
Moses (Nb11, 14) asked God: Why do you treat your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour with you, so that you load on me all the weight of this nation? I am not able to carry this nation by myself alone; the weight is too much for me. If this is how you want to deal with me, I would rather you kill me. If only I had found favour in your eyes, and not lived to see such misery as this.
Jeremiah told God I do not know how to speak I am a child.
Tobit (3:6) got blind and he prayed to God for death is better than life for him and it is better to die than to live in the face of trouble that knows no pity.
God answered each prophet differently and none of the solution was alike.
Lesson one: Tobit got sight again for in his blindness he taught his son to be an upright person.
'My child be faithful to the Lord all your days. Never entertain the will to sin or to transgress hi laws. Do good works all the days of your life, never follow ways that are not right. If you act in truthfulness, you will be successful in all your action'.
Lesson two: Trust in God. God promised Jeremiah that go now to those to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to protect you.
Lesson three: We learn that God gave instruction telling Moses how to run the country. Gather 70 of the elders of Israel and I will come down to speak with you. So they will share with you the burden of this nation. And you will no longer have to carry it by yourself. It is a call to share the task and the call to cooperation from neighbours.
Lesson four: Elijah twice received food from angels. He ate and lay down and ate and got strength to move on. It is not bread and a jug of water that a give Elijah strength. It is the love of God Elijah received when he got wearied and depressed. Bread and water could not possibly give Elijah strength to move on many days and night. It must have been the love of God infused into his heart that gave him strength to keep on going.
When bad things happen to us, depression, accidents we need to learn from these prophets received help from God's. It takes different forms. It is either by a word of encouragement, or by the help of someone or by the cooperation with others, by consultation. We are not call to do things alone but with God and with each others.
Job (3:1,10) in his suffering wished that may the day perish when I was born. Why did I not die new born, not perish as I left the womb?
Moses (Nb11, 14) asked God: Why do you treat your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour with you, so that you load on me all the weight of this nation? I am not able to carry this nation by myself alone; the weight is too much for me. If this is how you want to deal with me, I would rather you kill me. If only I had found favour in your eyes, and not lived to see such misery as this.
Jeremiah told God I do not know how to speak I am a child.
Tobit (3:6) got blind and he prayed to God for death is better than life for him and it is better to die than to live in the face of trouble that knows no pity.
God answered each prophet differently and none of the solution was alike.
Lesson one: Tobit got sight again for in his blindness he taught his son to be an upright person.
'My child be faithful to the Lord all your days. Never entertain the will to sin or to transgress hi laws. Do good works all the days of your life, never follow ways that are not right. If you act in truthfulness, you will be successful in all your action'.
Lesson two: Trust in God. God promised Jeremiah that go now to those to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to protect you.
Lesson three: We learn that God gave instruction telling Moses how to run the country. Gather 70 of the elders of Israel and I will come down to speak with you. So they will share with you the burden of this nation. And you will no longer have to carry it by yourself. It is a call to share the task and the call to cooperation from neighbours.
Lesson four: Elijah twice received food from angels. He ate and lay down and ate and got strength to move on. It is not bread and a jug of water that a give Elijah strength. It is the love of God Elijah received when he got wearied and depressed. Bread and water could not possibly give Elijah strength to move on many days and night. It must have been the love of God infused into his heart that gave him strength to keep on going.
When bad things happen to us, depression, accidents we need to learn from these prophets received help from God's. It takes different forms. It is either by a word of encouragement, or by the help of someone or by the cooperation with others, by consultation. We are not call to do things alone but with God and with each others.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia