Luck is defined as “good fortune”, or success that seems to happen by chance.
Chance is the arbitrary distribution of events or outcomes.
So “luck” is something that seems to happen by chance rather than as a logical consequence of a prior act or occurrence.
One guy went so far as to tell me I should “thank my lucky stars” after I told him I felt blessed, because not everyone is blessed. It seems odd that I should thank one of God’s creations rather than the Creator Himself, don’t you think?
And while I don’t put myself anywhere near the stature or holiness of St. Paul, where would he have been if he were not blessed?
If there were such a thing as “luck”, St. Paul would have to have one of the luckiest men in the history of mankind. He was “lucky” he got knocked on his rear by a “random” flash of light. He was “lucky” he regained his sight. He was “lucky” to avoid death by beatings, shipwrecks, lynch mobs, and imprisonments.
Prayer for the Day
O glorious St. Paul, after persecuting the Church you became by God's grace its most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our Divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth
You joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way. Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising Him in heaven for all eternity.
Amen.
Reflection
The story of Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-20) on the road to Damascus is a constant reminder of the choice we make when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Saul was on his way to destroy and kill Christians, claiming “murderous threats” to the brothers and sisters of Christ. But while he was on his own mission, set by his own expectations and goals, Christ revealed a key revelation: Saul’s path was not up to Saul to determine, but to God alone. Many times during our days we often become so wrapped up in our own life, dilemmas, crises or even pride that we forget our true calling of life. It is not that we be glorified through our works, but for us to be transparent for God to shine through us. Just as Saul was physically blinded by the bright light of Christ, ironically he then saw his purpose: to proclaim the Word of God and that only God can provide us with unconditional love, grace and salvation.
But how do we remove the pride and ego that blinds us from God’s grace? Well, it comes from accepting that Jesus is the only way to live, and that without Him we will die of hunger and thirst (John 6:52-59). Just as our physical body requires nourishments to survive, our spiritual body requires the same satiation needed to nurture our faith. To fully accept Christ’s Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist is to know and ultimately believe that we are weak and defenseless by ourselves. Men alone cannot save themselves, but only through the love of God. When we can come to terms with our imperfections and tell God in regular confessions that, “I am nowhere near perfect, but that’s okay because You love me no matter what,” then we can truly begin to live for the perfect and wonderful purpose that is Christ. Praise to the Lord, not because we are filled with flaws and weaknesses, but because we are the only beings created in the pure image of God. No matter if you are in the depressions or the “highs” of your lives, know that you will always be taken care of. God may use the mysterious and the unknown to make wonders out of your life. All you have to do is to open your eyes and look within your heart.
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