Often in our lives we can feel as though God is
burdening us with too much. We may feel
overwhelmed or hampered by the load He has put on our back; a load we don't
feel we deserve. We may even feel as
though God is punishing us for something and His love for us has dwindled. This
is absolutely not true! I’m sure many of
us have heard the old saying, “God puts the biggest burdens on those whom He
believes can handle it the most.” We
should take this completely to heart and use it to motivate ourselves to
overcome any obstacle we face. It is
never too late to rise up and overcome the burdens in our lives; to let our
story be one of success.
It saddens me to hear in the gospel that Christ "sighed from the depth of His
spirit" when the people were asking for signs. (Mark 8:11) It makes me
wonder if my own actions cause Christ frustration and/or sadness.
We have an advantage over the people who lived in
the time of Christ in that they had not experienced the reality of His
horrendous death for our redemption and they had no way of realizing about His
resurrection. We have that history, and yet even with it there are those
seeking other evidence that Christ is God. Their search for signs continues.
Baptized Christians are to live as a
"resurrection people," full of love, hope and faith, ready to pass
the Good News on to others. We are to be the signs for others. How are we doing
with that tremendous responsibility? We must remember that we don't do it on
our own. We are to let Christ work in and through us.
They
began to argue with Jesus. . . .(again, Mark 8:11)
Sadly, there are still Pharisees in the modern day.
In fact, most of us become a little bit pharisaical if what we want isn't in
conformity with what God requires as taught by the Holy Catholic Church.
How many Catholics practice birth control? How many
turn their heads away when the politician they wish to elect is a strident
supporter of abortion? Unfortunately,
when we are not guided by Christ, we are guided by ourselves. And we are very poor guides indeed. Jesus warns us in Matthew 15, "Every
plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides (of the
blind). If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a
pit."
But we have a sure and reliable guide to the truth,
one that is not bound by mere human considerations, but looks to eternity and
to the good of each person in eternity. Our Guide, the ancient and venerable teachings
of the Holy Catholic Church, is a sure one. Jesus tells us that "the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). And this is
certain, both because of the protection of the Holy Spirit and because of the
Apostolic guides who continue to help us understand what God desires from us.
The Pope and the Bishops guide us in all matters of faith, and while sometimes,
regrettably, they may fail as people, the truth they teach, if they teach with
the deposit of faith, is absolutely reliable.
So, the next time you find yourself asking questions
about what the Church may teach or require (it's always good to ask questions
and seek to understand), also look to see if the incomprehension or irritation
that is experienced might not be a result of what we desire conflicting with
what we know to be right. Ask yourself
instead if your desires are for the greater glory of God, or for yourself. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll know
the answer instinctively.
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