Daily reflection _ our help and our shield


OUR HELP AND OUR SHIELD
From faith, and through it, we come to a new understanding of ourselves and all the world about us. (Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy)
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
In today's reading from Matthew's Gospel, Jesus delivered a man from demonic possession and restored his speech. The crowds looked with awe at the wonderful works which Jesus Christ did, but the religious leaders attributed this same work to the power of the devil. They disbelieved because they refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Their idea of religion was too narrow and closed to accept Jesus as the Anointed One sent by the heavenly Father "to set the captives free" (Is 61:1; Matt 11:5.) They were so set in their own ways that they were too proud to change and submit to Jesus. They held rigidly to the observances of their ritual laws while neglecting the more important duties of love of God and love of neighbor. Those so neglected were lost and spiritually hungry for God. Jesus met their need and gave them new faith and hope in God's saving help.
Our heavenly Father is our help and our shield. This saving Lord comes to his people who are "like sheep without a shepherd." This phrase was often used in the bible to describe people without anyone to care for them. We also are longing and are in need of healing and peace on our own journey.
Jesus invites us to pray that the work of the Gospel may spread throughout the world, so that peace, joy, and love will be in the hearts of all people that can only come from our heavenly Father. The psalmist shared this truth. "I shall be content in your presence."
Reflect upon this prayer today: by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
I have come to the conclusion that the most important element in human life is faith. From faith, and through it, we come to a new understanding of ourselves and all the world about us. It puts everything into spiritual focus... so that love and joy and happiness, along with worry, sorrow, and loss, become a part of a large picture which extends far beyond time and space. Amen.