Suffering with terminal maladies can bring the results of fear or acceptance!
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The Patience of God knows no Challenging Adversity
When we as human beings accept the truth of our forgiveness, the very approach of an evil entity seems to be the one factor that presents warfare inside our mind and goes ahead with a lie that we must adhere to or find the Holy Spirit tugging at our heart to believe.
Wouldn’t it be a winning attribute if once we confess our weakness to Christ the sin of concupiscence that makes its way back into our conscience disappears from our presence? However, that is not the probable outcome no matter how often we rely on the scriptures that support our decision. Case in point; the devil was relentless with his tempting our Lord three times, and even after he was finally discouraged he promised to be back when he showed up in the Garden of Gethsemane. “When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.” (Lk 4: 13).
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from his disciples and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Lk 22: 41 - 42, 44).
“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mt 26: 45 - 46).
As Jesus was tempted twice, in the desert and at his arrest, so will we also be tempted more than once and at times the admonition will become unbearable.
Advent not only prepared us for the reality of what the Incarnation was all about, it set a pattern that will follow us into eternity seeking the strength of our faith that is what Christmas promises to all believers.
“So this is Christmas and what have you done? Another year over and a new one just begun. And so this is Christmas I hope you have fun, the near and the dear one the old and the young.
A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Let's hope it’s a good one without any fear. “
Excerpted in part; the first two stanzas from a song by John Lennon. It tells us that beyond the reality of life there is much more that reaches into the meaning of peace. It is this peace that Christmas promises for you and me, but not until our faith first promotes the truth of Christ.
Ralph B. Hathaway
I am an ordained deacon with the Diocese of Pittsburgh, since June 8, 1974. My current ministry is concentrated on writing spiritual reflections and poetry. I am married, with one grown daughter, and 4 grandchildren. I retired from the electrical industry after 58 years as an electrician, contractor, teacher in trade schools, and electrical inspector with a PA State license
