YOUR DRY BONE SHALL RISE AGAIN

⏰Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time 1 (30 Sept. 2017 – Memorial of St. Jerome)

????Zech 2:1-5, 10-11a; Jer 31:10, 11-12ab, 13 (R.v.10d); Luke 9:43b-45

Are you in any way suffering because of what you lost? Are you already getting discouraged and saying that you cannot rise again? Have people suggested to you that your case is hopeless?

Listen! You are not alone in that. Your brothers all over the world are suffering the same thing (1 Pet 5:9). The Israelites faced the same kind of discouragement when they came back to their land and met it a desolate waste. And God send the prophet Zechariah to restore their hope. I pray that God may also send you another Zechariah to restore your own hope. Amen.

The major content of the message of Zechariah to the people is that the Lord would come to dwell among them (cf. Zech 2:5-14). This promise finds its fulfilment in Jesus, who came and suffered many things for our sake (see Luke 9:44).

By his suffering, our own sufferings are alleviated (cf. Isa 53:5). But that is only when we agree to journey with him with our sufferings as he invited us to do (cf. Matt 16:24), knowing that he will not fail in his promises to share them with us (see Matt 11:28-30).

St Jerome was a strong man of faith who translated the scriptures into Latin. He knew and said that before anyone can know and follow Jesus faithfully, he must know the scriptures well. If you do not know the scriptures, you cannot know Christ. And if you do not know Christ, you cannot trust him with your problems.

As you cast all your problems at the feet of Jesus and as we come to the end of the month today, may God lift up the crosses that weigh you down and lift up your spirit once more and restore your lost hope. Amen.

Have a lovely and restful weekend. Peace be with you.