‘Truly, it is right and good to give you glory, to offer you our thanksgiving, always and everywhere, to you Lord, Most Holy Father, eternal and almighty God’ (Eucharistic prayer).

Meditation

On the death of his friend Lazarus, Jesus declares : ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the son of God may be glorified through it’ (Jn1, 4). I can ask myself questions about the suffering I am experiencing, but I can also ask myself : ‘‘Lord, what is the glory you want to manifest in this suffering ? Show me what I can’t see !’’ On the cross, we do not contemplate the horror of suffering, we contemplate the love offering and the glory that flows from it. I can also raise my soul as well! We cannot avoid suffering on earth but we can make them paths glory paths, glorious crosses! In any situation, two paths stand before us ; at every crossroads of our lives God tells me : ‘See I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction’ Deut 30,15. As Glory was cruxified I can choose today that my cross  be glorified !

Questions 

-Do I maintain secret complicity with sterile suffering, defeatism, miserabilism, bitterness…?

-Do I put limits on the power of God in my life?

-Do I take time to contemplate the Glory of God?

Exercise 

Listen to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njzLkGb3QbQ

I take time to contemplate the Glory of God and the place he has reserved for me in Heaven. ‘If we endure, we shall also reign with him’ Saint Paul says (2Tim 2,12); Does this statement resounds in me?

True short story

‘A man has been bitten by a venomous snake and is in danger of death. The rescue team called, has taken him to the hospital in serious condition. Thanks to God, after a two-week treatment, his condition improved and the doctors allowed him to go home. On leaving the hospital, the convalescent went to thank the head doctor for the excellent care provided to him and that’s where the doctor told him: ‘Know that you must recite the Hagomel blessing [Blessing to be recited when someone has been saved from a danger]…Of course, of course, I have to thank God for saving me from the bite of the snake! No, no, my intention was not that you recite Hagomel for the bite of the snake…’ In front of the stupefied expression of the patient, the doctor continued: ‘When you came here, you were in a coma. We did extensive analysis and we found a big malignant tumor in a kidney. It was decided to heal the snake’s bite first and only after the dangerous tumor. After care we did a scan that was surprising. To our amazement, there was not a trace of the tumor left! The reason for its disappearance is that the poison of the snake has eradicated the tumor! What you should thank and praise God for, is having been bitten by a snake!