Dear Friends,

One fascinating Biblical story for me in the Old Testament is that of the burning bush, where Moses met God in a mysterious way (Exodus 3:1-12). The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were facing a real crisis in Egypt, where they were forced to live in slavery. It was not easy for anyone to speak about God nor to experience His presence in suffering. However, while in exile shepherding his father-in-law Jethro's flock, Moses saw the bush on fire which was not getting consumed; he became curious about it, saying, "I must turn aside to look at this remarkable sight. Why does the bush not burn up?"

Then God called out to him from the burning bush: "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Here I am." God said: "Do not come near! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

God is Everlasting: He was, He is, and He will be forever. We can encounter God in any situation in life.

God does not always reveal Himself through extraordinary signs. He often works through silence, subtlety, and situations of vulnerability. Faith requires the capacity to recognize God in forms that differ from our expectations. It requires trust in God's purposes even when His methods are obscured by suffering, fear, or delay. Mature faith allows the believer to stand in the tension between divine power and divine subtlety, confident that God is present even when the mode of His presence challenges human assumptions.

The Lord is powerfully at work in and through ordinary acts of kindness and goodness that we see all around us. Unfortunately, it is the evil in the world that tends to make headlines, but we as followers of a living, risen Lord need to be alert to the signs of His loving presence in our world and to rejoice in them. The power of the Spirit that the risen Lore released into the world is stronger than the evil forces that are there.

We have so much to be grateful for, and yet, so often, we become more focused on our problems than on the countless blessings God has bestowed upon us. Even in the midst of life's darkest hour, there is much that we ought to be grateful for. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude and mindfulness is essential in our journey towards holiness.

By practicing gratitude, we acknowledge and appreciate the blessings and abundance in our lives, fostering a sense of contentment and humility. Mindfulness, on the other hand, helps us stay present in the moment, heightening our awareness of the divine presence in our daily experience. Being grateful, truly grateful, and expressing that gratitude is powerful. Offering prayers of gratitude to God, with much sincerity, has the potential to lift our spirits to the heights of authentic spiritual joy (St. Sr. Faustina Diary #675).

May God grant us the grace to recognize Him in the unexpected and to hear His voice in silence, and to trust His presence even when fear and uncertainty surround us. May the Lord strengthen our faith so that like Elijah and Peter in this weekend's readings, we may learn to stand firm in the knowledge that God is always near. Amen.

Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.

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