Monday in the Octave of Easter
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April 13, 2020As we Come together today. the day after Easter, yet still Easter. We celebrate Easter Day for eight days.
We are living in a very strange and hard time, the corona virus, but I think today’s readings give us comfort. Many people are fearful, many people are suffering less income, many people are suffering loneliness, and other problems stemming from the virus and many are sick or have died through this.
In the first reading, we hear these words as Peter was reflecting on King David, “I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore, my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted, because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, you have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”
If the Lord was this close to David, and David was this confident in the Lord however the Lord revealed Himself to him, we should be ALSO. We know Jesus / God is at our right hand. He in a sense is even closer, we in the New Testament have sacraments. God is in us through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Therefore, we also should say “My heart is glad and my tongue exaulted, because God will not abandon us to hell or emptiness but also fill us with Joy.”
We have only to remember this. How do we do that? David, even in the midst of his sins, and attacks of war and fighting from other surrounding nations, went and praised the Lord and prayed. Let this be a time of more intense praise and worship. Read the Scriptures, let the Word be deep in you.
In the Gospels Jesus tells the women to “Be Not Afraid!” As Pope John Paul II pointed out, that phrase is in the Bible 365 times, as if once for every day of the year.
We know David’s life, David would have been terrified about being abandoned by God, but His heart was still set on God and God did not abandon him, but instead transformed him into the greatest King.
We Love God, no matter the attacks, or sickness, or problems, God will not abandon us, but enfold us in His Heart for all eternity with Him. We do not know how things will turn out in the near future, but we do know for sure that God will not abandon us, and He will hold us for all eternity.
