Wednesday December 7, 2022

Good News Reflections:
Making scripture meaningful to your daily life
by Terry Modica

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“God never runs out of energy. He shares His strength with you and me.”


Good News Reflection for:

Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent
Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
December 7, 2022

Today’s Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Help me to be open to sharing my burdens with You and docile to entrusting the results to Your Divine Providence. Amen.

SaintsSubscribe to Today’s Saint Quote & Prayer:
gnm.org/SaintQuotes/

Today’s Readings:

Isaiah 40:25-31
Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10
Matthew 11:28-30
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120722.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-12-07-usccb-daily-mass-readings

The cure for weariness

[ Listen to the podcast of this reflection ]

“I’m tired! Enough already, Lord! I can’t take it any more of this! I need a break. Just give me a month off from this trial. Oh how I wish I could have a few days of sheer boredom!”

Ever feel that way?

The first several years after Ralph and I founded Good News Ministries of Tampa Bay were like that. Initially (1995), it was a fun sort of weariness, because my energy went into getting the ministry started. Halfway into year two, the journey took an unexpected turn into a battlefield, where the message we preached in our seminars (the Sermon on the Mount, especially “love your enemies”) was put to the test. It was a good weariness, because we learned to walk the talk to a length that we didn’t know we could.

The trials continued; they multiplied into other areas of my life and other relationships. When I cried on the Lord’s shoulder, he said, “Lean on me, let Me be your source of strength and renewed energy.” This is what today’s first reading tells us.

God never runs out of energy. “He does not faint nor grow weary” and he shares his strength with you and me. He renews us and restores us and makes our vigor abound.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus says, “Come to me; I will refresh you!” We find rest in Jesus because his yoke is easy and his burden is light. But first we have to let him remove the yokes that he didn’t ask us to bear.

For example, if you’re wearied by hurts that have been inflicted upon you, it’s anger and unforgiveness that keep you yoked to the pain, weighing you down. Choose to forgive, regardless of what your enemies do or don’t do, and you will become yoked to Jesus. This opens you up to receive his strength, his endurance, his patience, his energy.

When I felt most tired from dealing with troubles and I wanted to handle them in unholy ways, I remembered Saint Pio. He literally fought Satan in the flesh, even getting physically bruised in the struggle. He always won by the strength of Christ within him, but it wore him out.

How did Padre Pio restore his strength so that the battle didn’t interfere with his ministry and his emotional well-being? He prayed the Rosary constantly.

Rest in Mother Mary’s lap and pray for your enemies, but also pray the Rosary for your own needs. Never underestimate the power of the Rosary when it is prayed with heart-felt cries instead of rote recitation. Your energy will be restored by God’s power. He wants to help you soar like an eagle. He wants to help you run so that you don’t grow weary.

Give Jesus your weariness. He will yoke you to his supernatural strength.

For more on the topic of this subject pray with our “Cyber-Rosary” @ gnm.org/prayers/pray-the-rosary/start/.

© 2022 by Terry A. Modica

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