“DO NOT BE AFRAID, ZECHARIAH, BECAUSE YOUR PRAYER HAS BEEN HEARD.” LK 1:5-25
Humbly submit your will to God (thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Prayer Prompt before reading LK 1:5-25: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father and God the Son are so that I may know who I am.
We see doubt and unbelief in many places in the Bible among some of the chosen people of God. Zechariah was holy. He was “righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly”. Even when the angel Gabriel (yes, angels do exist!!!!!) appeared to him, he doubted.
Don’t be so hard on yourself when you doubt, but rush quickly to the aid of Jesus, the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and your guardian angel. If you are in habitual sin even habitual mortal sin, come to Jesus and do not allow the Devil to deceive you. You are the one Jesus came to save, don’t allow the power of the Cross to die because you doubt you will ever be able to unchain yourself from sin. God’s grace is bigger than any sin! Pope Francis says, “Jesus never tires of forgiving, we tire of asking for forgiveness”.
We falsely believe or allow the Devil to deceive us that sin is unconquerable. Jesus conquered sin and death, run to Him, daily if you need to. Some saints went to Him daily in confession. As a person grows closer to Christ, they see their sin even more clearly. It will require fasting, spending time in the desert (a quiet place of reflection) and giving something up.
Jesus will do His part, but we must will ourselves to stop the things or people that are leading us away from Christ and avoid the near occasion of sin. We have to face our brokenness and hold ourselves accountable. It may take counseling, a doctor, and medicine with God’s grace.
God’s grace and love are the most powerful thing in the world, nothing can stop them except us not opening ourselves up to His love and grace. “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard”. Doubt and sin are what we have inherited, but God sent His only Son to die for us and save us. Jesus has conquered these things which gives us hope.
We may not conquer our brokenness, but we have someone who will suffer with us through it. He also promises it won’t last forever, there is a spiritual Kingdom where all suffering and sin will be no more. This brings peace and joy in this “valley of tears” and gives us what we need to make it through the next moment or day. Jesus asks us for something that everything hinges on, to believe and trust. We have been blessed with a choice as baptized Christians, never give up! Be a warrior, a fighter, a believer and inspire others to do the same!
Today’s challenge: When in doubt, seek, trust and believe. When in sin, never stop asking for forgiveness.
We are saints in training!
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; We will live again!)
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