IT'S ALL GOOD

IT’S All GooD   “… you have no further misfortune to fear.” – Zephaniah 3:15   “I’m sorry, the last shuttle left three minutes ago.” These were the shocking words of the ground crew explaining to me that I had just missed my ride to the terminal where my connecting flight was. Because of the two-hour delay of my previous flight, for the first time ever I missed my plane. I was quite disturbed at first. Later on, I realized it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Instead of having to endure a four-hour layover in a stiff chair in the next airport, I was checked in overnight for free at a beautiful London hotel with a bed all to myself. Instead of spending a fortune for an airport snack, I had free dinner and breakfast the next day — eat-all-you-can buffet. Instead of being in transit for 24 hours straight, I got to take a 10-hour break with a nice, hot shower. And now, I have the added experience of missing a flight — and the knowledge that it’s not such a bad thing after all. Just because a situation seems unfortunate doesn’t necessarily mean it really is. If we step back and look from a different perspective, we’ll see that God will never leave us without a blessing. George Gabriel   REFLECTION: Think back on your “misfortunes.” What good came out of them?   Lord, help me see the good in every situation.

viOlence veRsus peAce     Yesterday we reflected on the same Gospel passage. But the Gospel is so rich that every time we read or meditate on it, we discover something new and profound. We are used to Elizabeth’s words, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” We repeat these words every time we pray the “Hail Mary.” Actually, these words are borrowed from the Old Testament where we find them two times: in the Book of Judges and in the Book of Judith. Now Elizabeth uses the same words for Mary. She is called blessed because she carries the Savior in her womb who will save humankind not by violence but by giving Himself up as a sacrifice to God. He will be called the “Prince of Peace.” Luke envisions the story of Jesus as the continuation of Israel’s story. But in the person of Jesus, God will act differently. From the moment of His birth, those who are called blessed follow not the way of violence but the way of peace, as Mary did when she said a peaceful, generous “yes” to the plans of God. A couple of years later, Jesus would praise in the Beatitudes the peacemakers “for they shall be called children of God.” Unfortunately there is not much peace in the world. Have we forgotten that we do not live in the violent times of the Old Testament anymore but that we are brothers and sisters of the Prince of Peace whose birth we are going to celebrate a few days from now? Have we forgotten that we are only called blessed when we work for peace? Christmas is therefore a good opportunity to look into ourselves and check whether we are peacemakers or whether through our words and attitude we contribute to the absence of peace wherever the Lord has placed us. It would be the best gift to the newborn Prince of Peace if we would, from now on, avoid anything that might cause quarrel and instead work for peace in our families, neighborhood, parishand wherever we see the absence of peace. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   Reflection Question: Do I contribute to quarrel and anger through my words and attitude? How can I bring peace to quarrelling factions around me?   Lord, Prince of Peace, make me an instrument of peace wherever and whenever I see people quarrel and fight. Make me an instrument of peace to overcome violence and hatred.   St. Peter Canisius,Priest and Doctor, pray for us.