A happy ending

There is a school of thought that associates God’s blessings with earthly prosperity.

This school of thought glosses over the theology of the Cross and the suffering of the Saints throughout the millennia.

This school of thought may also not resonate well with faithful Christians in a time of economic troubles.

To be sure, all that is truly good comes from God and God will reward those who, by his grace, are faithful to him.

But this does not mean that faithful Christians are guaranteed an unbroken string of happy endings in their earthly lives.

Faithful Christians may even have lives that appear like earthly failures.

Yet, God bestows precious and powerful blessings even in earthly failures and earthly trouble can be endured with the sure, grace-given hope of eternal happiness in heaven.

Today’s first reading (Hebrews 10:32-39) reminds us of these truths:

Remember the days past
when, after you had been enlightened,
you endured a great contest of suffering.

At times
you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction;
at other times
you associated yourselves with those so treated.

You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison
and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,
knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence;
it will have great recompense.

You need endurance to do the will of God
and receive what he has promised.

For, after just a brief moment,
he who is to come shall come;
he shall not delay.

But my just one shall live by faith,
and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.

We are not among those who draw back and perish,
but among those who have faith
and will possess life.


Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me - a sinner.