Sunday Meditation: Never Be Discouraged at the State of the World or the Church!

Let us rejoice during this Christmas season and never ever lose hope!

Take courage and hear these words of advice from Dom Benedict Baur, German theologian and spiritual writer:

God does indeed give Satan and evil men a certain power over the Church and her virtuous children. The evil they inflict on the Church is taken into account in the plans of God's providence. Godless men and their leader, Satan are made to serve the ends of almighty God. We are at all times under the powerful protection of God, even though it may appear that we have been delivered into the hands of our enemies.

It is an especially hard thing when the enemies of God are within His holy temple, but even then we are not alone.

[God] may deliver us into the hands of our enemies, send us tribulations, deprive us of our possessions, and inflict bodily sufferings upon us. His will be done. We are a complete holocaust in the hands of God and wish to remain so. The more completely we abandon ourselves into His hands, the more certain we can be that He will take us to Himself and save us. 

In the word of St. Pio: "Pray, hope, and don't worry." During this season of Christmas let us rejoice daily in the confidence that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to His purpose."