“Give thanks to the Lord, invoke His name; make known among nations His deeds. Sing to Him, sing His praises, proclaim all His wondrous deeds. Glory in His holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord” [1 Chronicles 16:8-10].
To see God working in our lives is difficult at times, especially when we are under stress. We do not always understand why events happen as they do, which begs the question: “Does God know best?” Instead of singing God’s praises, oftentimes we find ourselves doubting God’s love, as we cry out “Why God why?!” when life goes awry.
Heavenly Graces
However, during those times of great strain and stress we need to hold on tight to God and be thankful for His gift of Heavenly graces because, in that divine unity, we can respond to life’s difficulties with faith, hope, and love. Otherwise, we are prone to live in utter darkness. Let us look to Mary our Blessed Mother for help.
Mary is the one human being who was perfectly united with the Holy Trinity in her earthly life. Mary’s soul proclaimed the greatness of God and rejoiced in God, our Savior throughout her entire life, regardless of her circumstances. Even in her darkest hours, Mary did not turn away from God’s faith-filled light.
Just as faith led Mary to the temple of Jerusalem after she and Joseph could not find young Jesus for three days, faith led Mary to her Son’s crucifixion on the cross in Calvary. Without her faith—without the grace of God—Mary could have believed her Son was gone forever. While we may not always see our Savior in our lives, especially in our darkest moments, Christ is everywhere faith lives.
Light of Faith
Instead of closing her heart in sorrow, by the power of the Holy Spirit — by the grace of God — our Lady kept her faith-filled heart opened wide to be our mother who guides us through our dark and difficult days. Through Mary’s heart, the light of faith, hope, and love — Jesus Christ — shines on all who seek salvation. Therefore, let our hearts not be troubled by the challenges we face. Like Mary, let our hearts be filled with God’s grace.
With faith, hope, and love, we can meet any challenge, any trial, and any tragedy without hardening our hearts. If we let Him, our Lord embraces us in our losses, our triumphs, our sorrows, and our joys and shows us the way that leads to His heavenly Kingdom. In other words, God saves us each and every day. In turn, we become the conduit for God’s tender mercy in our world that so desperately needs it.
Thankful
Truly, on those days when we cannot see the Lord’s way, let us step back and make an earnest plea. Our Blessed Mother will surely intercede and help us find God’s graces—all that we need. So let us be thankful for good days and bad, and let us praise God for all that we have.
