You Were Born for This Time

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for April 15th, 2014
Tuesday of Holy Week

AS you peer out at the Storm that is roiling on the horizon of humanity, you might be tempted to say, “Why me? Why now?” But I want to assure you, dear reader, that you were born for these times. As it says in the first reading today,

The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. 

It is God’s will that humanity flourish, that we “go forth and multiply” and make the earth and all creation fruitful. That plan has never changed—it has merely taken on new dimensions through the Cross. You and I are continually called to bring truth, beauty and goodness wherever we are. All of us are dreaming, praying, making plans.

So were the Apostles. With Jesus, a better world, a new world lay before them. But their plans were not God’s plans. That is, how God was going to achieve the fulfillment of a new world was completely different than what they thought. At the Last Supper, the course of the Apostles’ dreams, prayers, and plans took a dramatic change in course.

Master, where are you going? (Today’s Gospel)

That is the question many of us often find on our lips, though worded slightly different: “Lord, what are you doing?” Because we have all these dreams and plans… and then suddenly life takes an unexpected twist, and we find ourselves alone, standing there in the rain, numb, wondering what just happened. We want, in fact, to scream, “Lord, what are you doing??” But Jesus answers, “Where I am going makes no sense to you now. But I have not forgotten you, I am just leading you down a better road.”

It’s not about getting there. It’s how we get there. The Lord is concerned first with our salvation, second with our sanctity, and third, with the salvation and sanctity of others through us. God cares about our dreams. But He cares more about His dreams for us, because they’re going to make us much happier. And If we trust in Him, and follow Him through this Passion (even when it eclipses our own plans) rather than follow in Judas’ footsteps, we will find a much better ending to our story than the one we wanted to write for ourselves—as Peter discovered through many tears.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. (First reading)

At these times—and most certainly at this time in the world—we need to take refuge in God and renew our trust in Him. For He says, “Do not be afraid, for I chose you to be born for these times.”

In you, O LORD, I take refuge… Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (Today’s Psalm)

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