“Throw ourselves entirely into the care of our Divine Compassionate Shepherd especially in our moments of ‘doubting our abilities!’”
(Based on 1 Jn 4:7-10 and Mk 6:34-44 – January 05)
One of the easiest doubts that crops up in our day to day experience is the “doubt in our abilities”.
How can I do the job?
How can I be expected to study so much?
How can I ever be able to succeed in such a situation? etc…
Such a doubting of our abilities can leave many of our plans and aspirations to be at a standstill…
The Gospel of the Day brings us face-to-face with such kind of a situation – a situation of “doubts in abilities”
It was a late evening…
The Lord had finished preaching the Word of God to a large crowd of people.
The disciples sensed that it had got too late and requested the Lord to send the people away, so that they could fetch some food for themselves.
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat” (Mk 6: 36)
But the Lord had different plans… as always!
The Lord loves to challenge us in our comforts…
The Lord loves to let loose our lethargic leanings…
The Lord loves to instigate our insipid inhibitions…
He tells the disciples, “Give them some food yourselves” (Mk 6: 37)
This statement came as a shocker for the disciples….
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” (Mk 6:37)
The disciples were not prepared to accept the challenge of the Lord…
They perhaps thought from a financial point of view… It would be too expensive to feed so many!
… And doubting their ability, they thought – “How can it be possible?”
They perhaps thought from a sociological point of view… It would be too impractical to handle so many!
… And doubting their ability, they thought – “How can it be possible?”
They perhaps thought from a comfort point of view… It would be a botheration for us to look after so many!
… And doubting their ability, they thought – “How can it be possible?”
Logic sometimes tells us that some things are too hard.
Reason sometimes prompts us that some situations are too bad.
Brain sometimes puts forward that some circumstances are beyond our control.
But the Lord invites them to look at the strength of their ability… which is He Himself!When problems come, we often “doubt out abilities” because we look only into ourselves…
We fail to look to the Lord, who is the solution to our problems.When difficulties encompass us, we often “doubt out abilities” because we think that we are the master of everything…
We fall short of recognizing the power of God, which is, in fact, our true strengthWhen crisis befalls us, we often “doubt out abilities”, because we get totally tensed and worried within ourselves…
We do not look up and see the hand of God, waiting to lead and guide us
The Disciples, who were “doubting their abilities”, finally let themselves into the ways of the Lord…
And then the miracle happened!!
When we entrust everything into God’s hands, miracles occur…
When we have faith in the mighty Providence of the Lord, wonders take place…
Before the Lord… logic can dissolve!
Before the Lord… reason can be floored!
Before the Lord… brains can be put to shame!
Yes…
… Life will continue to challenge us with problems, wherein we “doubt our abilities”
… Life will always ambush us with painful difficulties, wherein we “doubt our abilities”
Let all those moments…
… be a chance for us to allow the Lord to multiply His blessings in us.
… be an opportunity for us to let the Lord to increase His grace in us.
As St Paul of the Cross tells us, “Let us throw ourselves into the ocean of His goodness, where every failing will be cancelled and every anxiety turned into love.”
Let us throw ourselves entirely into the care of our Divine Compassionate Shepherd!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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THE AIM, SOURCE AND INTENTION OF THE CATECHISM
The Catechism aims at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church’s Tradition.
Its principal sources are the Sacred Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church’s Magisterium.
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