Trust in the Lord

Jesus teaches us to trust in the Lord's providence just as do the birds of the air and the fish of the sea.

This is a powerful teaching but how do we put it in place. The answer begins with him teaching us that we are children of the Heavenly Father and that when learn to trust in his care, we turn from those things that trouble us.

Meditate on the relationship between a child and his father and mother. In Jesus' time, it was the role of the father to provide and care for his family. So, we see elsewhere that Jesus says a good father is going to provide for his children based on their needs.

He is also going to protect his family and ensure they feel safe. This is what a father does. Jesus then tells us that just as a child trusts his parents to provide for him or her, so must we trust in God to provide for us. What is God's greatest desire for us? To be united with him in Heaven. What is he going to do to ensure that happens? Everything he can. We can clearly see this in the action of Jesus on the cross and the sacrifice he does that all can be saved. However, he will also provide all the grace we need to be saved. We must not worry or be fearful that this is not true.

He and all the hosts of heaven intervene in our lives and work to lead us to salvation in him. Therefore, trust in that. This means reject anyone wo would lead you to believe otherwise. Many people will teach you a false Catholicism that will lead you believe that you jump through a certain number and type of proverbial hoops in order to be saved. If you don't then you will be condemned. Why would God put those conditions on you. If such hoops actually existed, would he not help you through them.

Many years ago, when I was in bootcamp, we had to do a ten minute mile. I understand that this slow, but not for me. I am not used to running a ten minute yard. In order to graduate boot camp, we had to make it. The way it worked is two men ran the ten minute mile. We all went on before them and if we slowed down to a point that we fell beind those two men, we failed It was rough for me and I started to fall back but I did not quite reach where those two men were at the end of the line. One of my fellow sailors who was good at this, said to me: “C'mon Carr you can do this.” Think of what you will be doing Friday. That was our first and only boot camp liberty, I immediately decided I could use a burst of energy and move to the front of the line and then if I slowed down, there was not enough time for me to fall back behind the guys. I succeeded because of that encouragement.

That is the way God is always sending encouragement and the tools for your journey to Heaven. However, there are many out there who are naysayers who live a Catholicism that is not connected to God.

For example, one man said this week on a tweet that if the pope is wrong and you obey him, you will end up in hell. You realize that makes no sense in light of Christ's teachings. You may have heard about the celebrity exorcist who said if you go to the movie Disclosure you may open yourself to demonic activity. These people reflect an impotent God who can do nothing for his chidren. That concept is as false as it gets. Don't listen to them.

Can you find ways to open yourself to demonic activity? Sure, they are obvious and unmistakable, such as visiting a medium and other forms of idolatry; commiting an obviously grave sin that by default seriously hurts your relationship with God or others.—going to a movie is not it, unless its something like a documentary on ways to worship Satan, or it’s hard core pornographic, etc. Another type of serious sin is any form of violence against another person either physical, emotional, reputational, financial, etc.

However, even in these cases, our Heavenly Father supplies the ways to be healed of even demonic attack. Remember, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is more powerful than 100 exorcisms. Our Heavenly Father gives it to us, not to prevent embarrassment for not receiving communion but to be free as a child of God. Beware of any exorcist who rarely promotes the power of the sacraments.

Jesus is telling us to trust in the Father. Do this and as the saints teach: All will be well.

Fr. Robert J Carr is chaplain for two hospitals in Brockton, Massachusetts

His Patreon Page is patreon.com/catholicaudiomedia

He is the author of several books including: Christ in Your Humanity