AMAZING GRACE
“Lord... I am not worthy of such honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you.” – Luke 7:7
When one of my best friends got cancer, they sought counsel from some of their elders in their community. They were advised that they needed more faith to be healed and that submitting to the expensive chemotherapy is like they’re not trusting God. It’s like allowing the devil to steal their finances. As she was dying, she only had one request: that she wouldn’t be judged because she didn’t get healed.
I, too, used to think that all I needed was to believe enough and all my prayers would be answered. I was taught that if God said so in the Bible, then it was mine by “birthright.” I had learned that only those who asked with confidence would receive.
But I confused “confidence” with “arrogance.” Later, I realized that even if I had the faith to believe, everything still depended on God’s grace. I have no right at all. The only thing I am entitled to is the punishment due me because of my sins. I am nobody, deserving nothing yet God called me by name and even carved it on the palm of His hand. I am a sinner walking on mercy ground only because I have an awesome God who chose to love me. Ronna Ledesma (ronnaledesma@email.com)
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REFLECTION:
Can you lay downyour life for an enemy, just like Jesus did for us?
Lord, I am not worthy, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
St. Robert Bellarmine, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.
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