Friday, October 27, 2023

Rom 7:18-25a;

Ps 118;

Lk 12:54-59

If someone were to ask us where, in what signs and in what forms the Lord is present among us, we would probably answer immediately: in the Word of God and in the Eucharist. This is certainly true, but let us not forget that God is the God of time and history. He is present in events, in people, in everything that surrounds us every day. It is not easy to recognize the signs of this divine presence, certainly much more difficult than weather forecasts. This requires great humility, openness to the Holy Spirit and prudence. Discernment of God’s action in history and reality must always take place in prayer, together with the Holy Spirit, and, very importantly, in the Church! Confirmation from the confessor, from the person who accompanies us in the spiritual life, from superiors... is necessary. Whoever wants to decide for himself what is God and what is not, risks becoming a slave to his own pride and falling into the trap of that spirit that always opposes God.

Today is Friday: the day that makes us think of Jesus’ passion and death. There, on the Cross, occurred the most important event for all humanity and the greatest event in world history: the redemption of humanity. For Christians, the Cross is a clear sign of this event. St. Paul today thanks the Lord God for this, because he knows that alone he would not have been able to do anything good. That Friday, when the sun darkened and darkness enveloped the earth, few people were able to interpret these signs. The Lord reveals the secrets of His Kingdom only to people with simple hearts, to those who do not complicate things, who do not divide God into four, but simply welcome Him. We ask for simple and humble hearts who can recognize the signs of God’s presence every day.