We continue our meditation on
Ephesians 1:17-20. Please refer back to yesterday’s reflection for the
introduction. Here is the passage we are working with. I have highlighted the
section for today’s reflection:
[I pray] that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of
wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your
hearts enlightened, that you may know
what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his
glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of
his power in us who believe according to the working of his great might which
he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead . . . (Eph
1:17-20) *Note: this is an older translation than what we currently use at Mass,
but this is the one I read that day—RSV translation.)
One of the meanings of the verb know in Greek is “to realize,” and I
read today’s phrase in that sense, and interpret the verse in very simple
terms.
I believe that God has a plan
for each of us, and has plotted out the way we should walk. The question may
arise concerning free will, and what happens to God’s plan when we don’t walk
the way He has indicated for us. This leads to a complex discussion which I am
not going to consider today, but rather look at things as I said in a simple
manner. In fact, I can even reduce it to a set of propositions as follows:
·
God has a plan for each of us, a path which our
life will follow.
·
Sometimes we think we know that path.
·
Sometimes the circumstances of our life alter
that path and throw us into a state of confusion.
·
The state of confusion is part of the plan for
us. We have to go through it as part of our life’s journey.
·
And so our life has its ups and downs, its clarity
and its turmoil, its victories and its tragedies.
·
Again, all part of the plan. And there are times
and moments in our lives when we are completely blind-sided and cannot make
sense out of what is happening. Again, part of the plan.
·
God helps us to make sense out of what is
happening gradually, never all at once.
·
The Spirit that Paul prays we receive is a
Spirit of enlightening.
·
We receive that Spirit at times when our
understanding is darkened; the Spirit enlightens us.
·
As a result of the Spirit’s working in us, we
eventually come to realize the great hope which is our destiny.
·
We are given the wisdom to grasp what is the end
of our journey: eternal life with God; resurrection of the soul and body.
·
Knowing, or realizing that end can help
us better endure the times when we are lost and fearful, confused and
discouraged.
·
Part of what we come to realize is that the
present difficulties are not permanent; this too shall pass.
·
The great
hope will never let us down if we live in God’s Spirit. Once again, I am
hearing an echo from the Rule of Saint Benedict: Never lose hope in God’s mercy.
(RB 4:72)
Please keep in your prayers a
friend who is currently going through a period of turmoil in his own life.
Thank you.
God bless you.
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