Our theme for today’s readings is: God’s Providence.
Here are definitions of God’s Providence:
• God’s protective care.
• God’s intervention.
• God will provide.
God’s providence, from the word provide, means God will provide if we do our part of the job and obey His will.
Here are excerpts from our Saint Joseph Sunday Missal:
“We should be like birds in the sky and wild flowers in the field: carefree. But the grocery bill must be taken care of as well. The Bible speaks about human handiworks as often as it urges us to have trust in the providence (protective care) of God.
“The secret of the Christian life-style is to make the best of it without incurring the nervous breakdown and high blood pressure that afflicts so many. After Christians have done what they reasonably can and must do, they can kneel down and pray with the psalmist: ‘God only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, I shall not be disturb at all.’
“Over-zealous pursuit of all the niceties of life is ultimately harmful. Too much work — moonlighting (second job) or urging one’s spouse to do so in order to keep up with one’s neighbors — is damaging to family life and inevitably leads to misery and trouble. Do we need all the gadgets possessed by the people next door in order to be happy? Where do you let your Heavenly Father step in.”
it is faith in God’s providence that will prevent us from using other people’s money in our hands in an emergency situation. It is in God’s providence that will prevent us from committing criminal acts.
We often read this: Do your best and leave the rest to God.
We should be like Saint Joseph, in that statue, popular now a days, sleeping. It is said that Saint Joseph, after doing his part, go to sleep, while God does the rest. After doing his job, he does not spend time worrying, instead he goes to sleep. He seemed to have discovered that results are better when he let God do His part and when he is asleep. What a nice way to live, this servant of God. Less stress. Relax.
It is also said that Pope Francis has this statue on his bedside table (with all the concerns on his shoulder) to remind him. Whether true or not I do not know. More important is the fact that God favors those who trust Him.
Cheers to your family this Sunday, The Lord’s Day !