April 4
Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not O Jacob, my servant . . . Isaiah 44:2
This past week has been a tough one for anyone in the Boston area, as we faced the deaths of two young men who lost their lives in the line of duty, and observed the services, Masses and traditions of respect held for them. Woven throughout the funeral services of Boston Fire Lt. Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, was the message, “Do not be afraid.” From the beautiful hymn, “Be Not Afraid,” we are all familiar with and the eloquent words spoken by clergy and officials from the Boston Fire Department, to the Scripture readings presented before us, we were reminded over and over again, that we have to carry on; but more importantly that as we do so, we are never alone, God is with us.
Yet we are surrounded by so much uncertainty along with its resultant insecurity and fear. We have so many questions about tomorrow, never mind today. And at times like this, we wonder how long we will be blessed with the lives of our loved ones? We begin to question other areas of our lives as well. Will our relationships hold firm through the tests of time? Will we be loved and cared for until the end of life? Will our finances hold out? Will the ills that are plaguing the earth cause its ruin or affect future generations negatively? Every death we experience takes us back to our past personal losses and only with faith we can see how God has been there for us; holding us up, giving us strength and renewing our confidence so we can go forward fear-lessly, knowing Jesus - the One who has gone before us, has our backs.
It seems to take incredibly awesome individuals who have the ability to respond to such overwhelming need as our first responders do, and we are humbled by their heroic acts. Are they fearless? I don’t think so. But I think they know deep in their souls that they are without a doubt, not alone in the work they do. This calling, this gift from God, this gift that each of us has in our own vocations, is part of God’s plan and with Him beside us, in front of us, behind us and within us, we have nothing to fear.
My God! My God! Help us to move forward without fear! Abba! Father! We are yours!
Please also keep in your prayers, Plymouth Police Officer Gregory Maloney who lost his life on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 while on duty.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not O Jacob, my servant . . . Isaiah 44:2
This past week has been a tough one for anyone in the Boston area, as we faced the deaths of two young men who lost their lives in the line of duty, and observed the services, Masses and traditions of respect held for them. Woven throughout the funeral services of Boston Fire Lt. Edward Walsh and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, was the message, “Do not be afraid.” From the beautiful hymn, “Be Not Afraid,” we are all familiar with and the eloquent words spoken by clergy and officials from the Boston Fire Department, to the Scripture readings presented before us, we were reminded over and over again, that we have to carry on; but more importantly that as we do so, we are never alone, God is with us.
Yet we are surrounded by so much uncertainty along with its resultant insecurity and fear. We have so many questions about tomorrow, never mind today. And at times like this, we wonder how long we will be blessed with the lives of our loved ones? We begin to question other areas of our lives as well. Will our relationships hold firm through the tests of time? Will we be loved and cared for until the end of life? Will our finances hold out? Will the ills that are plaguing the earth cause its ruin or affect future generations negatively? Every death we experience takes us back to our past personal losses and only with faith we can see how God has been there for us; holding us up, giving us strength and renewing our confidence so we can go forward fear-lessly, knowing Jesus - the One who has gone before us, has our backs.
It seems to take incredibly awesome individuals who have the ability to respond to such overwhelming need as our first responders do, and we are humbled by their heroic acts. Are they fearless? I don’t think so. But I think they know deep in their souls that they are without a doubt, not alone in the work they do. This calling, this gift from God, this gift that each of us has in our own vocations, is part of God’s plan and with Him beside us, in front of us, behind us and within us, we have nothing to fear.
My God! My God! Help us to move forward without fear! Abba! Father! We are yours!
Please also keep in your prayers, Plymouth Police Officer Gregory Maloney who lost his life on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 while on duty.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson