In today’s first reading, Elijah must trust God to provide him with food and water while he hides in the Wadi Cherith east of the Jordan River. Psalm 121 paints a picture of how God provides for and shelters those who believe he is their help and protection. Matthew’s Gospel tells of the Beatitudes: the poor receiving the Kingdom of Heaven, those mourning being comforted, and the meek inheriting the earth, to name a few. Jesus preaches that if we live our lives reflecting the first part of the beatitudes in the present, God will give us the second part of the beatitudes in the future.

All three readings require us to place all our trust in God. Having total and unfailing trust in God is not easy. As humans, we often practice “self-reliance,” but as Catholics, we must daily strive for “God-reliance.” When we choose to believe that “our way” is better than God’s way, we demonstrate pride, one of the seven deadly sins. Perhaps living in a “God-reliant” manner: daily asking for his help and direction, and thereby practicing humility, is the better path.

We should implore the Holy Spirit to guide our lives to rely more on God and less on ourselves. As Father Eymard states: My duty is to entrust myself to my Divine Pilot; He will not fail to bring me safely into port in my heavenly country.

Recall the famous poem “Footprints” that describes two sets of footprints in the sand when God walked with and next to us, and one single set when he carried us because our problems were too big for us to carry by ourselves. Jesus asks us to cast our burdens upon him. Who would not wish to be always carried in God’s embrace? All we need to do is trust.

Prayer:

Dear Holy Spirit, enter our hearts and place in them the desire to be more reliant on God than ourselves. Remind us that with God, all things are possible. Help us pray the Surrender Prayer daily: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!”