Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
The chronic illness of the prophet Jeremiah again points to our weakness. The readings also show that it is in our weakness that our reliance on the Lord’s strength is perfected. (Jr 15:20-21) The Psalmist finds strength not in himself, but in the Lord. (Ps 59:17-18) In admitting our weaknesses before the Lord, we can be emptied of over self-reliance. When we offer to Jesus what we suffer or find difficult, not relying on our strength but instead on His grace, then we begin to sell what we have so that we might possess the Kingdom of God. (Mt 13:44-46) Let us ask the Lord for the grace to let Him be our Rock and our strength. With St. Peter Faber we can pray to be united to our Lord in the midst of our trials saying,
Jesus Christ, may your death be my life
and in your dying may I learn how to live.
May your struggles be my rest,
Your human weakness my courage,
Your embarrassment my honor,
Your passion my delight,
Your sadness my joy,
in your humiliation may I be exalted.
In a word, may I find all my blessings in your trials.
Amen.