In today’s reading from the second book of Samuel, we hear about David and the death of his son Absalom. Absalom was not a good son at all. He was not faithful to God. He even tried to plot the death of his own father in an attempt to become king himself. Yet when news of Absalom’s death reached David, David did not rejoice, but instead cried out in his pain and his despair: “My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you.”
Life can be very painful and difficult at times. Yet, we are called to place our trust in the Lord even in the midst of our struggles and our pain. I was reminded of this prayer written by Therese of Lisieux, which was originally brought to my attention by my friend, Dr Sara Weisenburger: "Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our father's love — difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs — everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weaknesses. Everything is a grace because everything is a gift from God. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events, to the heart that loves, all is well."
May we accept the graces that God gives us in our lives, whatever those graces may be. May we feel God’s presence both in our joy and in our sorrows.
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