MISERY OR MYSTERY?

The Lord has said: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" (Is 55:8). That we are so different than God is initially seen as a problem. We even wish that God was more like us. However, if we joyfully accept God's transcendence and mystery, we can begin to look behind the worst situations and see the hand of God. This fills us with hope rather than discouragement.

For example, what if you invited several poor and handicapped people to dinner but never received any invitations to their homes? Here you are — lonely, eating by yourself, and feeling sorry for yourself. Yet if you have the mind of God (see 1 Cor 2:16), you begin to rejoice, for you see that you are in a wonderful situation in which "you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just" (Lk 14:14).

What if you are like St. Paul, in "great grief and constant pain" because your nation is alienated from God? (Rm 9:2) The Lord, however, can enlighten the eyes of your heart (Eph 1:18) to see that He is working together for the good even in the worst circumstances (Rm 8:28).

When we see even the worst of things in God's way, we exclaim: "How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable His judgments, how unsearchable His ways!...For from Him and through Him and for Him all things are. To Him be glory forever. Amen" (Rm 11:33, 36).