“We know all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Does this mean that if we love God, everything we experience will be good?
If we love God as he commands us to do (cf. Mark 12:28-33), we will discover in our relationship with him a direction for our lives that will bring fulfillment, happiness, and hope, and in the end, all will be good.
Saints Who Suffered with Joy
When we read about those who loved God in a heroic way – like the saints, we see that they all underwent many trials. Some spent their whole life in poverty or sickness, and yet the goodness of God was apparent in their lives. In the midst of their suffering, they experienced great joy and peace, and enduring hope.
In the early years of the Church, Christianity experienced a great persecution as its enemies tried to destroy it. The love of God grew stronger in the hearts of those who were being persecuted, and the faith could not be destroyed. From this, the saying emerged; “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” (Tertullian).
God’s Love Conquers All Enemies
That same love of God can conquer the enemies we face today, no matter what or who they are. Paul says it best: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-38). You can add anything else you want.
The enemies or trials we face have the possibility of bringing us closer to God when we realize that in the end, our only lasting hope is in God himself. There is nothing that God cannot conquer with his love, but we must ask for this supernatural love to be born in our hearts. There are some things we can only do with God’s help.
A Hope That Never Fails
For this reason, Jesus has given us the sacraments of his Church, which allow us to have intimacy with him and to receive the grace we need to do what we cannot do on our own. This is how we drive out unforgiveness, hatred, jealousy, envy, hopelessness, despair, and anything that is an obstacle to the love of God.
“Hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5).
Originally written by Pilgrim Center of Hope for Today's Catholic newspaper.
Deacon Tom Fox, K.C.H.S., and Mary Jane Fox, D.C.H.S. are the Co-Founders & Co-Directors of Pilgrim Center of Hope. The two left their careers after a profound conversion experience and began working full-time in ministry at their parish in 1986. After several years and having impacted tens of thousands of families, the Foxes founded Pilgrim Center of Hope in 1993 as a response to the Church’s call for a New Evangelization. Deacon Tom is an invested member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Commander Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
