I remember when I experienced some unexpected challenges. After receiving a disappointing phone call, I put down my phone and sighed, “Jesus, I trust in You,” for I know from Scripture and from personal experience, God works everything for the good (Romans 8:28).
Even though we may know we can trust him, persevering confidently in God’s trust until we can witness the good can be very difficult. It is precisely in these out-of-our-control situations that we are called to act in faith and discipline ourselves to not withdraw into our fears. Instead, we are to order our thoughts toward and prioritize our gaze on God and on his fatherly providence and protection.
The Power of Eucharistic Adoration
With burdens weighing me down, I kneel in front of our Lord in his Eucharistic Presence in a parish’s Adoration Chapel. As I look up at the Lord enthroned in the monstrance, a thought is allowed into my mind: ‘I am putting all my trust into a little piece of bread.’
Immediately comes the counter-attack, ‘No, you’re not! You are putting your trust into the Creator of the Universe who died on the Cross so that you could have eternal life and in Whose great kindness condescends to become present in a little piece of bread so that you may enter into his life here and now!’
This truth comes by privilege of placing myself before the very presence of God in which no lie can stand.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 1380) states,
[…] In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:
The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.
It is important in our world with so many anxieties, inconveniences and things just not going our way to spend quality time with our Lord in prayer every day. It is even better, if we place ourselves in his Presence through Holy Mass (at least every Sunday) and in Eucharistic Adoration, as often as we can.
St. Alphonsus Liguori: A Model of Perseverance
We find confirmation of this path through the life of Saint Alphonsus Liguori. He experienced suspicion from civil authorities and betrayal by a fellow priest. In the face of people and situations out of his control, this humble man chose to bring it all to the One who orders all things and controls all things. He writes, “If you desire to find him immediately, see he is quite close to you. Tell him what you desire, for it is to console you and grant your prayer that he remains in the tabernacle.” Pope Saint John Paul II simply says, “In that little Host is the solution to all the problems of the world.”
Seek Mary’s Intercession
And, of course, there is the Virgin Mary, the exemplar of constancy to God!
In just a few days, we will be celebrating her Assumption into Heaven. Her eternal reward follows a lifetime of perseverance, putting the priority of God’s will before her own, discipline to remain close to Jesus through the temporal obstacles, and a vigilance to dare to believe that what God revealed to her in prayer would be realized.
Take advantage of this great feast day and holy day of obligation by celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15. Make this the first of many frequent encounters with Christ in his Eucharistic Presence. Ask his Mother to help you persevere as she did.
Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, and motherhood, as a writer, Missionary of Hope, Prayer Intercessor, Speaker Team member, and Volunteer for Pilgrim Center of Hope.
Answering Christ’s call, Pilgrim Center of Hope guides people to encounter Him so as to live in hope, as pilgrims in daily life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
