Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Bernard Collera SVD – Catholic Trade Manila
Thursday 15th Week in Ordinary Time
A friend once sent me a text message: “If you want to talk to God—PRAY. If you want to listen to God—MEDITATE. If you want God to laugh—TELL HIM YOUR PLANS!”
Indeed, life often leaves us tired and restless. We watch television to relax, but end up watching longer than planned, sleeping late, and waking up exhausted. We go on vacations, spending more time traveling than resting, only to return home weary. Our modern world constantly pressures us to prove our worth, draining our strength and joy. In the end, we spend little time with those who love us, mistakenly believing that providing more money equals deeper love.
As Jesus reminds us: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
In Taiwan, I saw workers resort to harmful means like drugs to endure long hours, only to destroy their health. But those who go to adoration chapels before or after work testify that they draw their strength from the Lord. In the silence of prayer, they encounter the Source of Life and Strength. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
There, in the Eucharist, they find a Companion, Friend, and Lover who consoles and renews them. Many do not stop at adoration—they attend early morning Mass to begin the day with Christ, or evening Mass to pour out gratitude and seek guidance. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35).
With the Lord, we do not need to prove anything. He already knows our struggles, desires, and weaknesses. He waits patiently for us to give Him even a moment of our time. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
He is the faithful Friend who never leaves us, the Shepherd who walks with us, and the Spirit who visits us daily. In Him, we find rest, renewal, and peace.
The world may leave us drained, but the Lord restores us. All He asks is that we turn to Him in prayer, listen in meditation, and trust Him with our plans. For in His presence, we discover that true strength and joy come not from proving ourselves, but from being loved by God.
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