St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

         Startled, frightened, troubled? Never!

Dear brothers and sisters,  

      Years ago a judge in Yugoslavia was electrocuted while standing in the bathtub. His wife found his body sprawled on the bathroom floor. The judge was pronounced dead and taken to the funeral home. The local radio broadcast it all over the airwaves. In the middle of the night, the judge came to realize where he was and rushed over to alert the night watchman, who promptly ran off, terrified; phoned his wife and reassured her. But she screamed and fainted. He tried calling the neighbors, but they all thought it was a prank. He even went to several friends' homes, but they were all sure he was a ghost.

     The disciples had the same kind of experience - startled, frightened, and troubled for known/ignored reasons. Jesus told them he would rise; He asked them to touch Him. He was real. He was alive. He ate with them. Just think of the disciple’s reaction to Jesus; and Jesus’ response to their reaction. Jesus understood their hesitation, fear, and met them with sympathy and patience.

     May we know that there IS a solution to our fear and troubles; but that needs our faith or confidence in God. Jesus is the answer! He cleared the apostles’ doubts, saying that the Old Testament was a “Promise” (Is.52:13- 15; Psalm 16:8-11) and the New Testament was His “Fulfillment”.(Lk.4:21) The message is the same: repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus opened their minds by showing that he is a living person!

     What about us? The one problem in us above all others seems to be fear – fear of losing our health, our wealth, our loved ones, and of life itself. Fear can keep people from faith; even seeing the works of God in our life. Through His Spirit, God seeks to change our fear into faith. Read Psalm 23 about how David felt about God in His life. Never fear!  Blessings!

Msgr. Xavier                       
                                       Please pray for vocations to the priesthood &
                                               for the Priests of our Diocese

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