Monday of the Third Week of Lent - March 24

2 Kings 5:1-15ab Luke 4:24-30

Today’s Readings bring to mind losses during my life journey. Two particular souls to whom I grew close, each separately, during early adulthood before marriage. An ironic coincidence; each friend shared the same birthday, one year apart. I valued and identified similar like-minded qualities in both of the lives of these men.

Life sometimes leads us in diverse directions. Identified qualities I recognized and admired changed for each individual. Over indulgence(s) became lifestyle habits to excess; not for the best regrettably. I felt my values mostly in check, yet I could uneasily notice differences that occurred. How can a person leave behind the values and ideals of their core beliefs? Why choose a path, a direction that might threaten surrounding families, or cause loved ones to distance themselves?

Despite attempts to restore the core values by caring, loving individuals for that person; sometimes it’s too late. For each individual loss, their ultimate deaths raised unanswered questions for myself. How might I have stepped up more successfully to avoid such an outcome in each person’s life?

The servant girl to Naaman’s Wife offered a solution for leprosy; perceived obstacles including confidence and faith were ultimately won over for the cure. The spouses in each of my friends situations strove tirelessly to achieve change. And both of these fellows had God, our Lord in their lives but did not turn to Him for strength to overcome. Neither yearned for God’s guidance from the paths he followed.

How might I learn from these experiences to recognize future similar events and perhaps  change/influence the outcome for the better? Can I persevere against resistance to affect a better outcome going forward? This would be my resolve.

Q: How can I best be my “brother’s” keeper?

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