I strongly believe that ardent Catholics are children of God. Our mission is to become good and obedient children of God, as we are his children, after all. We are his work, as we are his children, so he is compassionate to us, whether we know it or not.
What Does Compassionate mean?
I think that compassionate means that we get the “benefit of the doubt,” as the saying goes. Even though we were born with sin (Original), and we are human, and there is no guarantee that we will turn out right or wrong. God will give us every chance we need to get to Heaven, even if we have a “pit stop” in Purgatory to get cleaned up. Even Saint Paul was given ailments to deal with, which he did not want, so his super strength and survival skills could be attributed to God’s power, not his own. There are many analogies to use for this approach to compassion, like “making lemonade when the world gives you lemons.”
What About Bad Events?
We all have our crosses to bear, even if we do not want them or do not create them ourselves. We probably all want small crosses to bear, but that can also mean that we will not get very far. An example I use in Confirmation Class is to be given a ladder in life. We probably would prefer carrying around a step stool, as they are light and compact. However, they do not work well for getting to the top shelf in the kitchen. Or, for plucking that perfect apple or peach from the tree. So, while we might complain aloud or internally about the deck of cards (or a single card) we do not like, it should all be seen in the bigger picture…about getting to heaven. We certainly all prefer good news to challenging news. But we need to make the most of what we have, with God’s help (and our guardian angel) to get to Heaven.
How do we React to Bad events?
Unwelcome or bad news confronts us all, but we are charged to make the best of it. We can consider the unwelcome news as a test, or a pop quiz. People and God see how we handle these setbacks…our reaction can give a glimpse into our Spirit.
The next time something bad happens to you, before taking the Name of the Lord in Vain (that is a sin, by the way). Take a moment to find the good. It might take a moment to process, but you may find the process helpful. Remember, people are watching your reaction.
