\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Indeed, things haven’t changed have they?\u00c2\u00a0 The wicked in the days of the Old Testament just decide to ignore the Lord and do as they please, seemingly reaping the benefits of dishonesty and cunning evil.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s easy for us to get discouraged like the folks 3,000 years ago as we look around us and see people prospering, yet who are lying, cheating, and backbiting their way through life just to get ahead, people who seem fearless of the wrath of God.\u00c2\u00a0 Nothing seems to stop them; nothing seems to get in their way.\u00c2\u00a0 We ask ourselves, “where is God”?\u00c2\u00a0 Why doesn’t he reward those who are honest?\u00c2\u00a0 Why does he let these people who ignore his laws get ahead?\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
And yet, Malachi tells us the time is coming when all the proud will be made stubble.\u00c2\u00a0 So there is this message of hope, hope for the coming of the Kingdom when all evil will find its true reward, and those who are honest and faithful to God are rewarded.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two things came to mind as I pondered these readings.\u00c2\u00a0 First, we must be firm in our resolve to be honest \u00c2\u00a0and do what is right no matter how dishonest the people of the world are around us.\u00c2\u00a0 God will reward us in his way and in his own time.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Recently, I went to a tire dealer to get a flat tire repaired.\u00c2\u00a0 I can think of few tire businesses where one can count on honesty.\u00c2\u00a0 But I found one a few years ago.\u00c2\u00a0 On my way, I passed a few shops that were nearly empty.\u00c2\u00a0 But I went to a particular shop because I trusted them.\u00c2\u00a0 Because I knew this shop would fix the tire right for a fair price, and they would tell me I needed a new tire, but only if I really needed one\u00c2\u00a0 They wouldn’t try to con me into buying new tires when I didn’t need them.\u00c2\u00a0 I had to wait quite a while, because the place was packed.\u00c2\u00a0 Now as I looked around, while I waited, I couldn’t help but be struck by the tremendous volume of business compared to the two places just down the street.\u00c2\u00a0 You see, people eventually find out who is honest and who isn’t.\u00c2\u00a0 And this man’s business was a living testimony to that.\u00c2\u00a0 In essence, he was receiving his reward, even in this world.\u00c2\u00a0 I know it wasn’t always that way for him, because I have been going there for many years, and they weren’t always so busy.\u00c2\u00a0 Sometimes it takes patience and resolve, but it can and does happen.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Second, we must be persistent in asking God for what we need, especially when we are faced with injustice.\u00c2\u00a0 Jesus makes this point very clear in the Gospel.\u00c2\u00a0 That God will hear those who are persistent.\u00c2\u00a0 So, when you feel downtrodden, be a pest to God in your zeal for what you ask. \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
The key thing is that we must trust in the Lord always,\u00c2\u00a0 Because he has only the best intentions for those of us who love Him.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00c2\u00a0 Thursday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Mal 3: 13-20b; Lk 11: 5-13 Dc. Larry Brockman Indeed, things haven’t changed have they?\u00c2\u00a0 The wicked in the days of the Old Testament just decide to ignore the Lord and do as they please, seemingly reaping the benefits of dishonesty and cunning evil.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s easy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}