Trust in God

Trust in God

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         What do we mean when we say, ”Trust in God”?  We must have an unshakeable faith in God.  We cannot have one doubt that God exists.  We cannot have one doubt in the promises of God.  God was with us at our conception when your soul entered your body.  He has been with you and is still present with us throughout our earthly lives.  He will be there when our guardian angel presents us to Him at death.  How do I know this?  Jesus told us this just before His Ascension into heaven when he said, “Behold, I am with you always even to the consummation of the world.”

         When we have that unshakeable faith, we believe that no sin is beyond the mercy of God except sins committed against the Holy Spirit.  Let us look at two disciples, their sinful actions, and the results of their actions.  Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.  He was not expecting the outcome of that financial deal as it came to pass.  He was deceived.  Judas despaired.  He realized that Jesus was innocent of all charges that the Jewish leaders alleged.  He threw the silver into the temple and went to hang himself.  He believed that his sin was greater than the mercy of God.  Nothing could have been farther than the truth.

         We also know that Peter denied Christ three times from our bible studies.  Jesus predicted that at the Last Supper.  When the cock crowed, Peter remembered the prediction of Jesus and went to weep bitterly.  The difference between Peter and Judas is that Peter trusted in the divine mercy of God and became less proud and more humble before God.  After his resurrection, Jesus forgave Peter by asking, “Simon, do you love me?” three times.  If you notice there were three denials and three affirmations of faith.  It is said in Church tradition that Peter had great remorse over those three denials, but that did not stop him from accepting the leadership role in the early Church when he humbly accepted the Gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  If Judas had not despaired and asked for divine mercy, I believe that he would have received it.

         How can I feel this way?  First, Jesus forgave his murderers from the cross.  Second, the good thief believed in divine mercy and trusted in Jesus.  He became the first canonized saint of the Church, and Jesus canonized him from the cross.  Could the other thief at the moment of his death been given the grace of final repentance?  Remember, Jesus died first so there must have been an abundance of divine grace on Calvary for the other thief to repent.  Alas, we will never know until we get to heaven and we are not to judge others.  So please, open yourselves up to divine faith, trust and mercy.  Add to that divine hope that God will be merciful to you and me.  We are all sinners.

        Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Praise be to God.  See you in Paradise. Amen.