As believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to offer hope to others through some tangible demonstration of our faith in God's promises. We may not be great orators or story tellers, but we know what we know and we know WHO God is and there are still too many people who do not. We have to tell them. We have to show them. We have to LIVE what we profess to believe.
If, when things get really tough and ugly, we grow cynical, retaliatory or become paralyzed with fear, then we must beg God for the graces, virtue and courage to overcome it. In today's second reading at Mass we are reminded that the Holy Spirit has been given to us. (Romans 5:5) In HIM we must live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
With the Holy Spirit, we can become MORE THAN CONQUERERS through our faith and prayers and actions animated by the genuine, pure love of Christ, when we are in a state of grace. And if you are NOT in a state of grace... do not hesitate to to go to Confession so that all that you do will be efficacious in the Lord!
I think if there is anything that these times are telling us, it is that it is NOT ALL ABOUT US. There is just no time to sit back or continue to be distracted by self-centered pursuits. Protecting our comfort could come at the expense of a great number of souls. Now is the time to be ready and be willing to proclaim hope and love, no matter what the cost. God is watching.