Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"My Lord, if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us. Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers told us when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ For now the LORD has abandoned us and has delivered us into the power of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have and save Israel from the power of Midian. It is I who send you." But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel? My family is the lowliest in Manasseh, and I am the most insignificant in my father's house." "I shall be with you," the LORD said to him.

Like Gideon, we can be tempted to wonder why God lets certain things happen to us. We wonder why he doesn’t fix things. We feel abandoned. However, sometimes God wants us to fix things. He wants us to take up our cross, go out into the world, and trust in His Strength. At first, we might shrink away from this idea and wonder why He wants us to go forth. We don’t feel worthy or strong enough. We feel insignificant and powerless, but we should not be afraid because God is with us. He can lift up the lowly to the highest heights and give strength to the weak. He can do all things, if we let Him into our bodies, minds, and hearts... and allow Him to manifest His Divine Will through us.

Are there areas of our lives that we feel have been abandoned by God? How can we remember He is always with us? What can we do to prepare ourselves to go forth and do the Will of God?

O Lord, be with us.

Amen.