Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. 

We often do everything possible to avoid shedding tears in this life. We steer clear of trouble whenever possible. We don’t rock the boat. We try to coast through life with the minimum of pain. However, sometimes we are called to make sacrifices so we can reap the rewards. There are moments in our lives when we are faced with a choice between doing with is right and suffering the consequences or choosing to remain silent and let an injustice go unchallenged. Sometimes these moments are easy to recognize. Other are more difficult, but they do occur and we should pray to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when those moments arise. If we do this, then one day we shall stand before God and be filled with laughter and joy because we will discover all those moments of sorrow yielded marvelous fruits.

What is God asking us to sow in our lives? How can we grow in a willingness to suffer for the glory of God and the good of others? What can we do to become more aware of the opportunities to bear good fruit in our lives?

O Lord, help us to sow in tears and reap with rejoicing.

Amen.