Twenty-Ninth Monday of Ordinary Time

Abraham did not doubt God's promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God and was fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to do. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness. But it was not for him alone that it was written that it was credited to him; it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.

We should never doubt God’s promises, nor His Love for us. He will give us everything we need and empower us by faith so we can do good and avoid evil. Every day, He offers us the materials to build up our confidence in Him and make ourselves into temples of righteousness. God handed His Beloved Son over to death for our transgressions not to condemn us, but to raise us from the death of sin to the eternal life of justification through Christ. We might not always understand what God is asking of us, nor how we might accomplish His Will, but our Heavenly Father will never abandon us. And hopefully, we shall not abandon Him, but rather give glory to Him and trust He will provide all we need.

Do we truly believe in what God has promised us through baptism, namely salvation? How can we use what God has given us to build up our confidence in Him? In what ways can we give thanks to God for the justification He has offered us through the life, passion, death, and resurrection of His Son?

O Lord, empower us by faith.

Amen.