Devotional Thought of the Day:

No doubt about it! God is good— good to good people, good to the good-hearted. ²  But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness. ³  I was looking the other way, looking up to the people ⁴  At the top, envying the wicked who have it made, ⁵  Who have nothing to worry about, not a care in the whole wide world. ⁶  Pretentious with arrogance, they wear the latest fashions in violence, ⁷  Pampered and overfed, decked out in silk bows of silliness. ⁸  They jeer, using words to kill; they bully their way with words. ⁹  They’re full of hot air, loudmouths disturbing the peace. ¹⁰  People actually listen to them—can you believe it? Like thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.

¹¹  What’s going on here? Is God out to lunch? Nobody’s tending the store. ¹²  The wicked get by with everything; they have it made, piling up riches ¹³  I’ve been stupid to play by the rules; what has it gotten me? ¹⁴  A long run of bad luck, that’s what— a slap in the face every time I walk out the door. 

⁵  If I’d have given in and talked like this, I would have betrayed your dear children. ¹⁶  Still, when I tried to figure it out, all I got was a splitting headache... ¹⁷  Until I entered the sanctuary of God. Then I saw the whole picture: ¹⁸  The slippery road you’ve put them on, with a final crash in a ditch of delusions. ¹⁹  In the blink of an eye, disaster! A blind curve in the dark, and—nightmare! ²⁰  We wake up and rub our eyes… . Nothing. There’s nothing to them. And there never was. ²¹  When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy, ²²  I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence. ²³  I’m still in your presence, but you’ve taken my hand. ²⁴  You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me. ²⁵  You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! ²⁶  When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, GOD is rock-firm and faithful. ²⁷  Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again. ²⁸  But I’m in the very presence of God— oh, how refreshing it is! I’ve made Lord GOD my home. God, I’m telling the world what you do! Psalm 73:1-28 (MSG)

212    That Christ you see is not Jesus. At best it is only the pitiful image that your blurred eyes are able to form … Purify yourself. Make your sight cleaner with humility and penance. Then the pure light of love will not fail you. And you will have perfect vision. The image you see will really be his: Jesus himself. (1)

Evil.

We encounter it daily.

You see it as the acts of ISIS are discussed, we hear that some think that police are evil, or politicians, or maybe someone close to you.  Someone who has betrayed you, or disappointed you. We wonder why there can’t be anything done against evil, whether it is some physical action that stops their work, or a physical judgment in which we can all rejoice.

Psalm 73 looks at this issue, why those who are evil can appear to be successful, we might even dare use the word blessed.  But the psalmist can’t even bring himself to ask publicly that question. To do so would betray the people he is set aside to lead in worship and praise of God. But this existence of evil, is too much, and that they succeed, and are not punished, there is no logic to this.  There is only questioning, and even that we feel seems to be wrong.  For to question, does that mean we don’t trust God?

The answer is not found in words, they fail.

It is found in the sanctuary, the Holy Place, the temple of God. It is found as we realize the presence of God in our lives, in the comfort His presence brings.

That is why I am so completely overwhelmed when we commune, as we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. There is something that is not only humbling, as the Psalmist mentions, but healing as well,  Comforting, Assuring, building our confidence in a way that goes beyond words. God, giving Himself, to rid us not only of the evil in the world, but the evil in our lives.

His promise, His action, His death on the cross – giving His life, for us.  Letting His blood be poured out, so the nations could be reconciled.

As St. Josemaria says, it is then, our vision cleared by seeing Christ, humble and at peace, we can turn evil over to God.  We know His protection, His peace.

We can even find rest, knowing that He is Lord, and Savior, and the One who loves us.

So if you have to deal with evil, at whatever level.  Look to Christ – let Him cleanse you.

He will.

(1)  Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 604-607). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.