The images on TV are heart rending, the crush of people waiting, the mothers handing off their infants to men in uniforms, the fear on the faces of the people, especially the women, the uncertainty of their future. Upon reflection, one has to drop to one’s knees and pray for the people, our brothers and sisters and ask God to help them, give them strength and hope, in what seems to be a hopeless situation at the moment. What will become of them?

Across the world is a beautiful little island, ravaged by the assassination of its president, soon after, hit with an earthquake, then brushed by a hurricane. The people have suffered for generations because of dire poverty, corruption of its leaders and even nature. Again, we pray for the people to give them hope and strength.

We don’t have to look around the world to see our own suffering. We look south and see the people who travelled a thousand miles to reach freedom, or a better way of life, anything is better than where they came from only to be mistreated by bad characters who enslave them through sex trafficking, slave labor until they are able to “pay off” the “safe passage” to America.

If we read the papers and listen to the news, we can very easily fall into despair, or wonder what type of future is there for our children and grandchildren. Couple the world problems with our domestic situation of government leadership, the Covid Virus, lack of true education of our children; we may think the world is coming to its end.

It is certainly a difficult and challenging time to live; however, the one solace we receive, the one hope, which is our anchor, is that our God will never abandon us; we are never alone in this world. Sinful man can really do a job on itself and the world, yet God will always bring great good out of every evil we can produce.

Down throughout the history of mankind, there have been really trying times as well, and we got through those moments by God raising up great saints. One of the most troubling times in history was the 13th century, yet it was in that century that produced: 
St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Bonaventure, St. Antony of Padua, St. Dominic, Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi, St. Louis, King of France, St. Margaret of Cortona, St. Gertrude, St. Elizabeth of Portugal among the many other unknowns.

As our Lord told us: “Fear is useless, what is needed is faith.” So, my friends, we can’t despair about the state of this sinful world, we don’t belong to this world. We belong to Christ and He will take care of those who love Him. We must pray, we must offer penance and fasting for those most in need, and if we can do something physically to help people in their need, we ought to do what we can. Work and Prayer.

God is calling our generation to carry this particular cross of suffering, He is calling us to Faith, Hope and Love, He is calling us to become saints of the 21st Century.