How can I, on this Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent, remain steadfast in asking for a miracle for my son Daniel through the intercession of the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, when I see at The Glenn that every creature—from playful puppies to the flowering plum—testifies to God’s enduring work, echoing Saint Bonaventure’s reminder that nature reveals God’s triune beauty, and when our synodal journey calls us to embrace the unity of diverse Christian traditions, if ultimately, even they testify on my behalf❓
It has been noted by either the so-called defenders of democracy or their enemies the Communists that the farm, or productive land, is one of the keys to security.
Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
Gospel
Jesus said to the Jews:
“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.“I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God❓
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words❓”
Lent Day 26 Lectio Divina on the word “Testify“
I look around The Glenn and see how the changing season testifies to God’s continuous renewal of life. The puppies scampering in the yard, the lambs finding their footing, the piglets nudging each other for a meal, and the first blooms stretching toward the sun—all of these testify that spring has arrived. In their simple existence, they proclaim a truth far greater than themselves: life persists, and hope is never extinguished.
The Gospel reminds me that Jesus had many who testified on His behalf, yet the hearts of some remained hardened. I wonder, do I truly testify to my faith in the way I live, or do I falter when trials arise❓ I want my life to testify to unwavering trust, even as I walk this painful road with my son Daniel. His suffering does not diminish God’s presence, nor does it silence my prayers for his healing. Instead, it strengthens my resolve to continue testifying to the power of faith.
towards a full and visible unity of Christians, as the presence of delegates of other Christian
traditions testifies.
The words of the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen testify that joy is not the same as pleasure. I am learning this truth in a way I never expected. There is no pleasure in watching my son battle a terminal illness, yet there is joy in knowing that God’s love has never left us. I testify to the grace that carries us through each day, to the unseen strength that allows us to endure, and to the miracle that I still believe is possible.
Even as doctors have placed Daniel in hospice care, I continue to testify that God’s plan is beyond my understanding. I do not know what the future holds, but I do know that I will not stop asking for a miracle. If nature, the saints, and the Church all testify to God’s goodness, then how could I do otherwise❓ And if my faith wavers, I trust that the prayers of others will rise in my place, because…
Saint Bonaventure went so far as to say that human beings, before sin, were able to see how each creature “testifies that God is three”.
FROM PARAGRAPH 239 OF THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME