Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter
“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.’”
I used to be on social media, and one day, I finally had enough. I thought, “I am wasting my time, people are rude, and I get upset if they don’t agree with me and my opinions. I have my family, my monastic family, and everyone in the Conception Community.” After this, it was like the Lord said to me, “Finally, you are listening to my voice! Here are the people whom I want you to not only become friends with but bring them up to heaven and draw them closer to me with my power and love, but most importantly, with my love!” It was like a flood gate was open! People asking for prayers or for an open ear to just talk to, or asking for a Miraculous or St. Benedict Medal (which I still give out by the way!) to have as a sign of comfort that God won’t abandon them.
As St. Maximilian Kolbe once said, “The fact that there are troubles means that the Immaculata must be known and loved even more…. May troubles be only an opportunity to enhance our work.” Does the world hate me? I hope so. I don’t find this world very attractive in its ways. I want to contemplate the things of Heaven and the people whom God and Our Lady bring to me. Not only do I help them, but they also help me realize that God loves me for who I am, and he loves you for who you are, too!
Reflection by Br. Maximilian Burkhart, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections