God works in mysterious ways, often through people and circumstances we never imagine. Sometimes, we may find it hard to see how God works through someone who does not believe in or acknowledge Him. Nevertheless, that is precisely what makes God’s ways so remarkable! Through the prophet Isaiah (55:8-9), God reminds us that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Some ideas about God’s way of working echo prominently in the story of Cyrus. He was a king of Persia in times past. His story in this weekend’s first reading (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6) is a striking example. The Scriptures say that even though Cyrus did not know God, God uses him to accomplish His purposes.
One of those purposes is connected in the second reading (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b), where St. Paul highlights the importance of our “work of faith and labor of love” as we respond to God’s grace. Briefly, in the gospel of Matthew (22:15-21), Jesus teaches us to give to Caesar what belongs to him and to God what belongs to him. Taken together, I see the passages as inviting us to recognize God’s work beyond our expectations, to live out our faith through love, and to remain faithful to our responsibilities no matter what.
I will leave it at that for everyone to individually process and explore their unique experiences in their journeys of faith. However, I invite you to reflect on how faithfully you honor your commitment to God, knowing He is with you every step of the way.
Amen !!! Well said Fr. I love it . God is so good because He gave me the best parents in the whole world who showed me about God 🙏🙏