I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, always praying with joy in my every prayer for all of you because of your partnership for the Gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. Phi 1:3-4
Friends, God is good, all the time.
A couple of weeks ago, an old friend sent me a text message in which he shared that he had made it a regular practice to take time to remember people in his life. And that day, because I happened to be one of those he remembered, he then decided to send a text message to let me know. I was moved by the gesture that I stopped whatever I was doing to take time to remember a few people in my life as well and, since then, I have made it a regular practice to spend some time each day just to remember and thank God for every person who comes to mind during the time.
St Paul gives us a model of how we may remember those in our lives. He writes to the Philippians to tell them how he remembers them regularly and thank God for them. This must be true for us also. When we take the time to remember people in our lives, it offers us the chance to be grateful to God and pray from them. God has blessed us over the years with all the many people we have known from childhood, in school, at work, in church, and in the community. There is real beauty and gratitude in remembering them even if you don’t see or hear from them often and, when we do, we may pray for some and reach out to others. And really it is a gift to remember others.
In remembering the Philippians, Paul regards them as partners in the Gospel. Christians are to see follow Christians as partners. And more than that, we are all disciples and children of God that Jesus loved and saved. When we see others as partners, sharers in the Gospel and the kingdom of God, we show a loving and kind attitude towards one another; we avoid and do away with hatred, conflict, and divisions within our ranks.
The great Italian poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni wrote: "I have never known the Lord commences a miracle without completing it well." St. Paul reminds the Philippians to trust God to keep his actions to sustain their good works and faith in them to the end. And as we notice in the Gospel, Jesus' healing of the man with dropsy attests to God's power and willingness to see to the end any miracle he has started in a person. We are all miracles to others in the way we value, remember, and behave towards them. When we demonstrate the right acts of respect, appreciation, love, and help others as we remember them, we further God's miracles in our lives and them. Prayer blessings: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.