{"id":538,"date":"2012-12-19T14:16:13","date_gmt":"2012-12-19T22:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/lisahendey\/?p=538"},"modified":"2015-03-12T16:51:37","modified_gmt":"2015-03-12T23:51:37","slug":"if-you-want-to-walk-in-the-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/lisahendey\/2012\/12\/if-you-want-to-walk-in-the-light\/","title":{"rendered":"If You Want to Walk in the Light…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

It\u2019s already working.<\/p>\n

The Holy Father (aka \u201cPontifex\u201d) is already reaching millions with his presence on Twitter<\/a>. Today\u2019s two tweets, timed in conjunction with the Wednesday audience<\/a>, were destined perfectly for those of us desperately seeking answers in a time of national mourning.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been carrying around a great personal weight today. I don\u2019t feel up to sharing the details, but will say that one of Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s tweets felt destined just for me:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On a day when I was feeling sad,\u00a0dispirited, and sort of ready to give up, along comes a tweet of 140 characters (exactly!) that\u2019s the perfect prescription for my day. I went directly from this tweet to the USCCB website to re-read today\u2019s readings<\/a>. In today\u2019s gospel, we find Zechariah being struck dumb by Gabriel \u2014 a penalty for his inability to believe the words of the angel foretelling the birth of his son John. These words we know so well, and yet that hit my heart in a whole new way reading them today:<\/p>\n

But the angel said to him, \u201cDo not be afraid<\/strong>, Zechariah,<\/em>
\nbecause your prayer has been heard.<\/em><\/strong>
\nYour wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,<\/em>
\nand you shall name him John.<\/em>
\nAnd you will have joy and gladness<\/strong>,<\/em>
\nand many will rejoice at his birth,<\/em>
\nfor he will be great in the sight of the Lord.<\/em>
\nHe will drink neither wine nor strong drink.<\/em>
\nHe will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother\u2019s womb,<\/em>
\nand he will turn many of the children of Israel<\/em>
\nto the Lord their God.<\/em>
\nHe will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah<\/em>
\nto turn the hearts of fathers toward children<\/em><\/strong>
\nand the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,<\/em>
\nto prepare a people fit for the Lord.<\/strong>\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

Zechariah most certainly lived his faith life amidst a good amount of darkness. Like most of us, he questioned God. But ultimately, we know the end of his story and his faithfulness. We too are called to faithful acceptance of the trials in our lives, taking the good along with the bad \u2014 the darkness along with the light.<\/p>\n

But as @Pontifex prescribes, there is no need to linger in lonely fashion in those dark places. We are never alone. Look to the words of today\u2019s\u00a0Psalm 71<\/a> for this reassurance:<\/p>\n

For you are my hope, O LORD;<\/em>
\nmy trust, O God, from my youth.<\/em>
\nOn you I depend from birth;<\/em>
\nfrom my mother\u2019s womb you are my strength.<\/em><\/p>\n

When I lack the strength and fortitude to face all that\u2019s on my plate, I\u2019d do well to remind myself that I\u2019m not doing all of the heavy lifting alone. Help abounds, strength is extended, hope is possible, light awaits.<\/p>\n

Let the word of God be your guide.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s already working. The Holy Father (aka \u201cPontifex\u201d) is already reaching millions with his presence on Twitter. Today\u2019s two tweets, timed in conjunction with the Wednesday audience, were destined perfectly for those of us desperately seeking answers in a time of national mourning. I\u2019ve been carrying around a great personal weight today. I don\u2019t feel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,8],"tags":[978,116,124,71],"class_list":["post-538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic-geek-stuff","category-new-evangelization","tag-pontifex","tag-pope-benedict-xvi","tag-scripture","tag-twitter"],"yoast_head":"\nIf You Want to Walk in the Light...<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's already working. 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