PASS THE TRUST TEST

“Test your servants.” –Daniel 1:12

The four young Israelite men asked their master to test their faith (Dn 1:12). Likewise, the poor widow in the Gospel reading asked God to test her faith by giving the Lord all her money (Lk 21:4). During the testing they gave God their all, trusted Him in the present moment, and placed their futures in His hands.

Jesus teaches us that our heavenly Father’s plan is to provide on a “daily bread” basis (Mt 6:11). Many try to provide for a better tomorrow by storing up treasures, only to have that future plundered by the collapse of financial markets, the whims of world governments, or the ravages of thieves, natural disasters, or divorce. “Now is the acceptable time,” not tomorrow (see 2 Cor 6:2). Tomorrow may never happen (see Lk 12:19-20; Jas 4:13-14).

“Stop worrying, then, over questions like, ‘What are we to eat, or what are we to drink, or what are we to wear?’…Your heavenly Father knows all that you need. Seek first His kingship over you, His way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Mt 6:31, 32-33).

Don’t plan for tomorrow using today’s faith. Your plans probably won’t factor in the great faith God plans to provide tomorrow. “Test yourselves to see whether you are living in faith; examine yourselves” (2 Cor 13:5). Trust in God today, and pass the trust test.

PRAYER: Father, help me not to harden my heart today by being overwhelmed with the seeming burdens of the future (Ps 95:7-8).

PROMISE: “Blessed is Your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” –Dn 3:52

PRAISE: St. Columban said “It is [Peter’s] chair which makes [Rome] great and glorious.”