Here is part of the homily given Sunday by Bishop Kevin Doran for the 2015
National Novena to Our Lady of Knock, which is underway through Aug. 22. "Giving thanks is a central theme in the writing and preaching of St.
Paul. I think it comes, in the first place, from a deep down sense of
gratitude for everything that God has done in his own life and
especially for the experience of the Risen Jesus. Today, St. Paul
encourages us, "always and everywhere" to give thanks to God. It is not
just a formality or a routine, but an attitude and - as Paul knew well -
that attitude of gratitude sometimes had to be lived in the face of
adversity. In his work of proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ, he was beaten,
shipwrecked and imprisoned many times, but he remained grateful to God
who, as he says, gave him the victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Today and during the whole of this novena, our focus is on the family
and it seemed appropriate to reflect on why we might give thanks to God
for the gift of the family. Very early on in the Bible, the beginnings of faith in a creator God
are very closely linked with the idea of family. The account of creation
in the Book of Genesis is not meant to be history. It is really a
proclamation of faith in a God who made all things good and who, as part
of this created man and woman in his own image. This ancient profession
of faith includes the idea that, as part of their own mission, man and
woman were to share with God in passing on to their children the gift of
life and love. It was not, of course, without its struggles and its
failures. The account in Genesis leaves us in no doubt that failure and
recrimination and fighting among the children were part of the
experience then as they can be in our own families today. But that
doesn't take away from the original goodness of God's gift of family."
In the quiet, dusty corners of our hearts, we often harbor blueprint drafts of how we think our lives should unfold. We carefully map out our timelines, hoping for a smooth path, and it is only natural to feel a bit lost or weary when a sudden storm alters our course or a door we prayed would open remains closed. Yet, our Lord does not stand at a distance during these moments of uncertainty; He is a tender Shepherd who walks beside us, gently whispering, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" ( Jeremiah 29:11). When our own plans crumble, it is not a sign that He has abandoned us, but rather an invitation to fold our hands, release our grip on the pen, and offer our own quiet fiat—letting Him guide us into green pastures we could never have found on our own. Placing our trust in His loving providence allows us to breathe deeply and find rest, even when the road ahead is shrouded in mist. E...