I Take off the MASK!

Grief and Healing - Download the eBook

There is very much in the world that is bad. But usually the attempt to defeat evil engenders more evil. I advise you to do good; that is the only way to win the victory. – Sergei Lukyanenko, Last Watch

It is so tempting to return evil for evil and to seek for justice in our own way. We think that once we overcome the evil we hate we already win, but the truth is otherwise if we merely exchange one evil for another.

The only way to overcome evil is to choose what’s good.

Be strong then. Fill your heart with as much goodness as you can by praying to Him who alone is Good.

Pray for love. Pray for joy. Pray for light that overcomes all passing darkness in this world.

Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:21 (WEB)

“Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you. Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment in history so that, by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world.” – Pope Benedict XVI

In times of distress, when all things seem uncertain, still choose to be brave.

Choose to trust. Choose to not be afraid.

Even when everyone else around you are anxious, be still.

Even when everybody wants you to give in, do not give up.

Fear not.

Remember always, that no matter how tough or how rough things are
God moves, God loves, God will see you through.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;
though its waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling.
There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High.
God is within her. She shall not be moved.
-Psalms 46:1-5 (WEB)

“We can search for hope in the strongest of places, and in the best of people, and they shall fall one by one. Only God suffices. Only God.”- Jocelyn Soriano

If we put our hope in things that perish, we also shall perish with them. If we put our hope in people who are imperfect, our happiness also shall be lacking and imperfect.

It is not that we mustn’t love another, for we must! But let our true hope be in Him alone who cannot fail and whose love alone is infinite and full.

Only God cannot fail. His love alone can last. His Hand alone is strong enough to pull us from the darkest places and the gravest paths.

There is no king saved by the multitude of an army.
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a vain thing for safety,
neither does he deliver any by his great power.
Behold, the LORD’s eye is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his loving kindness…
Let your loving kindness be on us, LORD,
since we have hoped in you.
-Psalm 33 WEBBE

No matter how difficult things become, let us not fall into despair. For those who lose hope sooner or later become blind. Unable to see, we fail to choose the right path, and we fall ever deeper into the darkness instead of walking closer towards the light. – Jocelyn Soriano

There comes a time when the burden of our trials overwhelm us. They sap our strength and drain our joy. They take away our dreams and any vision for a bright future becomes clouded with uncertainty and fear.

As a response, many of us abandon our hope and we cling to other things in our desperate attempt to flee from our pain. We flee towards those who promise relief in exchange for our faith, or who promise temporary comforts in exchange for our ideals.

Somewhere along the way though, we find out that we have allowed those things to destroy what really matters. We tried to flee from evil only to find a greater darkness on the other side of the path.

Be strong then when difficult times come! Let not your grief destroy the peace within your soul. Let it not rob you of hope and of courage.

With patience, wait until you see which way is blessed and right. Wait for God’s Hand who will lead you to safety and true happiness and peace.

Arise from your despair and cling to Him who loves you! Arise and hope for you are not alone. Just when you thought you would faint in weakness, God will carry you on eagle’s wings and draw you mightily in His love!

The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison. I think of it constantly, and my spirit is depressed. Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing: The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope. – Lamentations 3: 19-24, GNT

“Truth is not determined by a majority vote.” – Pope Benedict XVI

Let us be careful in listening to what other people say. While it is true that we must always have an open heart to listen, we must also have a mind of wisdom to discern what is true. For even the voice of the majority can be wrong, and the action of the crowd cannot be fully trusted.

Let God Himself reveal the truth to you. Seek in silence and learn to listen to that gentle voice. In that voice is wisdom, peace and strength. In that voice is freedom and love.

Do not listen to what other people say if it is an accusing and condemning voice. On the other hand, do not listen also if it speaks merely of tolerance without justice or mercy without truth.

Listen instead to the spirit of holiness. In that holiness is both love and truth, righteousness and peace.

He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.
– Luke 23:22-23 (WEB)