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Reflection on the Gospel – Thursday, June 26, 2025
Writing Straight with Crooked Lines
The episode described in today’s first reading is a good example of the old saying that gives this reflection its title.
It expresses a deep trust in divine providence—a providence that doesn’t always shape events according to our plans or desires.
Sometimes it may feel like God has abandoned us, but in truth, He works in mysterious ways to bring good out of evil.
Even in painful situations, God pours out His saving grace.
This truth is most clearly revealed in the death of Jesus on the cross, through which we received forgiveness and new life in the Resurrection.
That’s why Paul can boldly say:
Sarai’s unjust treatment of Hagar causes God to step in—not to immediately restore justice (which would violate human freedom), but to arrange things in such a way that even from this human wrongdoing, greater blessings can come.
But this trust in God’s providence—does it invite us to just sit back and accept everything passively?
Not at all.
Hagar is called by God’s Word to make a difficult choice—a decision that is fully her own.
She could have chosen differently.
This is exactly what Jesus is saying in today’s Gospel.
He doesn’t tell us not to call out, “Lord, Lord,” but He warns us not to stop there.
There is a kind of lazy religiosity that looks good on the outside when everything’s fine, but falls apart when things get hard.
To lift our eyes to God and truly ask for His help means also to listen to His Word, receive it, and put it into practice.
And that means making hard decisions, choosing the steep path, entering through the narrow gate.
It means taking up our cross, and living by the commandment of love, forgiveness, and responding to evil with good.
Only then—by trying to live as He lived (cf. 1 John 2:6)—do we become His true disciples,
people who build their lives on rock, and can stay faithful even during hard times, whether personal or social.
Only then can we turn the story around,
transforming the evil that surrounds us—and seems to be winning—into a story of salvation,
into an event of grace,
for the good of those who love Him,
and, through them, for the good of all,
because Christ died and rose again for everyone.