Currently, there is an insurance commercial playing on television in my part of the world. It shows a man sitting in an easy chair and in the background computer graphics shows a windstorm as it passing over a farm landscape. The graphics show dark clouds and ominous wind that takes a roof off the barn. The storm passes while the man calmly talks about insurance protection from his easy chair. At the very end of the commercial, a rainbow appears in the sky. The commercial is fantasy but Hurricane Michael was very real.
Luckily, in Florida we have rainbows almost every day. The other day my wife, Anna, and I saw a brilliant double rainbow while driving. As always, we were thrilled at the sight.
Truthfully, the true symbolism behind the rainbow is God’s promise that we are the descendants of Abraham. Gal 3: 26-29 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.” Why is God’s promise so important to you or me ? Saint Paul says that we are children of God through faith and are one with Christ.
Honestly, how can I increase my faith ? In today’s Gospel Saint Luke gives us the answer. Luke 11:28 “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” This is easier said than done. Unfortunately, sin is everywhere around me. I scream sometimes at the world my children and grandchildren have inherited. Scripture confined all things under the power of sin and, yes, admittedly I am a sinner.
Significantly, the model of having sinned less and increasing faith more are the saints. These saints are people who heard the word of God and kept it. Unfortunately, as all of us know, this is never easy. In reality, the dark clouds of life surround us. This world is not pretty at times. Storms like Michael will always be on the horizon. Humanity does not look up from their cell phones to see the human being across the room.
In conclusion, never forget that no matter how the dark clouds of life may appear on the horizon in the end we know God keeps His promises. We are reminded of this in the multi-colors of a rainbow, a sunrise or sunset. Faithful is our God.
God Bless
Bob Burford
