Jeremiah felt “duped” by God because the people mocked him. Have you ever felt “duped” by God? Have you been able to examine that feeling more closely and come to a deeper understanding of your life’s purpose?

Often I see retreat house brochures advertising wonderful weekend getaways that promise to revive my flagging spiritual life. Sometimes I take them up on the offer, whether or not I perceive an appreciable fall-off in fervor. But once I was asked to lead such a weekend myself and proposed the topic “Spiritual Obstacles.”

Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be!”

I can’t sleep. I can’t let go. I don’t understand. I am heartbroken and Nancy is completely inconsolable. Two days ago, our son Robert told us that he was being re-deployed to Afghanistan. “Try to convince him not to go,” Nancy told me, “He’s already been twice. What if this time he doesn’t come back? Why are we fighting a war that’s not even our war?”

Today’s epistle has me wondering what it would be like if Saint Paul reappeared today in, say, New York or L.A. After a chance to watch some TV, surf the internet, catch up on the major issues in the news, I imagine his message would be the same as it was in the first century. “Do not conform yourselves to this age.”

Who among us hasn’t thought: “I’ve worked so hard, been honest and true, I deserve rest and reward.” That only seems fair and reasonable. Good people deserve good lives—it’s the presupposition of most cultures—and the essence of the American Dream.

We pray for the strength not to grow weary in our faith.

There is no better wood for feeding the fire of God’s love than the wood of the cross.