A Latin spiritual journey with discerning hearts, from ashes to glory.

Day 16

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 17, verses 7 and 8.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree

planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes,

and its leaves shall stay green. In the year of drought, it is not anxious, and it does not

cease to bear fruit. Trust in the Lord is the foundation of a life rooted in grace. The prophet

Jeremiah paints a beautiful image of this trust, like a tree planted by water, drying sustenance from

the stream. Even in times of drought, when life feels barren or uncertain, the tree remains alive

and fruitful. In the same way, when we place our trust in God, His grace sustains us even through trials. Yet trusting in

God can be difficult. We often rely on our own strength, trying to control situations or

solve problems on our own. Self-reliance, while seemingly virtuous, can be a subtle yet severe temptation to pride.

When we trust only in ourselves, we risk shutting God out,

believing that our abilities alone will carry us through.

This is the danger of self-reliance.

It leads us away from the humility of depending on God

and places the weight of life's

burdens squarely on our own shoulders. St. Bernard of Clairvaux warns of this temptation.

The man who trusts in himself is lost. He who trusts in the Lord will never be confounded.

Trusting God is not passive.

It requires an act of surrender, choosing again and again to place our lives in his hands.

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