The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
If you are afflicted, brokenhearted, or captive this is the sign, not of your rejection by God, but of his special tender love for you. In Christ Crucified, God is right there next to you. He will never abandon you, just as he did not abandon Jesus even at the hour of abandonment itself. Even at the very bottom, God is there. And he knows the way out. He walked out himself on Easter morning.
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
