Dear Friends,
 
Well-intentioned people will often tell you “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” However, the Scripture verse that they are presumably referencing actually states “God won’t let you be tempted beyond your abilities” (1 Cor 10:13). What’s the difference? Sometimes we are absolutely overwhelmed with suffering, misfortune, etc. It sounds trite to simply say “It’s OK, you can handle it.” There are probably many people that have experienced the feeling of being utterly crushed beneath the weight of suffering, and cannot handle it.
 
What God does promise, is that we will never be tempted to sin beyond our ability. In other words, He always provides the grace sufficient to overcome any sin in any situation. There is always a “way out” - it just depends on whether or not we open ourselves up to God’s grace. In similar words, our Lord assures St Paul in today’s reading “My grace is sufficient for you.” This is something that God says to all of us - He always provides the grace necessary to do good and avoid evil, to seek holiness and flee sin, but we don’t always accept it.
 
God has given us the great gift of our freedom and chooses to make us cooperators in our salvation. He could force Himself on us, force us to accept His grace, but He doesn’t. That is why in the Gospel we hear that He “couldn’t” work any miracles among them because of their lack of faith. So what is the remedy? St Paul gives it to us: humility! “Therefore I rejoice in my weaknesses”
 
In Christ,
 
Fr Marotti