Nothing happens by coincidence. We believe that everything happens under the watchful eyes of God and that He has a plan for everything.
So too with our experiences in life. All our experiences are linked together by a mystical thread that is woven by God's hand.
Our past experiences prepare us for what we encounter in the present, and our present experiences also prepare us for what is to come.
In the 1st reading, the prophet Isaiah tells of his mystical vision of the holiness of God.
The overwhelming glory of God made him confess his sinfulness, and at the same time he was cleansed and healed of his sinfulness.
Yet it does not end there. That mystical experience also made him respond to the call of God to be His messenger.
And would that be easy? Certainly not! But that mystical experience of God's holiness was seared into the being of Isaiah, and in the toughest of times, it will be this experience that will pull him on.
That is also the story of the numberless martyrs and witnesses as they persevered and persisted in the face of persecution and mortal danger.
May that also be our story as we reflect and meditate on our experiences in life and may we be able to see God's hand upon us, guiding us and protecting us.
May we hold on tightly to God's hand as we declare our faith and our love for Him in the presence of men.