Thursday of week 12 in Ordinary Time
First reading Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16
The story of Hagar reminds us that God is never indifferent to our pain, no matter how forgotten or marginalized we may feel. Cast out and alone in the wilderness, Hagar encounters the God who sees—El Roi—a God who listens to her cries and speaks words of promise over her and her child. Her experience is a powerful assurance that even in moments of abandonment, confusion, or injustice, the Lord draws near with compassion and purpose. He does not only see from afar; He intervenes, restores dignity, and offers a future. Hagar’s encounter challenges us to believe that no suffering goes unnoticed, and that divine attention reaches even the most desolate places of the human heart. Let’s reflect: Do I truly believe that God sees me and hears my cries, even in the moments when I feel most alone or overlooked?
Don Giorgio