Personal conflicts are not uncommon in our daily life. We know that, at such times, we must be reconciled with each other, but we feel helpless in overcoming our personal weaknesses. When we pray and no instant resolutions result, we often feel God has rejected our prayers.

Throughout his apostolic journeys, St Paul on numerous occasions had to endure unfair accusations, insults, beatings, and imprisonments. He confessed there were times of weakness when facing such dilemma. But he boasted that, at those very moments, he received an abundance of grace from the Lord, strengthening him to overcome the difficulties. He perceived deeply that the Lord did not reject him, as he put this to the community in Rome that God has not rejected his people (Rom 11:1).

St Paul's experience rightfully testified Jesus' teaching: "for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk14:11). Jesus Himself manifested this fully in his own experience: He was a sacrificed lamb during his Passion, but he was exalted to heaven in the glory of resurrection. Consequently, "at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in Heaven and on earth and under the earth" (Phil 2:10).