In today’s readings we hear St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians with a message of light and strength, reminding of Jesus and His Father’s “everlasting encouragement” and “good hope.” • St. Paul has been through it. We know of the apostle’s tumultuous story, a Christian persecutor-hunter turned faithful disciple. Even with this experience, he speaks to both the Thessalonians and to us today, that “the Lord is faithful” and that “He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” • And for me, here’s the compliment of the day as Paul writes: “We are confident of you in the Lord.” Read that again: “We are confident of you in the Lord.” Paul has confidence in us because Christ. • It’s no surprise that when we place our trust and our gifts in Him, even in the most trying of times (read: today), grace can abound in the most surprising of places, even in a brief encounter of a friendly compliment between two strangers. So the next time you feel inclined to share a compliment, don’t h...