A Complete Day

The night began with a sudden urge to grab a copy of the book Humility Rules (which I recently reviewed) from the back seat of my car before I walked into the chapel for my midnight adoration hours.  I gave the book to the woman there, as she was leaving, as she was stopping to wish me a good night --- as she does every Monday night/Tuesday morning.  And then, to my surprise, as I handed her the book she handed me a letter.  We exchanged thanks, as I put her letter aside and continued the rosary I had begun.  But a few minutes later I heard the chapel door open again; she had looked at the book I had given her, and came back to give me a hug: “I so needed this book; thank you so much.”  And I responded: “Well, if it is what you need (pointing to the altar), then He gave it to you.”

Unbeknownst to me, I later surmised that He had also given me her letter.  I read it.  It was a heartfelt letter asking me for prayers, and telling me the very confidential reason why.  This stranger felt enough confidence in me --- or in despair chose EVEN me --- to pray for her.  And so, I pondered on the Joyful Mysteries, contemplating on her trials, and my own.  And the meditations stretched into hours.

As I prayed, I thought about the trials of life, hers, mine, Mary’s and Jesus’, and how those trials can be turned into joys.  Trials in this life have a purpose, and very often not one which we can perceive, and that purpose is good.

I thought of my early years, how I tried to live a good life, and my regrets now that, looking back, I did not even know what a good life was.  I was taught very well the good things you are supposed to do in life, but not how to do them well.  I was taught that those are things I must do, and I did them, so that I might lead a good life.  But it wasn’t.  My life was about me, and that was the source of my many trials.  Oh, I did things for God, as I was supposed to do, but even those things were in some way for me.  I never really learned that my life was not only about me; I never understood that “it is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  And without Christ in me, I failed at so many important things in life, and even if I became aware of my failures, I didn’t know why.  Why had I failed, when I’d done everything right?

And the real reason was:  I walked alone.  I had no relationship with Jesus, and never knew that was a key to a life lived well.  And so, as I completed this day and meditated on the Joyful Mysteries, I contemplated on what I now know makes a complete day, a day well-lived, one which gives joy.

These are things we should try to do each day, during our days of trial, during our days of loneliness, and during our days of joy, for these are the things which will bring us true joy, with no regrets over the past failures or trials.

A complete day, lived well, is one in which you:

·         Love someone (Humility Rules)

·         Speak with God (and the oftener, the better)

·         Give a hug (showing someone they are appreciated for being God’s presence to you)

·         Meet a poor person (Poor in $$ or poor in spirit, be God’s presence to them.  Speak to them by name)

·         Find Joy (In particular, in those you meet each day.  Discover the reason God had them cross your path, and act towards them as He would)

·         Help someone else to love (All the other things are what you have done and benefit you, but a complete day --- in God’s eyes --- is one where you have helped someone else to live a complete day, by teaching him, or by praying for him so that his days may be complete --- if your day ends with you, it is not enough, it was not well-lived.  In some way, each day, you must have made an impact that goes on, that changes someone, that opens them to God’s love for them. Mary gave birth to Jesus on this earth, in a way, so must you.)

·         Give thanks at day’s end (Goodnight, Lord)

Will every day be one of joy?  Of course not.  But every day can be lived well, a complete day which accomplishes the things which Jesus might have done in your shoes.  And that is the key “why” of your life, why you should do these things:  because that is why He made you, just as you are, with all your trials, pains, --- and blessings --- He made all these things part of your life for a reason, so You can be His witness, His presence. 

And all these thoughts came because one stranger gave me a letter, asking for prayers.  It was a great blessing for me.  By asking, she helped me to love.  It was a great joy.

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Spring finally arrived in Michigan.