Words of Hope

This blog isn’t meant to be a daily weather report but, well, it’s a dull, dreary, rainy morning – a perfect morning to sleep in, to put a fire in the fireplace, or to cuddle up with a good book. On the other hand, it seems a good morning to feel down about all of life’s problems, and just worry.

I hired a part-time helper last week. ‘M’ needs work to make ends meet for his family, and I have some chores that I’ve been “getting’ around to” for a few months now, or years. I can always afford a few bucks for my neighbor in need, and so he’s helping me. He trimmed the overgrown hedge like I asked, and trimmed the overgrown trees like I didn’t ask. “They were damaging your gutters and roof.” Good grief! Another person to take care of me!

I think we’ll get along well.

Fr Pat read the gospel yesterday morning, and then spoke of sins of omission, ones we don’t often think about, or confess, yet they are often very important – the things we should be doing, and really sinning if we don’t. Neglecting the commandment to: Honor your Father and Mother, might fall into that category. (I don’t think neglecting the hedge fits in with sins of omission, but sometimes I DO feel guilty about how it looks). The sin of omission which I do worry about is not based on a commandment, though. It’s the one many of us ask of ourselves: Am I doing enough, am I doing all I can, am I doing all I should, am I doing it right?

I’ll never forget the words of Kierkegaard saying that the most important thing we could ever do in our lives is to be who we were created to be. I always pray that I might be that. I always wonder if I am. Thinking on it on this gray morning, I realized that I had thought of “being who God created me to be” as a thing, like a doctor, or a priest, or a spouse – being the “right” one of those. But then as I thought about who and what I had been in my life thus far, and I realized my understanding of the concept might be wrong. I had considered myself a piece in God’s puzzle of creation, and I wanted to be the right piece and fit in the place he had planned for me, but my life is not a “thing”. I live in time, and who I am and what I do, changes from day to day. And so do my opportunities to “be who he created me to be” at that moment.

At that moment.

I can’t worry about the past. I can only plan for the future, and those plans might never happen. I can live in this moment, and will, and pray, that it is in accordance with the opportunities, the talents, the love which I was given which brought me here. I can be as good as I can be now, today, and not worry about the rest. It’s all you can be, too.

(Meanwhile, I'll let my newfound helper take on some of my worries :-) ). Perhaps you should invite your spouse, your kids, or your God to help with yours. They are all great blessings for you, and were put in your life to help make your worries go away.

The morning meditation I later read seemed to confirm my thoughts (I like when that happens), and so I share it with you now.



Anxiety

Mt 6:25, 32, 34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear, … Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. … So do not worry. …”

But my needs burden my mind. How can I not worry?

Padre Pio’s assurance: “Do not anticipate the problems of this life with apprehension, but, rather with a perfect hope that God, to whom you belong, will free you from them accordingly. He has defended you up to now. Simply hold on tightly to the hand of his divine providence, and he will help you in all events, and when you are unable to walk, he will lead you; don’t worry. …Don’t think about tomorrow’s events because the same heavenly Father who takes care of you today will do the same tomorrow and forever.”

“Live tranquilly. Remove from your imagination that which upsets you, and often say to the Lord, ‘Oh, God, you are my God, and I will trust in you. You will assist me and be my refuge, and I will fear nothing’ …”

Forgive me for worrying, Lord, I place my trust in you. Amen.
Padre Pio’s Words of Hope, Meditation 3