What Can I Do?

Sometimes we just feel so helpless, unable to do what we wish to do, what we feel we must do --- and we cry.

Don’t you see that just in asking this question, you are doing so much?  “What can I do?  What should I have done” --- always wishing I could have done more.  But, how many are there who do nothing; how many don’t worry?  “It’s just the way it is,” they say, or worse: “It’s their fault.”  No, in asking “What can I do” you have truly found the heart of Jesus.

Why can’t you look in the mirror and truly see yourself, what a beautiful person you are?

Jesus came into this world “not to do My will, but the will of our Father.”  He always asked: “What can I do?”  He always acted: “What can I do for another?”  How many in our culture today only ask “What can I do for myself?”  Don’t you see, that when YOU are asking “What can I do,” it is almost always for another?  If you shed tears, be honest with yourself as to what those tears are about, they are not about you --- a failure --- but about you, who isn’t satisfied that you couldn’t have done more then, and that you can’t do more now --- for others.

Isn’t that what Jesus felt?  Isn’t that why He cried?  Why can’t you look in the mirror and see Him there?  He is there, you know, in your heart.  Many a saint said the prayer: “I love You, Lord; help me to love You more.”  Even the saints were not satisfied; they wanted to do more also.

Maybe you think: my mother and my father are cursing each other, hurting each other --- and me --- and through your silent tears you cry aloud: “What can I do?”  Perhaps you are one who sees the children, just babies, starved, abused, unloved, and some literally being torn to pieces: “How could any human being do that?” --- and you sob: “What can I do?”

You look at the ignorant all around you; you look at the hurting and sad; you see those who sin and don’t care, and you want to change them, to help them: “What can I do?”  And it never seems enough.  Look in the mirror and see the truth:  He felt all those things too!  And yet, He didn’t educate the many fools; He didn’t heal everyone.  He didn’t change every sinner’s heart --- but, He loved them all when He asked; “What can I do?”

You look at those suffering, those you love, and you want to do anything; you want to do EVERYTHING!  You would die to end their pain --- and looking back, sometimes you wish you did.  There is so much more you wished you had done.  But listen to yourself: your feeling that you did not do enough, your wanting to die --- that’s what HE did.  It’s what HE did!  By your life, your love, you imitate Him so much, but you can’t BE Him.  He died once and for all, so that you never would.  And He loves you so much; He too asked: “What can I do,” and He did --- for you.

You may think: my parent, my loved one, is dying; what more can be done; where is God when I need Him; there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to fix this --- it is my responsibility; no one else cares, and you look to heaven: “What can I do?”  And you cry at your weakness, your failure.  And you grow angry that you hear no answers. 

You look to me, a friend, with your sorrows, your frustrations, and I find no adequate response to your tears.  “You don’t understand,” you tell me.  And in my heart I agree.  And I too say a prayer to the One Who does understand, Who does care, and I ask Him: “What can I do?”

And He just smiles.

He sees in me, and He sees in you, what He came to give His life for: to teach us to love, to speak up when others are suffering, to ask: “What can I do?”

Look around you, my friend, and be honest.  How many others do you see saying: “What can I do?”  How many more ignore the suffering, the dying, and only know how, first and foremost, to love themselves.  And then look at them very closely and see: for as much as they devote their lives and fortunes to loving themselves, they don’t feel loved.  You ask: “What can I do,” and in asking you cry tears of sadness, but I assure you, my friend, He cries tears of joy, for you.

Because you loved, He will always remember those you love.  He is the one who controls that place as the Master of the House, “where there will be no more sorrow and no more tears,” and where you and those you love will meet in joy with Him.

So go ahead, cry your tears and ask: “What can I do?”  Don’t be satisfied it is enough! --- you can never love enough --- but don’t be sad, my friend, that you fail.  Look honestly in the mirror and see what he sees:  one who won’t stop trying, one of His children.

And perhaps just once in a while, wipe your tears, put on a brave face, and speak to the one you love and say: “You know I love you; I won’t stop trying to show you my love.”  And smile at them.  This is a true way to ease their sorrows, comfort their pains, and help them to bear anything --- because you will always be with them.  Always. 

As He is with you.

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The more our love for God grows, the less we need to ask what to do.  Love answers many questions!
            - -  Thirsting For Prayer, P114 – Jacques Philippe

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I’m so glad, I’m so glad
You’re in my life
To see the world through Your eyes
I thank You, You make me the best I can be,
knowing there is no greater love.
-- From the song No Greater Love, by Eric Genuis