What Everyone is Feeling

One

Almost everyone I speak to is experiencing fear, anxiety anger or frustration because everything is uncertain and it all feels out of control – out of my control that is. That is the real problem. It is all out of my control. And when things are out on my control I begin to feel at the mercy of random chaotic or worse, evil forces.

What is out of control are all the things we relied upon: our health, our ability to protect and provide for the well-being of our family, the system that we relied upon – the government, the Church (they were locked and could be again), distribution of food, water, electricity, public safety, the economy…

Everything has changed, everything has become unpredictable and unreliable, everything is out of our control.

Is this how you are feeling?

Two

The world has changed - but God has not changed. What then should I rely upon?

Well…God.

That does not mean I can be irresponsible and expect God to do my part.

Well, What is my part?

Each day get out of bed - Start with one hour of prayer with God your Father – unless you rely on yourself – in that case – spending time with God will prevent you from relying on yourself.

Flowing from your time of talking and listen to God your Father in prayer, look ahead, see what responsibilities and opportunities are there; Make a plan; take action; persevere and see things through to the end.

Simultaneously – surrender All to God your Father, relying on Him for everything;

Do both at the same time. Do your part; Surrender everything to God.

Don’t watch the news. You want to know reality because we need to live in reality, but you won’t get reality from the news. Don’t fill your mind with false ideas and a distorted view of reality. God in prayer will enable you to know reality.

Pray the Rosary

Go to Bed.

Three

God may allow pain, suffering and loss. Yet, remember, evil is evil and suffering can result from evil, but suffering is not evil. The purpose of pain and suffering can only be understood within the overall context of the purpose of the human person. The ultimate purpose of the human being is union with God. Suffering can be, is meant to be, something that moves us forward towards the divine destination, and it plays a crucial role at every stage of that journey. Pain and suffering can rouse us from our spiritual sloth and indifference so that we take our relationship with God and way we are living seriously. Once we are on the right path, suffering can prevent us from standing still, it keeps us moving forward toward God. Finally, suffering can empty us of all that has blocked God from filling our soul with himself. Therefore, the last leg of the journey, as St. John of the Cross describes it, is the Dark Night of the senses and of the spirit.

Sirach 2 My son, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes. Cling to him and do not leave him, so that you may be honored at the end of your days. Whatever happens to you, accept it, and in the uncertainties of your humble state, be patient, since gold is tested in the fire, and chosen men in the furnace of humiliation. Trust him and he will uphold you, follow a straight path and hope in him.

Four

John of the Cross describes the purification of The Dark Night using two images: In the purification of the senses, God is likened to a loving mother who first nurses her child, carries and caresses it in her arms, but who then must wean it, teach it both to walk on its own and to put aside the ways of childhood. In the other, the purification of the spirit, God's action is likened to fire working on and transforming a log of wood into a burning ember.

In this process of purification which is painful we must allow God to lead. Our job is to say yes, and to accept the Lord's work with all its consequences.

Our temptation will be to escape. The pain of body and soul is so great in the Dark Night that we would do almost anything to stop it. Resist this temptation. Keep your eyes fixed on the good you want – transforming union with God and the bliss of heaven on earth. Certainly do what is reasonable and moral to change what is evil or broken or diseased in your life, but do not try to escape those things you did not choose, do not like and cannot change. Numbing or escaping the pain will prevent God from doing what is necessary to empty and then fill us with himself. This is the hand of God. Say yes to all He is doing, don’t panic, hold fast and patiently endure with joy.

Five

1 Peter 5:6 Cast all your anxieties on to him, since he is looking after you.

The devil wants to think everything is out of control and no one is looking out for you.

That is not reality.

God is guiding all things for good – He has your back.

This is reality – learn to live in that!