October 3, 2006
“He would withdraw to a deserted place to pray.” Lk 5:16
When I read this passage, a flood of thoughts ran through my mind: “Was there no more work to do? Were there no more sick to heal? What happened to all those possessed by demons? What about the hungry? The lonely? The orphans? The widows? Of course much remained to be done. We could say the same thing in our own lives. Isn’t there one more task to do? One more page to read? Another telephone call to make? Another place to clean? Another letter to write? The answer is and always will be YES! Yes, there is always more that could be done.
But what is the most important thing that can be done? An attitude can begin to develop after a while. One that deceives us into believing that we need to do more, no matter how much we are already doing. The nagging voice tells me that what I’ve done isn’t enough. It lulls me into thinking that there just isn’t enough time to enjoy the beauty of life. Or the attitude that cajoles by convincing me that I can only be happy and enjoy God’s gifts after I have completed this or that task or after this or that person treats me better. This self-destructive attitude creeps in and pulls us into a mode of living that convinces us that we cannot live in joy right now.
But the truth is that both you and I can choose to live joyfully right now. We can choose to see life as beautiful and wonderful. We can begin to make it better right now by choosing to foster a more peaceful attitude. By focusing on the eternal, everlasting value of God’s love rather than the passing circumstances of life, peace begins to enter into our hearts. Of course you have problems and difficulties in your life, so do I. Maybe your problem right now is financial, or maybe you are going through an emotionally difficult time, or maybe you’re having tensions in your relationship with your spouse, your kids, your parents, or your boss. The question is not if you have problems, but rather what is your attitude toward them. We can focus on the passing problem or we can focus on the everlasting greatness of God.
The Book of Sirach tells us that whatever we choose will be given to us (Sr 15:17). Both you and I can choose right now the type of attitude we want to have. We can choose to trust in God or we can choose to doubt. We can choose to believe that God will bring good out of the situation or we can despair. We can choose to see the beauty of life or we can worry about our problems. We can choose to trust that what needs to get done will get done. We can look at the good side of the people in our lives or we can complain about them. We can choose a more joyful attitude, confident that God will give it to us (maybe not all at once, but He will begin to give it as soon as we begin to take it). We can choose to believe the Truth that Jesus is enough.
Know that the Almighty God has given you the power to choose. Choose well! Don’t wait! Start living now in the joy that the Lord Jesus came to bring you. Take the time to see the world as God sees it. Take time to “withdraw to a deserted place to pray.” You won’t be disappointed.
Pax et bonum
Br. Giuseppe Maria Siniscalchi, CFR
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