From The Deacons' Desk
Quiet our anxious spirits, Lord, and help us enjoy the peace you give which this crazy world cannot take away. Amen.
Yep, we have certainly been anxious these last few weeks. Who knows, as this Deacons’ Desk is being written what tomorrow will bring. Sickness, stress, anxiety, media frenzy, warnings, danger. Do you remember the TV show, Lost in Space? “Danger, Will Robinson!”, shouted the robot, especially when Dr. Smith, the accidental stowaway spy, and because his extra weight threw the whole ship off course, got himself into trouble which affected the rest of the Robinson clan.
But, really, isn’t there always something that throws us off course? Something, that worries us and messes up the plan, our life, our faith our hope?
We should be on the lookout for danger, because we are all facing challenging times, for sure.
Doesn’t it seem like our world is coming to a place like the world into which Our Lord, Jesus, was born? Strange killer viruses, corrupt politicians, economic downturn, religious persecution, job security, personal security, sexual abuse, racism, misogyny, poverty, hunger, no control, sickness, frenzy, losses of many kinds, killing of the innocent, mob mentality, hoarding, and perhaps the greatest crime; indifference towards others.
Sounds like Jesus’s world, doesn’t it? It was a world like ours that Jesus was born. A world with all its sin, fears, and awful horrors, that Jesus took on himself, on his shoulders so it could be nailed to the cross.
To say that Jesus taught us a lot is an understatement. What comes to mind now are two of His sayings, “Do not be afraid, believe,” and “Do not doubt but believe.” We all have our doubts at times. We all experience fear. Some people let that fear turn their doubts into unbelief. Remember these two sayings when fear enters into you. Believe in Jesus. He believes in us.
Soon, in this world of ours, we will wake up Easter morning, and listen to scripture. We hear the angel speak to the women who come to the tomb to put spices on Jesus’ dead body, say, “He’s not here, he has been raised, as He said, … Go and tell his disciples.” (Matthew 27:66). Finding Jesus gone and resurrected gives us HOPE and says all of this horror in our world has no permanent power at all.
Hope allows us to connect to God and our life now and after.
Teresa of Avila, a sixteenth-century Spanish mystic, said, “Let nothing disturb you, nothing dismay you. All things are passing, God never changes. Patient endurance attains all things. God alone suffers.”
When our course in life changes, try hard to hear these words. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)
Alleluia, He is risen! Happy Easter!
Yep, we have certainly been anxious these last few weeks. Who knows, as this Deacons’ Desk is being written what tomorrow will bring. Sickness, stress, anxiety, media frenzy, warnings, danger. Do you remember the TV show, Lost in Space? “Danger, Will Robinson!”, shouted the robot, especially when Dr. Smith, the accidental stowaway spy, and because his extra weight threw the whole ship off course, got himself into trouble which affected the rest of the Robinson clan.
But, really, isn’t there always something that throws us off course? Something, that worries us and messes up the plan, our life, our faith our hope?
We should be on the lookout for danger, because we are all facing challenging times, for sure.
Doesn’t it seem like our world is coming to a place like the world into which Our Lord, Jesus, was born? Strange killer viruses, corrupt politicians, economic downturn, religious persecution, job security, personal security, sexual abuse, racism, misogyny, poverty, hunger, no control, sickness, frenzy, losses of many kinds, killing of the innocent, mob mentality, hoarding, and perhaps the greatest crime; indifference towards others.
Sounds like Jesus’s world, doesn’t it? It was a world like ours that Jesus was born. A world with all its sin, fears, and awful horrors, that Jesus took on himself, on his shoulders so it could be nailed to the cross.
To say that Jesus taught us a lot is an understatement. What comes to mind now are two of His sayings, “Do not be afraid, believe,” and “Do not doubt but believe.” We all have our doubts at times. We all experience fear. Some people let that fear turn their doubts into unbelief. Remember these two sayings when fear enters into you. Believe in Jesus. He believes in us.
Soon, in this world of ours, we will wake up Easter morning, and listen to scripture. We hear the angel speak to the women who come to the tomb to put spices on Jesus’ dead body, say, “He’s not here, he has been raised, as He said, … Go and tell his disciples.” (Matthew 27:66). Finding Jesus gone and resurrected gives us HOPE and says all of this horror in our world has no permanent power at all.
Hope allows us to connect to God and our life now and after.
Teresa of Avila, a sixteenth-century Spanish mystic, said, “Let nothing disturb you, nothing dismay you. All things are passing, God never changes. Patient endurance attains all things. God alone suffers.”
When our course in life changes, try hard to hear these words. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)
Alleluia, He is risen! Happy Easter!
