WORRYING
Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
Jesus talks about worrying about the future. “You will be brought before kings and governors, all because of my name,” he told his disciples. “I bid you resolve not to worry about your defense beforehand, for I will give you words and a wisdom which none of your adversaries can take exception to or contradict.” We might never have to worry about being arrested for our faith, but we do have many other things to face in the future.
An appointment with the doctor, a meeting with the boss, an apology, a confession, a confrontation, a difficulty of whatever kind - we all have to face them sooner or later. And we tend to worry about them. Jesus tells us not to. If we have faith, if we have confidence in him, he and all the forces of heaven will be there to help us through.
God can only help us in the present moment. He cannot help us with the future until the future becomes the present. In the present time only can he give us courage and wisdom and success. Sure, we should prepare ourselves for future happenings, even for future possibilities, but to worry and become nervous wrecks over them is not only a waste of time, it is a measure of our faith.
Remember that story about Peter getting out of the boat and starting to walk on the water towards Jesus? He was doing fine until he took his eyes off Jesus. Then he began to sink. We often make that same mistake. We take our eyes of f Christ and stare at our future problems. Then we sink into worrying.
“Don’t worry,” Jesus tells us, “I will be there to help you.” If we try harder to believe him maybe we’d sleep better at night.
