Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
that the course of our world
may be directed by Your peaceful rule
and that Your Church may rejoice,
untroubled in her devotion.
In making this prayer tangible for during the week, the following reflection questions emerged:
1. How is my world currently directed?
2. What do I need to do this week to bring my world under God's rule?
3. What does it mean to me to have my life directed by God?
4. What does God's peaceful rule mean to me?
5. What does it mean for the Church to rejoice in her devotion untroubled?
6. What can I do in my parish to assist the Church to continue to rejoice and be untroubled in her devotion?
Today's Gospel is particularly challenging one for our society today and it could benefit from this Scripture passage. It is even challenging for believers as well. Actually I found myself thinking at Mass this morning, whilst the Gospel was being read "' well that's ok God, but the Gas and water and electricity companies wont wait until I can draw on the heavenly bank account"' Thankfully I caught the thought and refocused on the Gospel as it was being read.
Recently I had the experience of dreading the commitments I had to do. I have to say that I did agonize over them quite a lot before the due date. God is good- all the commitments worked out so much better than even I could have hoped. I also thought of this during the Gospel reading.!!!
I wished I had recalled the words of Christ in this Gospel during that time. Hopefully, I will recall it for another occasion.
Of course God does not mean us not to plan for the future, but to plan in a healthy manner.
''What ifs'' are useful if we pose the question, reflect upon some solutions and then make a choice and move forward. The ''What if's'' paralyse us though if we get stuck in them and worry ourselves sick and do not make any choices.
Living tomorrow instead of today is enslaving and more enslaving than our occupations, are our pre-occupations. To be pre-occupied means to fill our time and place long before we are there. This is worrying in the most specific sense of the world. It is a mind filled with ‘what ifs’. Much of mankind’s suffering is connected with these pre-occupations. Preoccupations can make people feel anxious, fearful, suspicious, greedy, nervous and morose. This prevents them from feeling a real inner freedom. Since the person is always preparing for eventualities, they seldom fully trust the moment. Much human energy is invested in these fearful pre-occupations.
What we all need to do is to put God first always since God treats us as friends not slaves.
As Lent approaches, I hope that you will have time to review your spiritual life and decide on what you intend to do during Lent.
Today's Gospel is particularly challenging one for our society today and it could benefit from this Scripture passage. It is even challenging for believers as well. Actually I found myself thinking at Mass this morning, whilst the Gospel was being read "' well that's ok God, but the Gas and water and electricity companies wont wait until I can draw on the heavenly bank account"' Thankfully I caught the thought and refocused on the Gospel as it was being read.
Recently I had the experience of dreading the commitments I had to do. I have to say that I did agonize over them quite a lot before the due date. God is good- all the commitments worked out so much better than even I could have hoped. I also thought of this during the Gospel reading.!!!
I wished I had recalled the words of Christ in this Gospel during that time. Hopefully, I will recall it for another occasion.
Of course God does not mean us not to plan for the future, but to plan in a healthy manner.
''What ifs'' are useful if we pose the question, reflect upon some solutions and then make a choice and move forward. The ''What if's'' paralyse us though if we get stuck in them and worry ourselves sick and do not make any choices.
Living tomorrow instead of today is enslaving and more enslaving than our occupations, are our pre-occupations. To be pre-occupied means to fill our time and place long before we are there. This is worrying in the most specific sense of the world. It is a mind filled with ‘what ifs’. Much of mankind’s suffering is connected with these pre-occupations. Preoccupations can make people feel anxious, fearful, suspicious, greedy, nervous and morose. This prevents them from feeling a real inner freedom. Since the person is always preparing for eventualities, they seldom fully trust the moment. Much human energy is invested in these fearful pre-occupations.
What we all need to do is to put God first always since God treats us as friends not slaves.
As Lent approaches, I hope that you will have time to review your spiritual life and decide on what you intend to do during Lent.
May we all come to trust in God's loving providence more during this week.
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