1. Posted by Mary on Monday, Nov 24, 2008 4:18 PM (EST):
AMEN, Sister!!! God bless your Thanksgiving (and all the dirty dishes that go w/it!)!!!
Daily Joy
Finding it in all circumstances
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Monday, November 24, 2008 3:03 PM
We attend a parish named for Christ the King, so yesterday’s feast is a special one there. Our usual Mass was very spirited yesterday, and as an extra treat there was a brand-new transitional deacon there. He grew up in the parish and also happens to be one of my college classmates. He read the Gospel and gave the homily, and if his homily was any indication, this man is going to be an incredible priest.
During his homily he mentioned an encounter he’d once had with a Christian woman who was praising God despite the fact that her home had just been wrecked by a gas explosion. He described her story of hiding in the bathtub while the explosion was happening, and of her joy at having survived, her clear trust in the assurance that God was watching over her. He was emphasizing her willingness to rejoice in all circumstances, and as he talked I prayed, “Lord, if or when I ever have to face big tragedies in my life, please give me that same grace to be able to rejoice in the midst of them.”
It wasn’t until hours later when I was meditating on the words that I realized that maybe I’d missed the real point.
My life is blessedly free from tragedy and trial, and yet I often still am grumpy and dissatisfied. I will let bad night’s sleep wreck my morning, let a toddler who wakes up early from her nap or a sink full of dirty dishes put a cloud over my afternoon.
I am not saying that it is bad to experience normal human emotion, but I know the difference in my own heart between working through frustration and disappointment and letting them possess me, and I choose the latter far too often.
For me at least, it is easy to remember that I need grace in overwhelming circumstances, less easy to remember that I also need it to face everyday circumstances, the little things that sometimes add up to take the joy right out of my existence.
So this week, in honor of the kingship of our Savior and as a nod to our American celebration of Thanksgiving, I’m going to take the lesson I’m pretty sure the Holy Spirit was trying to give me through my old classmate’s homily. I’m going to start asking for the grace to rejoice in all the relatively-easy circumstances of my own life, dirty dishes included.
I know that sometimes I’m going to need grace just to be able to ask for grace, but I’m confident that our all-powerful Lord is fully able to provide that too.
Hopefully, pretty soon I’ll be able to laugh as I do those dishes! Wouldn’t that be a great way to give glory to Christ the King?
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Filed under grace, joy, lessons, personal devotion
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2. Posted by Ashley [website] on Monday, Nov 24, 2008 5:13 PM (EST):
I loved this.
What a beautiful meditation.
(I’m always up for a challenge to be less grumpy!)
3. Posted by Julie on Monday, Nov 24, 2008 6:06 PM (EST):
Having just returned from the grocery store with five children in tow on the Monday before Thanksgiving at the normal after-work rush time, I sat down to read this already realizing that grumpiness is a very real part of my every day existence. I hate the fact that under stress, I grump (and eat, but that is another post). I don’t want to grump, especially at my kids, but it is sometimes far too easy to do it while trying to navigate a busy store with kids who want to touch everything. Tonight, however, I will ask for the grace not to be grumpy. Thanks, Arwen, for allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me through your writing!
4. Posted by KimK [website] on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008 1:11 PM (EST):
Boy, did I need to read this today! I have been nothing but grumpy and overwhelmed with things I “must” do. I’m going to take this challenge, too, and rejoice in the midst of my trials.
5. Posted by Carrie on Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008 9:56 AM (EST):
I am so happy to read this, this is exactly what I needed today. I feel the same way most of the time. I also need the grace to be happy with all the small dissappointments and rejoice in the wonderful life God has given me!! Thank you Arwen.
6. Posted by Petroni [website] on Sunday, Nov 30, 2008 1:32 PM (EST):
I am still working hard on this, but am finding it somewhat easier to rejoice amidst challenges than it used to be. I really do want to be one of those people who praises God in all things!
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