After a Week Like We’ve Just Had, There is Only One Thing To Do

Our government’s decisions as a result of the infamous “Shutdown” have had my blood on a slow boil all week. But this is Sunday, and I don’t want to be political today.

[But did you hear about the civilian priests who have government contracts to minister to the military? They are forbidden access to military bases during the shutdown–even if they are volunteering their time to say Mass for Catholic service men and women. Ugh. There goes my blood again.]

No, we’re not going to talk about all that today–

[Not to mention all the scenic overlooks with barricades around them, because no one will be available to empty the trashcans. Apparently no one in our government has enough confidence in the populace to do what any small hotel does: post a sign.  How about this sign to be posted on all monuments, national parks, overlooks, etc:

 “View at your own risk, and please take your trash with you. This site is not being maintained due to the current shutdown.”

How difficult would that be? **Sigh** Never mind.]

Nope. I don’t even want to THINK about all that nonsense today…

[Oh–and in Florida, the government has decided to close…THE OCEAN.] 

You know, right now I’m just one more angry person in this country. We are basically all angry right now, no matter which side of any issue we’re on. And we all blame the other side for the predicament we’re in. Both sides are sure they are right, and have arguments to support their position.

We worry about the debt, about health insurance, about jobs, about frivolous spending, about politicians’ inability to compromise enough to get anything done.  We worry about the state of the world, the wars raging, the innocents killed, the threat of terrorism, the sense of insecurity, the dangers of travel.

We ALL worry about these things. Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Libertarians.

But I’m supposed to be a Christ-follower. And I have been expressly commanded not to be anxious about these things–or anything else. I’m instructed to take all my concerns to the Lord in prayer, and to begin by thanking Him for everything that I can think of.

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OK, Father. Here I am, at the end of an incredible week–I mean, really unbelievable. But I don’t have to tell You that. I’m sure You’ve been shaking Your head, too. Or maybe not. Nothing surprises You, does it?

Thank You for being the God Who Sees; nothing escapes Your notice. Thank You for being the LORD our Provider–economies crumble, insurance is unaffordable and food is dear, but You have promised to supply all our needs through Your riches in Christ. Thank You for those riches–the wealth of hope, of joyful expectancy which is ours.

And while I’m at it, thank You for creation. Autumnal beauty is all around us now: vibrant trees against brilliant blue skies, harvest in, air crisp. You have crowned the year with Your bounty. It’s all there, to be seen and reveled in.

I am so thankful for family, for friends, for Church. I am thankful for every day I wake to draw breath among so many people I love. I am thankful for meaningful work to do, and the strength to get it done. With Your help I intend to keep on doing it until I am physically unable, or until You call me home.

You know all about all that noise out there in the world, Lord. We have to live with it, and we need all Your wisdom to cope with it. But any time it threatens to overwhelm us with fear, any time it makes us tremble or weep or rage…that’s a good time to stop and talk to You about it. Because when we bring it to You, there is one promised result.

Peace.  It doesn’t make sense to the world out there. But it makes sense in here.

Peace. Be still.

Thanks, Father.