I didn’t have a bad day last Wednesday. I just happened to run into a lot of bad news in a rather short amount of time.
Strike one: Barack Obama, the man who stands for change. Wednesday afternoon I ran into my sister who informed me that Obama also decided to stand before the citizens of Pennsylvania and say not only that babies were a punishment, but that becoming pregnant and contracting an STD were the same thing. I watched the Youtube clips and asked God if He knew we had an election coming up.
Later on in the evening, I arrived at work for Strike two: My co-workers told me that Sam’s club would now be limiting the amount of rice its customers could purchase on account of the rice shortage in Asia. I looked at them like they were crazy. Rice is one of the most important crops in the world, a staple in the diet of millions, and we’re running out? I told God I didn’t think that was a very good option.
The third strike came just after my shift. I offered to take Jessica, one my co-workers, home, but I had to wait awhile before she was able to leave. I decided to grab a National Geographic on climate change and proceeded to read about three articles, all detailing the less than pleasant consequences of global warming. (Less than pleasant meaning catastrophic.) I stared at the pictures of melting ice caps until Jessica was ready to go. By the time we walked out the door, I was overwhelmed, almost certain the we’d exit the building to find the apocalypse in full swing.
And now here I am, almost a week later, still wondering about the struggles of the future and only just now finally taking a look at the Gospel readings from the last couple of weeks:
(Last week) John14: “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.”
(This week) John 15: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Those two readings speak volumes to the worries in my heart. Global warming, world hunger, the circus of our political system–definitely the fight for life–all present these monster problems that I am incapable of fixing. And that bothers me to no end. I want to fix things! But the truth is, I am much too small to fix them for the good. God on the other hand is nowhere near small. God is HUGE, and omnipotent, AND completely active within His creation. Meaning, we are not without hope. God is trustworthy enough to put right that which we have knocked so far off kilter. AND He lets us take part in the process.
Thus we have an option: to hope in the work of Christ or to despair in the toils of the world. That is the jumping off point of any ministry you will ever do. Either God’s promises are true and His word is good, or the world is right and we are without hope.
As we get ready for convocation this summer, I pray that God is preparing the hearts of our young people, getting you ready to catch a fire for the Most Holy. To become a branch that will bear the fruit of healing that our world undoubtedly needs. So…
Here’s hoping,
Sarah
