What anxious people need more than anything is peace, especially peace of mind.
On Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) I went into one of those fancy stores that sells watches. The store was crowded and I could barely make my way to the counter. I was on a mission. I had a watch that needed a battery. I was certain that the last thing any clerk wanted to do on the busiest shopping day of the year was to install a new battery in a watch.
Much to my surprise the man said he would be glad to put in a new battery. I could leave it and pick it up later. When I came back, again much to my surprise, he only charged me $5.
In the midst of all that craziness, I experienced the reality that life goes on and the simplest of things continue in spite of all the craziness. I gratefully left the store, watch in hand, ticking along, marking time for years to come. I felt a sense of peace that God is still in the midst of all the chaos.
What this all says to me is that no matter how anxious the times we live in, God is not far away. The problem is that we are so afraid, that we miss God’s presence. We let those who use scare tactics mislead us.
We allow doom and darkness to dominate our lives rather than hope and light. Jesus is telling us that “to understand the world’s troubles as omens of doom is to misread them. The world’s tribulations and our personal trials can be understood as reasons for us to remain faithful, hopeful and optimistic.”
As told by Keith Wagner
“The problem is that we are so afraid, that we miss God’s presence. We let those who use scare tactics mislead us. We allow doom and darkness to dominate our lives rather than hope and light.”
I witness this happening everyday with so many people that I know. They are so afraid and so anxious. As I listen to what they are saying, I know exactly where they are coming from and why they are so upset and afraid. They were watching the same know-it-all talking heads on cable TV that I was watching the night before and that morning.
On Palm Sunday, Pope Francis said, “The Devil is taking advantage of our current crises to sow distrust, desperation and discord.”
There is so much of this going on right now that Holy Week will end with Good Friday for so many people this year: Jesus Is Dead! “Those People” Killed Jesus! End of Story! There Is No Easter Coming! God Has Abandoned His People and This Country!
There is nothing to rejoice in – just gloom and doom! The only thing to look forward to is watching more know-it-all talking heads sowing the Devil’s “distrust, desperation and discord.”
The end result – The Devil Wins!! – WHEN YOU DON’T SEE GOD’S PRESENCE IN WHAT’S GOING ON – THEN THE DEVIL WINS!! THERE’S HELL ON EARTH!! WHY? BECAUSE THE TRUTH GOT NAILED TO A CROSS AND DIED ON FRIDAY!
HOLY WEEK, 2021 –
Will you end your Holy Week on Good Friday so you can go and turn on your cable TV?
OR will you end your Holy Week on Easter Sunday by opening up your Bible and reading the Easter Story, one of Hope, Light and Joy —
Matthew 28: 1-20
Mark 16: 1-20
Luke 24: 1-11
John 20: 1-31
The Choice is YOURS!
LOVE IS WHEN A MAN WIPES YOUR TEARS, EVEN AFTER YOU LEFT HIM HANGING ON THE CROSS!
