Reflections for February 1st, 2015, the 4th Sunday in Ordinary time. Scripture readings can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020115.cfm.
Anxiety is one of the most common uncomfortable experiences we have to deal with. It is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil that drains our energy, makes us irritable, puts us on edge, disrupts sleep, and negatively affects our mood. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older suffer from anxiety disorders. That's 18% of the U.S. population who cope with feelings of nervousness, worry, unease of stress - usually about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Often, anxiety disorders are accompanied by depression and regular doses of Xanax, Valium, or Prozac.
Thomas Merton said, "Anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity." Because today's second reading begins with the words "I want you to be free from anxieties," (1 Corinthians 7:32), it behooves us to sit up and pay attention.
Paul tells us that the cause of stress and anxiety is division within ourselves. Stress means that we are at odds with ourselves regarding a major or minor life issue. We should not live by double standards. We should never compromise our principles. These things tear us apart and cause anxiety.
Paul is encouraging us to put the Lord in the center of all we do. We are to trust in the Lord in all that happens in our lives. In all that occurs to us in life (whether married or single) we are to consider how Jesus would handle a person, a problem, condition, or project you might face in everyday life. We make our decisions based how we think Jesus would respond. You may recall the phrase a few years back, "WWJD", "What would Jesus do?" We should respond by how we think Jesus would respond.
Stress and anxiety occurs when we leave Jesus out of our lives and all we do. The single-hearted devotion to our Lord, Jesus Christ, recommended by St. Paul, can help end the confusion, provide a focus for us, and help us to know the mind and heart of Christ.
In one of my favorite quotes from St. Theresa of Avila, we hear, "Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing frighten you. Everything passes. God never changes. Patience obtains all. Whoever has God wants nothing. God alone is enough."
Put Jesus in the center of your life and in the center of all you do, and you will be free from anxiety, and have that peace that can only come from God.
Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Sometimes it is very hard, even for people committed to following the LORD faithfully, not to be fearful, worrisome & anxious & to trust in the LORD. There are some situations that are very stressful. In August I spent a week shuffling between working with my preschoolers & visiting my Dad in the surgical ICU & going through the "roller coaster" of seeing him on a respirator, then progressing to tubal oxygen, then back on the respirator, then progressing to tubal oxygen & then getting the news that he had passed from death to eternal life & seeing his now deceased body in the hospital. I am now responsible for helping Mom with many financial and business details, trying to help her as best I can, bringing her the Eucharist since she is homebound (this is, of course, a privilege), and trying to do what I can to help alleviate her pain and infirmities and realizing how limited I am and how some of her suffering is beyond my control to alleviate. Involuntarily the muscles in my neck, shoulders, back & chest tighten up and my blood pressure elevates. YES, our faith sustains us. I definitely relate to Our Lady who had to stand strong and silent with her heart breaking as she watched her Divine Son die on the Cross and was unable to change the situation but only offer comfort by her presence. But when you love someone and realize that no matter what you try to do to help, his suffering and her suffering still remain and when you are the one person responsible for juggling trying to provide tender loving care, doing errands, handling new business and financial issues, and having to balance these with job responsibilities it is very hard not to feel stressed and overwhelmed. I do not think people should be criticized for feeling stressed, worried, fearful and anxious in difficult circumstances, especially when efforts and prayer still do not seem to change the difficult circumstances. No "formulas" or pious rhetoric about accepting the Cross, please, especially when the cup of suffering of a loved one seems to be overflowing. I try to remember that the LORD is helping us one day at a time and I pray that at this difficult times of Mom's life and my life the LORD is carrying us so that we see only one set of footprints. YES, we are holding on to the LORD and trust that He is holding on to us as He promises. But it is still not easy.
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