Father Simone’s Word of the Week

An image came to mind during spiritual direction one day.  In our relationship with the Lord, often we bring Him our relationships, situations and problems.  Often we pray to God about fixing these things ourselves.  That’s a conundrum.  This vivid image came to my mind, which I can only credit to the Holy Spirit.  It was of little children sitting on the living room floor, trying to build a house.  They were distressed as the blocks kept falling apart, not getting it right.  All the while, their parent watched in love, loving how hard they are trying and yet, holding their children’s whole world together in their hands.  Cue God to us “I’m holding your whole world in My hands.”  He loves us for caring about many things.  He appreciates how we are trying, but we’re the child.  When we are distressed, tossed about in our little boat, He owns the entire ocean on which we sail.  When we sit on the floor, desperately trying to fix things with our little hands, we, it, them and our whole world is in His hands.  Our marriage is in His hands.  Our spouse is in His hands.  Our brother, sister, friend, this person, that relationship, that situation we are so intent on fixing, not knowing how: He sees, He knows, loves, knows what we need and knows what to do.  So if we were believe this, which is true, why would we still choose to worry?  For a parent, confidant or more vastly so, Jesus to tell us everything we are worried about, doesn’t that mean He knows and knows better?  Wouldn’t trust itself and taking our hands off give Him the power do more, rather everything?  Our right and worthy response to Jesus, in the true nature of a child should be “I trust you.  I surrender myself to you.  You take care of everything.” 

At both parishes, the “Surrender Novena” has been encouraged to pray.  If you are not aware of this novena, forgotten about it or thought “It’s just another prayer card”, the nature of everything I’ve been talking about is contained in this changing, childlike prayer.  Jesus tells us everything we are worried about, then tells us we shouldn’t worry about any of it.  Rather tell Him with definitive faith: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you.  You take care of everything.”  We have to learn to let Him provide in ways have nothing to do with us, except by our trust.  Then having trusted Him entirely with something and learning He does, we come to trust without proof or plan, knowing He will.  From Day 2: Jesus tells us our worry, rather than surrender is like the confusion children feel when they ask their mother for their needs, then try to take care of it themselves and get in their mother’s way.