Hello Friends,

It’s been a bit difficult to be in the thankful spirit lately.

The past month has been a time of unprecedented illness for me. I’ve managed to burn through every last sick day I stored up during the pandemic and then some. (There are few things I covet more than vacation days and using them for sick days hurts my soul.) In the end, this time is reminding me of the awesome grace of those who live joyfully with chronic illness.

I do not comprehend how you do it!

My various symptoms are conspiring to make me a grumpy monster swimming in self-pity.

After all, I just want to serve my Lord, my family, and you, my parish family. I want to be able to plan powerful ministry. I want to take my wife on a trip. I want to take my daughter to the park. I want to keep leading this year’s amazing RCIA class into deeper conversion. I want to sleep through the night without choking and coughing and waking up my wife.

I want, I want, I want...

See the problem here?

It should never be about what I want.

I NEED to seek out and walk the road the Lord has for me. Of course, I need to do all I am able to get well. But if I do not get well, I need to ask what does the Lord seek of me in this circumstance. I do NOT need to be telling the Lord what I SHOULD be doing in another.

An easy paragraph to write—and a difficult one to live.

Let us reflect on this Sunday’s Psalm (25): “Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.”

***

A reminder that Best-selling author and host of the Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio, heard daily on 190 stations across the country will be our speaker on December 6th and 7th at 6:30PM for our Parish Advent Retreat. This event is free and open to all!

Comments, concerns, questions?
Email David at dlins@oloj.org

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