Love and Discern

      July brought us many great scriptures to guide us through the trials that our world is facing currently. We were told not to grow weary, but to trust in God's plan. 
      In a time when many of us are feeling helpless and maybe as if God just might be a little quiet at the moment, it is easy to just admit defeat. Although the scriptures were written by man, their inspired words offer us a path towards strength. This does not mean that we should not be sensitive to the world around us. Quite the opposite. We SHOULD still be, but we should also allow ourselves to be open to being a light in that world, no matter how small that light may be.
      After baptism and confirmation, we are called to live a new life. We are often called to do difficult things in this new life. While we might have chosen to keep to ourselves before, we are called to follow a path that will have a new set of trials, but with a promise of a greater reward at the end. We are called to put Christ at the center, above all else. This means keeping his teachings above other beliefs that we might hold. This is increasingly hard in today's world.
      Much like a tree, that is burdening with too much fruit, we make bend or break. But under the right conditions, we flourish.
In a world where there is so many unknowns and so many of us question how we can possibly be doing the right thing if so many actively fight against us, this passage can be a source of comfort. God weeps at our planet being constantly harmed by overdevelopment and other environmental destruction. He weeps when child are intentionally harmed. He weeps we entire populations are intentionally starved. He also weeps when don't do anything against it. We must work to the fullest of our ability to fight against these harms. This can be by something as simple as hosting beach clean-ups, visiting a shut-in neighbor, or offering to come sit with the children of a widow/widower or single parent when they just need some extra support. It can be as extravagant as writing to our local and national government representations to speak out, running for an office ourselves, or hosting a special gathering to support or speak out.
      Many things about God are not known to us. Sometimes that makes us feel alone, but it should do the opposite. Take it as a challenge. Many of us played mystery games as children. Go back to that part of childhood. Take little tidbits as these as use them to lead you to the answers you seek. Perhaps when God feels silent, He may just be silently listening and giving us the time to work through our questions.
      When we receive Jesus through the waters of baptism, we should continue to live our lives rooted in him. We are to seek him continually, turning away from traditions and practices that cause us to stray. We are not to let anyone judge us for how we practice, as long as we keep Him as the focus.  What practices do we find that bring us closer to Jesus? There are many Christians who also find comfort in Buddhism (as Buddhism is more based on practices of peaceful and intentional living, versus worshipping a certain deity). Many regularly attend yoga and practice Eastern methods of meditation. A hike to a waterfall and reveling in the stillness of nature shows us the beauty that He has created, without the interference of creations of man. Certainly a game of pickleball can also offer that stillness.
      How do you combat the things that take you away from Jesus? In today's world, we are often pulled in every way but towards him, especially as we begin to feel hopeless with all of the cruelty and pain happening around us. I challenge you to find something new, maybe even a little unconventional to bring you back to him or to a place where you can commune with him in that stillness.