I
InThePew
Guest
One of my first pastoral placements in the seminary was at a rest home where one of the residents was 90-year-old Sister Rosalie. While certainly strong willed, her body was weak, health declining and mobility limited. Even so, she was very much at peace with herself and the world, trusting that the Lord would come in his own time, unconcerned as to when, trusting that he would lead her through death to new life.
Both the very old and the very young are dependent on others but while adults dread being dependent, children naturally expect to need help and aren’t afraid to ask. Like Sister Rosalie, our faith should be a source of comfort and peace; knowing the Lord is with us, leading us, inviting us to place our trust in him. Of course, it doesn’t tend to work that way; for most of us it’s: “yes but…”
The secular world would say that we’re deluding ourselves, trying to escape the cold hard reality of life and all that matters is ourselves so really, we should pray to ourselves for ourselves. This is nothing new, Nietzsche the 19th century philosopher considered faith a comfort blanket which we need to leave behind to be adults and face up to the world. Before him, the Enlightenment emphasised reason above all, disinterested in anything unable to be measured or perceived by our senses. This in turn lead to the belief that humanity can eventually discover anything - even control life and death itself.
Then something comes along which shatters our smug self-assurance, scares the living daylights out of us, strikes at the heart of our sense of security, causing us to question what we believed, leaving us looking for answers which the world can’t give. This is COVID-19. This only affects adults though, my seven year old nephew has some understanding of the pandemic but isn’t bothered by it, isn’t afraid for the future because he trusts that those who love him will always be there when he needs them. This is how we should be, trusting that the Lord who loves us more than we can ever know or even imagine will always be there for us.
Christ wants us to be like children, with a childlike faith, trusting that the Father’s plans will be revealed in the fullness of time. That doesn’t mean we don’t ask questions or want to know more about what we believe - curiosity is a childhood trait after all. It does mean that we take comfort in our faith especially in times of uncertainty, knowing he is always with us, allowing him to lead and guide us, finding comfort and peace in him even in the face of hostility or hardship.
Taking his yoke upon ourselves means admitting we don’t have all the answers, aren’t in control of the world around us, and we’re okay with that. It means letting him be in control of our lives, working through those who love us. It’s not something we keen on, but is what’s best for us; we need a childlike trust to allow ourselves to imagine, to dream about God.
We need to become like him who became a child like us, allowing himself to be vulnerable, dependent, and loved. Who took on his shoulders not a yoke but a cross, showing his love by giving his life for us, trusting always that the Father was with him just as he is always with us.
Both the very old and the very young are dependent on others but while adults dread being dependent, children naturally expect to need help and aren’t afraid to ask. Like Sister Rosalie, our faith should be a source of comfort and peace; knowing the Lord is with us, leading us, inviting us to place our trust in him. Of course, it doesn’t tend to work that way; for most of us it’s: “yes but…”
The secular world would say that we’re deluding ourselves, trying to escape the cold hard reality of life and all that matters is ourselves so really, we should pray to ourselves for ourselves. This is nothing new, Nietzsche the 19th century philosopher considered faith a comfort blanket which we need to leave behind to be adults and face up to the world. Before him, the Enlightenment emphasised reason above all, disinterested in anything unable to be measured or perceived by our senses. This in turn lead to the belief that humanity can eventually discover anything - even control life and death itself.
Then something comes along which shatters our smug self-assurance, scares the living daylights out of us, strikes at the heart of our sense of security, causing us to question what we believed, leaving us looking for answers which the world can’t give. This is COVID-19. This only affects adults though, my seven year old nephew has some understanding of the pandemic but isn’t bothered by it, isn’t afraid for the future because he trusts that those who love him will always be there when he needs them. This is how we should be, trusting that the Lord who loves us more than we can ever know or even imagine will always be there for us.
Christ wants us to be like children, with a childlike faith, trusting that the Father’s plans will be revealed in the fullness of time. That doesn’t mean we don’t ask questions or want to know more about what we believe - curiosity is a childhood trait after all. It does mean that we take comfort in our faith especially in times of uncertainty, knowing he is always with us, allowing him to lead and guide us, finding comfort and peace in him even in the face of hostility or hardship.
Taking his yoke upon ourselves means admitting we don’t have all the answers, aren’t in control of the world around us, and we’re okay with that. It means letting him be in control of our lives, working through those who love us. It’s not something we keen on, but is what’s best for us; we need a childlike trust to allow ourselves to imagine, to dream about God.
We need to become like him who became a child like us, allowing himself to be vulnerable, dependent, and loved. Who took on his shoulders not a yoke but a cross, showing his love by giving his life for us, trusting always that the Father was with him just as he is always with us.
