E
EasterJoy
Guest
This is something I saved from a Lenten message that might help you get through the “I want to be worthwhile” trial:
*Penance doesn’t mean a thing if it’s not God’s Will. St. Theresa of Avila was so determined that she was going to do all these penances one Lent. Well, she got into bed and was so sick that everybody had to wait on her. She complained to the Lord and He said to her: “That was your penance, but this is mine for you.”
We all have ideas of how we’re going to be holy and how we’re going to do penance. It’s amazing what we’ll do if it’s our will, but if it’s God’s Will, we all scream.*
** – Mother Angelica**
You can look at this bedrest as God’s penance for you. Your job is to be as Christlike as you can as you go through it.
Of course, that means that whatever your baby needs, you put that before your own prideful desire to not ask for help or your desire to avoid admitting that you need to ask for help or not to depend on someone else and not to have something to congratulate yourself for when the day is over, not even ten rows of crochet, if that is how the day goes.
After that, though, it is all right to dare to enjoy what is your lot in life. You don’t have to put on a long face about it. It will probably be better for everyone else if you don’t. Make the best of it.
*Penance doesn’t mean a thing if it’s not God’s Will. St. Theresa of Avila was so determined that she was going to do all these penances one Lent. Well, she got into bed and was so sick that everybody had to wait on her. She complained to the Lord and He said to her: “That was your penance, but this is mine for you.”
We all have ideas of how we’re going to be holy and how we’re going to do penance. It’s amazing what we’ll do if it’s our will, but if it’s God’s Will, we all scream.*
** – Mother Angelica**
You can look at this bedrest as God’s penance for you. Your job is to be as Christlike as you can as you go through it.
Of course, that means that whatever your baby needs, you put that before your own prideful desire to not ask for help or your desire to avoid admitting that you need to ask for help or not to depend on someone else and not to have something to congratulate yourself for when the day is over, not even ten rows of crochet, if that is how the day goes.
After that, though, it is all right to dare to enjoy what is your lot in life. You don’t have to put on a long face about it. It will probably be better for everyone else if you don’t. Make the best of it.