Don’t worry!

The story is told about a priest and little Jimmy, who would not go inside the church because he was worried that his bike parked outside would be stolen. Having been apprised of Jimmy’s problem, the priest assured him: “The Holy Spirit will watch over your bike.” Once inside the church, the boy prayed: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son. Amen.” The priest told him: “Jimmy, your prayer is incomplete. Where is the Holy Spirit?” Jimmy replied: “Oh, he’s outside, watching over my bike!”

In today’s Gospel (Mt. 6, 24-34), Jesus reminds us not to worry, but to trust in our loving Father who loves us and who provides for us. May God give us the grace to trust more, and worry less.

Little Jimmy was worried about his bike. What about us? We worry about so much more, and with so much more intensity. But whether we are worried about a bike or a car, or about our very life, the secret is not to forget the Holy Spirit. Whenever you are worried, pray fervently and continuously: “Come, Holy Spirit…”

Somebody once said: “Worrying is like sitting on a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” How true! When you are burdened with useless worries and anxieties, why not go down on your knees instead, and pray? Worry, and you’ll be sorry. Pray, and you’ll be happy.

Trusting God does not mean becoming passive and fatalistic. On the contrary, our trust in God should lead us toward diligence and perseverance precisely because we are assured that there is a God who loves us, and we can and must do our very best. As the saying goes, “Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if
everything depends on you.”

Do I worry about our country and what is happening around us? Like you, I certainly do. We should be worried, but we also should not panic. God is in perfect control of everything and everyone. People come and go. Proud leaders are here now, but they, too, will soon be gone. Through it all, we believe that goodness will triumph.

“No storm lasts forever.” Let us keep saying this to ourselves whenever we go through trials and sufferings of any kind. According to a text message I received, we shouldn’t wallow in our problems: “Kung may pinagdadaanan kang problema, daanan mo lang. Huwag kang umistambay dyan.” And please hold on to the Lord who tells us: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46,10).

It’s amazing how things fall into place when we really listen. There’s so much noise and distraction outside and inside us, and in such a situation it is so easy to be overwhelmed by worldly pressures and concerns. And before we know it, we have become angry, stressed, and exhausted. May God give us the grace to take time and make time to really listen to Him in prayer. In prayer, our worries disappear, our fears vanish, our pride is diminished, our anger is calmed, and our tears dry.

“Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single moment to your life span?” Only God knows how long we will live, so let
us not be overly concerned. In the end,
it is not we who will determine how
long we will be on this earth. Man, be not proud. We all can go anytime, anywhere, and God is in control of anything and anyone in our lives.

March 1, Ash Wednesday, reminds us that we “are dust, and to dust we will return…” The message of Lent for all of us is not to worry about our worldly concerns, but, on the contrary, to be reminded that life is short, that we are all just passing through, and that Heaven is our final destination.

Today, please ask yourself what you are worried about. More than your valid worries, your greater worry should be if you will pass the final examinations in Heaven. We all will come face to face with our God someday. What will He ask from us? What will we tell Him then?

A moment with the Lord:
Lord, help us to worry less, and trust
You more. Amen.