WORRIED? WHO ME?

 Have you ever been worried?   Just keeping up with the news is cause enough.    We all have our share of worries:  illness and aging, family dramas, the threat to democracy, monster storms of fire, rain, snow, and . . . .     

Take heart! There are things we can do to shift our minds and hearts from worries – like celebrating:  February 1^st is St. Bridgit’s Day and the first day of Spring in Ireland. February 2^nd is the Presentation of the Lord – ‘the Light of Christ has come into the world,’ and Consecrated Life Sunday celebrating vowed persons who reflect Christ’s light.  (And we take down our Christmas decorations.)    For those who are interested, there is the Super Bowl.  Valentines Day.  Mardi Gras.  Lunar New Year of the Horse, Feb 17-March 5.  

There is also Ash Wednesday and Lent. Technically, not a time of celebration but, we do sing at the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil: "O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam and Eve, which gained for us so great and glorious a Redeemer!"   This reminds us to laugh.  Julian of Norwich laughed at the powerlessness of the devil and rejoiced at Jesus’ victory over death.  “Joy is resistance.” says Dr. Maria J. Stephen, a Catholic consultant on non-violent protest. 

They say rubbing a worry stone calms the soul.  This, along with prayer, slows our heartbeat and releases the oxytocin hormone leaving you with a feeling of peace and connection.  

If we look to the foundress of the Redemptoristines, we see that Blessed Celeste had worries also, such as being labeled delusional, expelled from the monastery and investigated by the Inquisition.  While praying on the God/Man Jesus’ humiliating death on the cross, Jesus invited her to “Give your attention to the treasure which I revealed to you on the cross in which my eternal glory is enclosed.”

In faith and prayer, she responded, “The sweetnesses of your infinite glory are hidden in your humiliations!  How can I ever thank you as you invite me to keep you company on the cross as you gaze on me with your divine light.”

Could our worries be treasures, too?  By our own faith and prayer, we can grow and experience transformation as we are being rubbed smooth when we unite ourselves to Jesus on the cross and discover the graces and gifts in the sweet acceptance of those hidden graces of the crosses we bear.

Let us look on the cross, polish our worry stones and then bask calmly in the merciful gaze of Christ’s divine light and love, and laugh as we begin this Lenten season.