I watched some good films on Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa this week and I think it’s safe to say that God is super proud of these two kids. They’re great modern day examples of what Jesus expects of us in regards to listening to God’s voice, following the call, and loving every one along the way. I’ve been trying to follow their examples, but I think I’m falling a bit short. I find that I’m still talking AT God instead of listening to him – why can’t I stop that? And I’m afraid he may have told me what my life assignment is already and I just didn’t hear him because I was talking too much - which would be high school all over again. Then the other day, instead of loving thy neighbor, I rolled my eyes at a patient when he wasn’t looking, because he was driving me crazy with his persistent ‘are-you-sure-you-know-what-you’re-doing’ line of questioning. I felt bad about that.
To make myself feel better, I tried to get a visual of Jesus rolling his eyes as he walked past a poor beggar on the street, but I just couldn’t see it. I remind myself that just because I rolled my eyes at this person doesn’t mean I don’t care about him. It just means that while I want to do my best to help him, in that particular moment, his slightly annoying behavior made it difficult for me to look at him, so my eyes simply escaped to the back of my head temporarily. I’ve prayed about it and I’m confident I’ll do better next time.
Reviewing these two extraordinary lives was good for me, because it’s easy to get caught up in the worldly world and forget the words of St Francis - which are great words to live by. I want to make a difference in this world while I’m living in it and that’s hard to do when you’re all wrapped up in your own drama. I realize that I don’t have to go as far as becoming a nun like Mother Teresa to do kind and generous things – that was her calling. Of course, if I ever get tired of waiting for Theodore (?) to show up, I know God’s always got a room reserved at the convent for me. But, I think I’ll wait for him……
In the meantime…..
Lord, Make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
I gotta go….I’ve got some serious work to do!
Who’s With Me?
2 comments:
Hi Sheri - I'm Kate over at MissGotWings. New to your blog, but I just want to say that I LOVE this post. I try to recite that 1st line of the Prayer of St. Francis whenever i am in stressful situation beyond my control (for instance, whenever I see my in-laws - ha!). But seriously, all we can do is take each moment as it ocmes, ask God for forgiveness when we flub up, and genuinley try to be more in His image and likeness. I'll be back to read more. Hope you'll give my page a visit too!
Kate
I like the idea that my eyes might be temporarily escaping to the back of my head, except I do not have that luxury. :-) When I roll my eyes at a patient, I can only mentally do this, as my patients are not face down as are yours :-). This mental eye-rolling tends to happen to me when I have lost patience, and this seems to be a product of over-extending myself. Either I've not said "no" often enough or haven't spent enough time recharging myself, or both. I will have to try reciting the words of St. Francis the next time my eyes are wishing they could escape. I'll let you know how it turns out!
Patty
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