Contentment, Faith, and Obedience

"Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us." The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy: Ch 1: 13,14

Contentment, Faith, and Obedience

March 1, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I feel as if a lifetime has passed since I last posted on this blog. The world has seen a great plague ravage the Earth and its populations, and now perhaps we are to see an easing of the pain. Still, one must stand vigilante and pray to God the Almighty, that peace, grace, and love befall upon them. We have been witness to great suffering in that last year since the deadly Covid - 19 virus spread like wildfire across the globe, we have had to separate from one another so that we might not contract the virus, we have not gathered for time honored traditions and ceremonies in light of the pandemic that changed so much in our daily lives. Now, we must come to a new realization of the way the world once was, and what the world is to be now, and in the future.

As I think about this week’s readings, I must reflect on my own place on this Earth and be content. In my own personal journey during the last six months there has been great contemplation about moving to another part of the country in which I now reside. For many reasons, this contemplation has triggered an angst about moving, finding a new place to live for several reasons, perhaps the most noticeable is fear. This ever-present foe in our lives drives us to make rash and impractical choices - choices, that if not thought out fully might result in drifting away from the will of our Father and instead down a path not ours, to a place not meant for us, or our brethren.

So it is, I feel, important to always remain faithful to the will of God, grateful for his mercy and guidance, and open to his word, an ever-present force of light and goodness, full of all the answers one might ever need in times of uncertainty and confusion.

In these times it is important to remember your faith and keep to it more closely. It must become like a blanket which keeps you warm when it is cold, and like a shield which provides protection from those who would have you believe that all is lost and there is no reason to go on in the midst of tragedy and pain. If we keep our faith in God the Almighty, we will prevail even if death should find us, as Jesus reminds us throughout the Gospel.

It has been one year here in the United States since the pandemic changed so much in the way we live here. Our traditions and ways of doing many things changed: going to work, going to school, going to church. Even so, many people adapted and lived, and many others did not live to see the future that is to come. Those who can remain content, those who can keep the faith, holding on in the darkest days, will be better prepared for whatever comes next. It is unknown to any of us if one year of this plague will turn into two, or five, or ten. We can not know what God’s will is for us and the creatures who inhabit this Earth, we are not fortune tellers or prophets, but mere humans, and yet we are children of God, and so therefore must trust in Our Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul - as he has told us to do. We must stay faithful and honor Him in all things, for as we know - all things are possible with God.

Yours in Christ,

Br. Michael