Reflection for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
A priest friend of mine had an encounter after Mass with a student at the Catholic Student Center where he serves. The college senior came up to him and expressed his frustration and anxiety that graduation was approaching quickly, and he did not know what he was supposed to do with his life. The daunting decision was causing him a lot of stress and anxiety, and he shared how he had considered all of his possibilities and thought hard about his interests and strengths. However, he still found himself stuck and irritated. My friend listened to him patiently, then asked: Are you praying about it? Immediately the man froze, and the expression on his face changed. After several moments of silence, in a spirit of honesty and embarrassment, the man admitted: No, I haven’t been praying about it.
Jesus confronts the man who has been ill for thirty-eight years with a simple question: “Do you want to be well?” If Jesus asked us the same thing after so long an illness, we would like to think that our immediate reaction might be: “Yes, course I do!” However, it’s common that people will worry, fret, but do not pray.
Inevitably, we at times have concerns and worries on our minds—it is only human. Take them to the Lord as a person of faith. Spend the time to get to know Jesus, the One who is offering you peace and healing. Prayer is about strengthening a relationship. St. Teresa of Jesus explains prayer as “nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us” (cf. CCC 2709). Through our willingness to meet our Lord in prayer, we come to know of His deep and profound love for us, which is a greater gift than anything our world can offer.
Reflection: Are you willing to take your cares and concerns to Jesus as you would if you were speaking to a friend?
Reflection by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB
Posted in Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources