Nothing quite like a trip to foreign lands…to suck much of the confidence out of your sails.
Or a trip to the hospital, for that matter.
Both sets of experiences are top-of-mind for me this week, having recently returned from a two-and-a-half week jaunt in France; and having just spent the night at my mother’s bedside at the Mercy facility in Washington.
One thing the two situations certainly have in common is “fitful sleep.” You’re not gonna get a solid 8-hours on a trans-Atlantic flight, not even in the “Premium Economy” cabin…with its prodigally-provided four extra inches of legroom; and certainly not in a hospital room, where staff (doing its kindly caregiving duty) sweeps in every couple of hours to check vitals, draw blood, administer medications, and so forth.
So between the lingering jet-lag … and the brutal care-plan routines of the hospital … I have to admit I’m feeling a little stupid this morning, swinging a tick late at just about every fastball.
That said, perhaps it can be considered a blessing to be gradually making my way through all these disruptions in my routine. They’ve added an element of uncertainty to my outlook; they’ve heightened the perception that I am not really in control of every single element of my day(s).
There’s a curious blessing in being able to admit that fact. With the admission comes a whisper of peace, a sense of surrender, a willingness to accept God’s providential embrace.
“Do you understand all these things?” Jesus asks his disciples in this week’s gospel passage, having just laid a trio of parables on them describing the Kingdom of Heaven in decidedly mind-bending ways. And reports the evangelist, “They answered, ‘yes.’”
Well, color me skeptical. I think the disciples are being brave in asserting their certainty about such matters. But maybe a little foolhardy, too.
It may be better to confess that some things – perhaps many things – are simply beyond our understanding or control. And having done that, then to join with St. Paul in proclaiming, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God…”
Let us pause now…to recall that we are in the presence of the Holy & Merciful One.
IHS
With Us Still 