Praise be Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen
St Paul said we should be
free of anxieties. This is one thing all should take to heart; especially in
this world today. Anxiety and worry are conscience actions. If we put those
anxieties and worries before our faith in God then it is sinful.
It is a hard thing in this
life to not be anxious and worry.
St. Paul goes on to tell us a
way to be free of anxieties of this world; don’t get married. We should all
remain chaste so not to worry about the things of this world. Instead we are to
put all our efforts into pleasing the Lord. Put our faith in the Lord.
He says he is not telling us
this to put a restraint on us; but, it is true. Think about life.
When you’re young you have a
lot of anxieties. Young people have anxiety about everyday stuff, about the future,
and even about small things. Children worry about so much.
Adults both single and married
people worry. They have the same anxieties as young people and children but add
to that anxiety with worry about paying the bills, jobs, health issues, and things
important to us; but in the overall scheme we worry about small things.
This world tells us we
should worry. We need to worry about our climate, our government, things that
happened in the past. It wants to build and multiply our anxieties to control
us.
These anxieties and worries are
the unclean spirits the world puts in our heart. The devil uses all this anxiety and worry for
his gain.
As a deacon – the world gives
me a lot to worry about.
I have asked these questions
over and over again. Am I a good enough person, spouse, father, grandfather,
son, and brother? Am I a good enough provider for those who depend upon me?
Can I take care of my
parents as I should be able to take care of them as they grow older?
Even though they are grown
women, I want to worry about my children and their children, my grandchildren. Are they
safe; do they have what they need?
Am I a good deacon? Am I
there when people need me? Am I open to where the Lord leads me? Are my prayers
strong enough? Am I there for the Church, the Bishop, or the priest?
Friends, there is one thing
that rebukes these unclean spirit of anxiety and worry we all must fight. It is
faith in Jesus Christ. These unclean spirits know they have no power over him
and they have no power over us if we put all our faith in him.
But anxiety and worry can
attack even the most faithful.
We know the story, Jesus and
the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a storm comes up. In the
anxieties and worry created by that storm, the disciples wake up Jesus who was asleep
in the boat.
He turned to his disciples
and asked them “Why are your terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Jesus rebuked the wind and
said to the seas, “Peace be still” (Mk 4)
Jesus tells us to resist the
anxiety and worry of life. We are to refrain from all the worries we have as
children or young people or adults or deacons. Do not worry about eat/drink or our
body and what we will wear for worry cannot add a single moment to a life. Instead,
we are to trust in God our Father’s providence. (Mt 6)
Friends, we are to trust in
the Lord. We are to have faith. Faith is the realization of that ultimate
trust.
Trust that Jesus will
command the storms in our life with “Peace be still!” Trust, He will cast out
our anxiety and worry like an unclean spirit.
In this world, the only
person to truly trust is God. Trust God has given us the strength we need. Trust the path God leads us on.
Be good, be holy, and preach
the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another.
Praise be Jesus Christ, forever
and ever. Amen.
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