Our ten-year-old daughter has been very sick since Christmas. She has had appointment after appointment. We have gotten a few answers. In truth, my attention has been very focused on her, and the season of Lent has felt, well, not very productive in terms of my spiritual life. Or so I thought….
Even in the midst of this, I see God working. He shows me through prayer, through these GVM reflections our contributors write, through the generosity of others, it IS a prayerful, rich Lent. It is in the little, quiet moments that He is working. Is this not also in life, too, at times?
There is a saying that life happens in the mundane. Today’s Psalm reads, “The Lord is gracious and merciful.” Through this season of suffering with our child, He has been gracious and merciful. My dear priest friend has been saying Masses for her. Another friend has reached out and gifted us generous gifts. People are praying far and wide.
Today’s Gospel says “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also.” If Jesus cannot do anything on His own without God the Father, then we certainly cannot either.
If your Lent is not all you had hoped, maybe take a step back and look inward. Remember, you cannot do anything on your own. Perhaps God is asking you to surrender a bit more. Trust a bit more. Stop looking for the big and relish the mundane moments with Him. And maybe, just maybe, you will realize He is working in you in those quiet moments.
Joanne, Our prayers are for you and your family. Mike & Hanna