I am the salvation of the people, says the Lord. Should they cry to me in any distress, I will hear them, and I will be their Lord for ever.
“Keep your eye on the Prize”! “Don’t lose the trees for the forest”! “Don’t lose the forest for the trees”! “Stay focused”! “Keep the big picture in mind, always”! “Remember, the devil is in the details”! All of these “dad sayings” about the perspective that we should keep, large or small! Aaaahhhh!
What, then, in the perspective of discipleship? Throughout our personal and professional lives, it can be a challenge to know when we need to focus on the details or to keep our perspective on the big picture. Sometimes we really sort of prefer one to the other depending on the circumstances, don’t we? It can also be exhausting.
The Gospel passage this weekend is as practical as it is theological and spiritual. The invitation to be “trustworthy” in small things and of the things of heaven, “true wealth”, draws us into the mystery of Christian discipleship. I love the mantra from the Divine Mercy, “Jesus, I trust in you”. When we feel overwhelmed or inadequate to confront a problem or a task, this prayer refocuses us on the Word of Life alive in us. Discernment is the key not only in our reliance on God’s power and providence to animate our minds and hearts to do the right thing, it also allows us to discover God’s presence therein.
Prayer is essential to the perspective on finding God’s presence and the truth of the matter, regardless of the details of the circumstances or task at hand. Even in the smallest details of life, being trustworthy in small matters, meaning that we search for and discover Jesus’ presence in them, allows us to see reality from his perspective, with his eyes.
Good advice is important. We all walk around with the “dad sayings” that we’ve been generously given over the years. Sometimes they are beneficial, sometimes they aren’t. The ultimate “dad saying” is the Father’s Word, who takes on flesh among us, walks with us, and provides the consolation and love to navigate us through any situation or circumstance. “Jesus, I trust in you”!
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O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law upon love of you and of our neighbor, grant that, by keeping your precepts, we may merit to attain eternal life.
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