Point a trembling finger...

Though housed in a narrow prison, Paul dwelt in Heaven.---St. John Crysostom, bishop, 5th century

 

Where are our minds today? Where do we dwell? A prison of anxiety is where many of us linger. This makes us moody, depressed, and angry, which is the fruit of ego and selfish pride. This fruit nourishes the twisted drive to turn in on ourselves. We see only the turmoil of self. We become irrational, and we freeze in the ice of envy and strife. We cannot move! It is nearly impossible to trust when we are locked away in this cell. We don't feel His kiss upon the wounds our souls are undergoing. We no longer feel grace, and the light is dim. But, the light is still there! Even if only a sliver makes it through the cracks of this immature image of our Beloved, the light still shines. God is for us! He is not against us! Diablo wants to make us think that God is an emotional task master. The devil knows if we start thinking life is, "God vs us", we will live defeated lives. We must strain to turn our eyes to Jesus, and with whatever strength we can muster,  point a trembling finger to the Crucifix , whispering to diablo, "There is the key to my prison, there is the reason for my hope!" We do not deserve anything from God, yet He gives us everything. No one understands this life. It is confusing. But if we dwell with Jesus, the prisons this life brings will have no hold on our vision of where and who we are. We will always be tempted to fear, and to rage against our crosses, but we can taste peace no matter what we face. Like Paul, we can dwell with Jesus in Heaven, regardless what we go through down here. God have mercy!

 

wkm