Not long ago I concelebrated the funeral Mass of a former parishioner. On the back of the funeral program was a brief quotation from St. Francis de Sales, a patron saint of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The quotation reads as follows….
Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life with fear. Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them. He has guided you thus far in life, if you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all trials. Whenever you cannot stand, He will carry you lovingly in His arms.
Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same eternal father who takes care of you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day of your life, either he will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace then, and put aside all useless thoughts, all vain dreads and all anxious imaginations.
I don’t think that Francis de Sales is telling us to never plan for or think about the future. It’s not as though we’re being told to simply throw up our hands and say, “whatever happens, happens.” But it is to urge us in the direction of trust. In times in which life is not happening on our own terms, we can believe that life is occurring according to the greater plan of God. It’s not that bad things are the result of God’s intention. Not at all. But all things are according to God’s plan which is far deeper and mysterious than any one of us could understand.
We live in such a time of change and uncertainty, don’t we? It’s going on in our church, our country, and our world. Moreover, chances are good that change is occurring within our own families. It could be a joyous change such as a new birth, a marriage, a new job, or a deeper faith. Or the change might work the other way, as in a death, a marital/family problem, unemployment, or a faith that seems to have lost its zeal. How well do we unite these blessings and sorrows with the cross and resurrection of Jesus?
Trusting in God might not eliminate all of our worries and anxieties about life, but it will give us hope. That’s because in all the changes occurring in our lives, God is in the midst of them. God might be suffering with us or rejoicing with us, but God is always active and involved—and looking to bring about new and greater life.
