Faith calms the seas of new beginnings

By Mary Regina Morrell
Catholic Online

"Then David said to his son, Solomon. 'Be firm and steadfast. Go to work without fear or discouragement, for the Lord, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or abandon you before you have completed all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.'" 1 Chronicles 28:20

When my second son began attending preschool, an experience relished by his five brothers, his reaction was less than enthusiastic. As we approached the brightly painted door that led to his classroom I felt myself being pulled backward by the pressure of his tiny hand tugging on mine.

Looking down I saw the big brown eyes welling up with tears, a look of fear crossing his flushed face. A kindly, gray-haired lady came out and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, ushering him in to join the other children. As he turned to look at me with wide doe-eyes I was sure the lump in my throat would choke me. I waited for the inevitable with baited breath.

"MOMEEE!" came the blood-curdling scream. It wasn't so much the word as the impassioned, gut-wrenching way in which it was delivered that pierced my guilty-mother heart as I tore myself away, leaving him there in the obviously adequate care of his new teacher. New beginnings were not his cup of tea.

And so it is for many of us, even as adults. New beginnings, while often exciting and challenging, also signify endings. With each new beginning we are called to give up the security and comfortableness of old ways to move forward into the unknown. Even daily experiences that are boring, unfulfilling or hurtful are difficult to relinquish because they have become an anchor holding us in place.

New beginnings require a trust in the Lord and acknowledgement that he is the author of both beginnings and endings. Moving forward is always difficult without the hand of the Lord to lead us.

Talking to some would-be followers, Jesus explained the importance of letting go of the past: "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God."

The whole plough image had great meaning for me and the other founding staff of The Catholic Spirit when we started out on our new venture; one that didn't allow us to look back.

With a new vision, new staff, new domicile and new fears, we hoped to follow in the steps of the Apostles who left the locked room in Jerusalem, led by the Spirit to become bold proclaimers of the Gospel. While we relished in the challenge and were grateful for the opportunity placed in our hands by our bishop, we humbly and frequently acknowledged our dependence on the Lord - and the support of our diocesan family.

When the first day in our new offices brought cries of, "What do you mean we have to learn a new computer program?" and "You expect me to input those 2,000 new subscriber names into the computer by WHEN?" it was easy to empathize with the Apostles, who shook Jesus out of a sound sleep when a squall threatened to sink the boat in which they were traveling.

My experience at that time taught me a lesson I continue to learn today -- that when the challenges of any new beginning bring cries for help, we should remember the words of Jesus as he rebuked the storm, saying, "Quiet! Be Still!" and his remonstration of the Apostles, of whom he asked, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"

I have often prayed, as I did then, that the sometimes stormy sea which we set out upon as we embark on any new journey will be navigated with surety through faith in God and dependence on the Holy Spirit who always serves as our inspiration and guide.

I wonder how Noah would have done in pre-school?

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religous Education, 732 5621990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

faith, sea, beginnings

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