'Cabin Fever' Afflicting You? Turn To God For The Cure
Remember … “The voice of the Lord makes deer dance and strips forests bare. All in His Temple say, ‘Glory!’” – Psalm 29:9
We all are enduring a winter with “snow days” and bemoaning our cabin fever. Many hours have been spent wondering what to do with our time stuck inside the house. There is always plenty to keep us occupied, but how productive is the busy stuff we do? When was the last time you took a moment away from daily activities to reflect on your life? Have you tried to avoid technology, social media, your cell phone, or television? Have you prayed, “Lord, today make me sensitive and alert to the needs You have for me?”
We believe in the sun even when it is not shining. We believe in love, even when we are alone. We believe in God, even when He is silent. But imagine how bright the sun would shine, and how great love would feel in our lives, if we took the time to be silent and allow God to speak to us! A personal relationship with Him helps us see the purpose for our lives every day.
When you participate in the Liturgy each weekend, do you give every moment of your thoughts to God? If we truly understand what is taking place during the Eucharistic Prayer there could be no distractions. As a mother of four children, I remember days when this was a challenge. But God knows our hearts, and when we make ourselves available to Him during the Holy Mass, everything about life changes. In Psalm 28 we read: “To you, O Lord, I call; my Rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if You are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my voice as I cry for help, as I lift up my hands toward Your most Holy Sanctuary.”
Our second grandchild was baptized on Feb. 16th at St. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood, Ind. During the Mass, my family sat near a married couple from Africa. They celebrated Mass in a very respectful and unobtrusive way by raising their hands to God at appropriate times like the Gloria and Gospel Alleluia. It was as if they were the only people in the church; assisting the priest in the most incredible celebration of God’s love. Their demeanor was not a distraction, but a reminder of how intimate our hour spent celebrating the Mass should be. I prayed for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to pour down on our grandson and his family during this great celebration. After the baby was anointed and baptized with water, watching attentively, his 22-month-old big brother broke away from my arms and ran to the baptismal font saying “Me too.” This is why Jesus says we should act like little children, uninhibited and eager to receive God’s great love.
There are millions of books written about how to live a simple life, how to be a minimalist, and advice about how to declutter our lives. Everything we need to know about the simplicity and purpose of life was written before our time, and can be learned from the teachings of Jesus and the lives of the saints. We are very blessed in our Church to have these examples to follow. The Rules of St. Benedict are the perfect lesson for balancing prayer and work. “Ora et Labora.” St. Teresa of Avila in her treatise writes about the “Interior Castle” or “The Way of Perfection.” Her writings help us understand what can be achieved through human nature and the grace of God.
In the words of a song by Michael W. Smith titled “Breathe” … “God’s Holy Presence is in the air we breathe. We are lost without Him and desperate for His love. He is our daily bread.” But what the song doesn’t mention is that we are blessed by the hands of a Catholic Priest with this gift every day in the Eucharist.
Reflect on your life and the things that are really important to your true survival. In Scripture it is called Salvation. Help those around you understand that our union with Christ is a spiritual marriage that bears great fruit. The Lord doesn’t look so much at the greatness of our works as at the love with which they are done. If hearts are not full of love, even a rich man is poor. “Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10.
Thank you, Lord, that Your love and mercy endures forever! Amen!
