Do you feel like some sort of curse has robbed this year away from you? January – a forest fire worsened, an unexpected volcanic eruption took place, a basketball legend died, an outbreak started. March – almost a worldwide lockdown happened, death tolls rose drastically, a pandemic was declared, and the list goes on, right?
Literally, rains, floods, fire, and many more unexpected events shook our lives. We entered 2020 with our game faces on, only to see the world surrendering and declaring its surrender like it’s already done playing games with us.
Reflecting on 2020, we felt limited because our usual way of life changed unwarrantedly, but we learned to attend to hobbies that we may have already forgotten. We deemed it restraining to not be able to celebrate events with friends, but we had time to revisit the sweetness of having few but important people around you.
Although we had a seemingly bad start to welcome the year 2020, the year stretched us so much that it pruned all that inhibited us from gaining more growth.
“Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you. But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
1 Peter 4:12-14 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
We will never claim a battle won through God if we do not meet any opponents along the way. After all, a fight isn’t a fight without enemies. Each experience is a necessary nudge from the Heavens and a self-check of where we’re at [in our spirituality].
2020 isn’t a “free trial” year. We are subscribed to embrace the daily lessons that it gives us. Here, we ought to grasp the grace of trusting the unsure future – and our one hundred percent cooperation is needed.
As these things are revealed to us piece by piece, we are reminded of how God is speaking to us every day.
- He is present in the mundanity
We are challenged to seek God in the ordinary things that we meet every single day. May it be in our household chores, in our news feeds, or even in our regular self-care routines!
- He is apparent in the heroic minute
St. Josemaria Escriva explained that choosing to wake up right away the second our alarms go off is a practice of winning the ‘heroic minute’. This small act of committing to not let the snooze button win is a good starting point in allowing God to take over our morning and eventually have complete control of our whole day.
Little by little, we are being called to anchor our hearts to the fact that light will eventually have its time. For now, our full trust is asked of us.
Litany Of Trust
By Sr. Faustina Maria Pia, Sister of Life
From the belief that
I have to earn Your love
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security
that I have what it takes
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You
will leave me more destitute
Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of
Your words and promises
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against
childlike dependency on You
Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances
in accepting Your will
Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future
Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive
preoccupation with the past
Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking
in the present moment
Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love
and presence
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked
to give more than I have
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life
has no meaning or worth
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands
Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement
Deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me
sustaining me, loving me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your love goes deeper than my
sins and failings, and transforms me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That not knowing what tomorrow
brings is an invitation to lean on You
Jesus, I trust in you.
That you are with me in my suffering
Jesus, I trust in you.
That my suffering, united to Your own,
will bear fruit in this life and the next
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will not leave me orphan,
that You are present in Your Church
Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your plan is better
than anything else
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You always hear me and in
Your goodness always respond to me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me the grace to accept
forgiveness and to forgive others
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me all the strength
I need for what is asked
Jesus, I trust in you.
That my life is a gift
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will teach me to trust You
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are my Lord and my God
Jesus, I trust in you.
That I am Your beloved one
Jesus, I trust in you.
Amen.
