Some people complain that the Catholic Church just repeats the same stuff every year. Well, sort of. We do have a cycle, though it is a three-year one; if you attend daily Mass (which is actually on a two-year cycle) for three years, you will have heard pretty much the whole Bible. That's the idea: to get us to hear the whole Bible. Homilies are supposed to teach us more about our readings so that we can gain a better understanding of the Faith. And reading the same Scriptures often will also teach us something new each time we hear them. 
This Sunday, Msgr. ____ was subbing in for Father ____ at Mass. (Father ____ has been away all month on his vacation. Last week, we had a wonderful Jesuit priest from Cross International Catholic Outreach come and preside for us. His profile is on this page. He's the one with the hair. I'm pretty sure you'll know who I mean.) Anyway, in the homily it was mentioned that Jesus said that we must become like little children - which was also St. Therese's idea - to inherit the Kingdom. He said that we must learn to trust God like children.
I had an epiphany at that moment and lost much of the rest of the homily as my mind wrapped itself around that idea.
I thought back to the first week after Big Girl was born. I would hold her as much as I could, just STARING at her tiny, beautiful face. Whether she was awake or asleep, Hubby and I would just look at her, gazing at the wonderful creature that God had given us and praying that we would be worthy of our role as parents.
At times, when she was awake, she would look up at me. I knew that her vision hadn't developed enough to see much past where my face was (and, oh, the wonder that God makes it so!), and we would look at each other. We would contemplate each other, and, as I looked into her eyes one day, I was struck with an idea of something.
She trusted me completely.
Big Girl had one thought. This Mommy person will keep me safe and I can trust her. Certainly, this was not a worded-out thought, but that was what her eyes told me. I was overwhelmed at the thought that this tiny baby was dependent on me, and she just knew that I would take care of her every need. Nothing told her otherwise. But everything in her told her to trust me.
And this is what God wants from each of us. Total and complete trust and reliance on Him.
The question for me is this:
When I look up at God as He holds me in His hands, do I look at Him with the same trust as Big Girl, and do I leave myself completely at His mercy?
This Sunday, Msgr. ____ was subbing in for Father ____ at Mass. (Father ____ has been away all month on his vacation. Last week, we had a wonderful Jesuit priest from Cross International Catholic Outreach come and preside for us. His profile is on this page. He's the one with the hair. I'm pretty sure you'll know who I mean.) Anyway, in the homily it was mentioned that Jesus said that we must become like little children - which was also St. Therese's idea - to inherit the Kingdom. He said that we must learn to trust God like children.
I had an epiphany at that moment and lost much of the rest of the homily as my mind wrapped itself around that idea.
I thought back to the first week after Big Girl was born. I would hold her as much as I could, just STARING at her tiny, beautiful face. Whether she was awake or asleep, Hubby and I would just look at her, gazing at the wonderful creature that God had given us and praying that we would be worthy of our role as parents.
At times, when she was awake, she would look up at me. I knew that her vision hadn't developed enough to see much past where my face was (and, oh, the wonder that God makes it so!), and we would look at each other. We would contemplate each other, and, as I looked into her eyes one day, I was struck with an idea of something.
She trusted me completely.
Big Girl had one thought. This Mommy person will keep me safe and I can trust her. Certainly, this was not a worded-out thought, but that was what her eyes told me. I was overwhelmed at the thought that this tiny baby was dependent on me, and she just knew that I would take care of her every need. Nothing told her otherwise. But everything in her told her to trust me.And this is what God wants from each of us. Total and complete trust and reliance on Him.
The question for me is this:
When I look up at God as He holds me in His hands, do I look at Him with the same trust as Big Girl, and do I leave myself completely at His mercy?
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