Help Me, Jesus

Dear Parishioners,

I hate to admit it but sometimes it is hard to live out my faith.

I hope this isn’t shocking to people. The model of Christ sets a high standard for our thoughts and actions. Life for me contains many distractions and sometimes downright obstructions. I live with a wife, daughter, son-in-law, and their children, one of whom is a special needs child. To say the least, there are moods that flow through our house at times. I’m sure you know what I mean. The 4-year old has a blowout in her diaper which goes everywhere, or the 6-year old breaks something by bouncing her ball, or the daughter, who is pregnant, needs ice cream, or the son-in-law is looking in the crowded garage for a tool he needs to stop the faucet leak. Yeah, and then there is the need to get up early because I have a Communion service, and the phone says there is an accident on Rt. 2, but the Philadelphia Eagles game went late, and they lost, and I didn’t get to sleep until 2. My brother’s caretaker is calling because he can’t find his Medicare card. I put down my prayer book somewhere. And the car needs gas. Have you had those times and kind of lost your Christian attitude? You know you are to trust the Holy Spirit for grace and patience, but it ain’t working this morning! Life and faith sometimes have a head on collision.

At these times, I try to stop (not an easy task), take a breath, and pause for a second or maybe two seconds. I grab my thoughts (another hard one) and focus on the cross. I center on the cross. “Help me, Jesus” I say in a tired but sincere voice. “Help me, Jesus.” And somehow, things get right, and life is restored. For another day at least!

Blessings,
Deacon Steve