“I plead with you–never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” St. John Paul II
T.G.I.F.! That is the standard phrase at many a place at this time of the week: Thank God It’s Friday! It is as if making it to Friday is a huge accomplishment. For many, it is the end of a work week; yet, people often celebrate so crazily that they end up looking forward to Monday just so they can go back to work and mellow out again. By Wednesday, they are looking forward to Friday again. And, thus, the cycle continues.
If we look to the end of the week — or any other “end”, for that matter — we often fail to see all the wonder and beauty that is around us in the here and now. We are too busy looking ahead to see the very present.
Pope John Paul II was a person of the here and now. He would always point to what we have learned in the past and encourage us to be hopeful for the future. However, he did that so as to ground us in the present. The present, he would say, was not a place for fear or trepidation. The present was a place to encounter God and respond to Him with all our heart and with all our soul.
Encountering God would never provoke fear in his estimation. If we are keeping on the path to the Kingdom, our encounters with God will produce in us the joy and hope that we need to make it through the day, thankful for our yesterdays and hopeful for our tomorrows.
With that in mind, why should we fear?
FAITH ACTION: Thank God for being present to you and ask Him for the grace necessary to remain close to Him throughout your day.