“The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day.” ~ St. Gianna Molla
Isaiah was a great prophet and the one who wrote consistently about the day of the Lord. Most of his references began “On that day…” They were wonderful reminders to Israel of what would be when the Messiah finally arrived. There was one point in my life when I found those writings to be quite comforting, as I am sure they were received just as well by the community that was struggling.
However, there has always been another part of me that wondered if it was good to be thinking that way consistently. After all, if we are constantly looking for “that day”, we are always looking ahead. In the process, we might miss what is right in front of our face. We know that Jesus is going to return again. We claim Him as the Messiah. We await that great day. At the same time, we must be living today as if that day were a reality because, in a sense, it is already here.
Oh, sure, we may not be dead and in heaven. There is still that glory to await. But, Christ left us the vestiges of His Kingdom already. He challenged us to continue to build on what He began. He wants us to make the Kingdom flourish even before it is fully realized at the end of time. We cannot sit on our haunches and wait. We need to be active in helping the Kingdom to be realized in our world.
If we want to be truly happy, we must recognize God in the moment of our lives rather than wait for the day Jesus returns. We would have too many wasted days if we played the waiting game. God is in our lives. God is in the lives of those around us. God is in all the experiences we will have today. God is in this very moment, finishing this sentence with you.
FAITH ACTION: Do not worry about what will be taking place in the future. Instead, remain secure in the moment and celebrate God’s presence.