Psalm Reflection: The Fifth Sunday of Easter (Cycle A)

“Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” - Psalm 33

Meister Eckhart, a 14th century Dominican mystic, once said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” Gratitude puts everything into perspective; it allows us to recognize that God is God and we are not. Every good thing in our lives is a gift from God, and, if we practice gratitude well, we will even see the difficulties as gifts because we know He will bring good from them even when we cannot imagine how.

That spirit of gratitude and reliance on God requires trust. If we really believe that God is good and truly loves us, we should be able to let go of control, worry and doubt in order to see the gifts of God more clearly in each of our lives.

I recently read that “worry is an insult to God’s Providence,” and that “worry is a mild form of atheism.” I was convicted by those words because I worry a lot. I worry about things getting done on time, taking care of my family, having enough __________, whether or not I am being understood by others... the list goes on and on. If we are overcome with worry, we are basically telling God, “I’m going to hold onto this even if I can’t fix it, because I don’t trust you to handle it even though you are the only one who can.” Our pride and stubbornness can be huge obstacles to God blessing us more abundantly each day.

In a time where many of our worries are amplified, it is so important to have a spirit of gratitude and to recognize our worry. This week, create a prayer space in your home and place a jar or a small basket there for intentions. Any time you worry about something, even if you repeat the worry, write in on a slip of paper and place it in your worry jar or basket, praying, “Jesus, I trust in You.” Allow this small act to help you begin to let go of control so you can see all that God is offering you each day.

We are praying for you.

See you in the Eucharist!