Faith is what keeps us going forward when our heart is frozen in pain. Optimism is just a natural sentiment of the human heart, temporary and deficient. It is supernatural hope from our loving Father that brings forth the wellspring of gifts and graces we seek in life.
In the 5th Joyful mystery of the rosary, upon finding Jesus in the temple, Mary exclaims her anxiousness and sorrow. But she did not let it prevent her from experiencing the fullness of joy in finding Him. Do we?
The Creator of the heavens obeys a carpenter; the God of eternal glory listens to a poor virgin. Has anyone ever witnessed anything comparable to this?
–Saint Anthony of Padua
In our mass readings, Jesus is inviting us to a new way of life in Him, that of life elevated by grace. He wants us to live such that our thinking, our actions, and our activities are transformed by His wisdom and love.
The fear of sitting in silence with God can be quite real. Just as looking into a broken mirror reflects a skewed version of our appearance, our perspective of God, ourselves, and the idea of silent prayer is a bit skewed by the shattered parts of the heart.
All of our life journey is our spiritual story. It is up to us whether that be a story of journeying alone in the wilderness or the story of a life of grace, one walked arm-in-arm with Jesus and being carried by Him through the rough spots.