The Inner Stock Market
March 19, 2020
Dear Friend,
This week the world looks very different from the way it was a week ago. Schools and businesses are closed; restaurants and coffee shops have closed their doors in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. In my particular corner of the world, we've had nothing but rainy weather and fog all week, so it's harder than ever to find and be thankful for a beautiful day. When we refer to a "beautiful day," we are describing a day that is sunny, clear, and without a cloud in sight to mar a sky that is a brilliantly blue. We find ourselves feeling light in spirit, free from worries, and enjoying the moment--until the clouds start to return. The sky inevitably turns gray again and, speaking from personal experience, there seems to be an unlimited supply of fog. Fluffy white clouds hang low and dark, and our perfect day disappears along with the sunshine. But does it have to?
Those clear blue skies often inspire us to be grateful, to enjoy a day that is joyful and carefree. We find ourselves longing to spend some time outdoors, breathing in the fresh air, and basking in the warmth of the sun. Yet when clouds appear and shadows creep in, we have a tendency to become less grateful, less trusting in God's goodness, and often we find our energy decreased and our spirits pulled down into a cloudy funk. Darker days are just as much a part of life as are the days graced with sunshine. They can show us a different perspective of our world, while helping us appreciate the moments of brilliant illumination that inevitably follow. A rainy day with clouds helps to clear the air, washing away pollution and impurities. Even knowing that, however, it's still challenging to hold a positive view of the day and to believe that it's not a bad day. Yet if we can remember that the gray won't last forever, and that the sun continues to shine just as brilliantly despite our inability to perceive it, we might find that the beauty of God's creation is simply requiring us to rely on faith more than appearances. Like the mishaps and interruptions that occasionally block the brilliance that is our own lives from shining through, clouds eventually clear away so we can open up to a brighter horizon.
The situation in our country is certainly far from comforting right now, and if we're finding ourselves reading nothing but crazy conspiracy theories and negative crap on social media, we might well abandon hope and sanity. We've woken up to discover a cloudy day, but let's try to trust God a little more right now, choosing to have faith that this darkness is only temporary. Like the weather that brings heavy rains and fog, these clouds, too, will pass. The sun will break through and we will again see that the sky has always been clear and blue.
Praying with and for every one of you as we face the clouds together.
Fr. Michel
This week the world looks very different from the way it was a week ago. Schools and businesses are closed; restaurants and coffee shops have closed their doors in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. In my particular corner of the world, we've had nothing but rainy weather and fog all week, so it's harder than ever to find and be thankful for a beautiful day. When we refer to a "beautiful day," we are describing a day that is sunny, clear, and without a cloud in sight to mar a sky that is a brilliantly blue. We find ourselves feeling light in spirit, free from worries, and enjoying the moment--until the clouds start to return. The sky inevitably turns gray again and, speaking from personal experience, there seems to be an unlimited supply of fog. Fluffy white clouds hang low and dark, and our perfect day disappears along with the sunshine. But does it have to?
Those clear blue skies often inspire us to be grateful, to enjoy a day that is joyful and carefree. We find ourselves longing to spend some time outdoors, breathing in the fresh air, and basking in the warmth of the sun. Yet when clouds appear and shadows creep in, we have a tendency to become less grateful, less trusting in God's goodness, and often we find our energy decreased and our spirits pulled down into a cloudy funk. Darker days are just as much a part of life as are the days graced with sunshine. They can show us a different perspective of our world, while helping us appreciate the moments of brilliant illumination that inevitably follow. A rainy day with clouds helps to clear the air, washing away pollution and impurities. Even knowing that, however, it's still challenging to hold a positive view of the day and to believe that it's not a bad day. Yet if we can remember that the gray won't last forever, and that the sun continues to shine just as brilliantly despite our inability to perceive it, we might find that the beauty of God's creation is simply requiring us to rely on faith more than appearances. Like the mishaps and interruptions that occasionally block the brilliance that is our own lives from shining through, clouds eventually clear away so we can open up to a brighter horizon.
The situation in our country is certainly far from comforting right now, and if we're finding ourselves reading nothing but crazy conspiracy theories and negative crap on social media, we might well abandon hope and sanity. We've woken up to discover a cloudy day, but let's try to trust God a little more right now, choosing to have faith that this darkness is only temporary. Like the weather that brings heavy rains and fog, these clouds, too, will pass. The sun will break through and we will again see that the sky has always been clear and blue.
Praying with and for every one of you as we face the clouds together.
Fr. Michel
Fr. Michel's Blog
https://frmichelrcc.wordpress.com/
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