Hajja Salesjana July-September 2020

20 H AJJA S ALESJANA So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord save me.” Matthew 14:29-30 Fear is a beast.  It can make people act in ways they never would.  So for the Christian, it is imperative to not be distracted by the storms and keep your eyes on Christ in order to maintain your interior peace.  Keeping your eyes on Christ keeps you from drowning . It’s hard right now to maintain this peace with the constant flow of media in our faces. If you are watching endless news and counting Corona virus deaths, then you are watching the storm instead of Jesus.  It is okay to maintain a sense of what is happening, but eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil will leave you in a state of panic and fear.  Now is the time to fill up on the Word of God.  God is in control .  He is the giver and taker of life.  In that you can trust, and have no fear.  Just get yourself right with Him.  Turn off the noise that distracts you and raises panic. I read an article the other day by Sonja Corbitt called Redemption Happens in the Dark.  It was probably the best thing I have read to date about this storm we are in.  In it she outlines how God has worked in the dark using Scripture.  It is a thing of beauty.  If you have been keeping up with the daily readings, they are speaking to us for these times we live in  right now .  God is calling you back to Him. God is calling you to repentance. I don’t know about you, but hunkering down in my home with my family has shown me all of the idols I have in my life.  These are idols that need to be purged, from slothful comfort, to vanity, to pride, one by one the Lord is showing them to me and knocking me over, bringing me to my knees, humbling me. And I am grateful for it.  Yes, I said I am grateful for it. I want anything that keeps me from Him removed from my life. Lord purify me. Purify my family. Make us who you want us to be because I trust that it is greater than anything we could imagine. Even a virus can be used to work all things for the good of those who love Jesus. The church is walking a Passion.  I do have to say the greatest ache in my life was having the Eucharist removed.   The Sacraments taken away from us in this hour of immense need. But as a friend of mine used to say, “these things must come.”  We have, as a church, been violating our covenant with God which brings curse.  From molestation, to cover up, to liturgical abuse, to abuse of the Eucharist, to bowing down to idols, and laying in bed with Don’t let the storm distract you from His Holy Face by Veilofveronica