Don't Blame Others

On Sunday I gave a talk to my RCIA students about the call to service that all baptized receive and what I really wanted to get across was that God entrusts all of us with a particular mission and He gives each of us the capacity to fulfil that purpose.  Lately I have been getting way too many compliments about me being a godly woman- and while the words are flattering they make me really uncomfortable because I want Jesus to shine not me.  I was telling a friend that one of the things that I really hate about blogging is that people build this erroneous view of me- they perceive me as this perfect saint- and I am so not.  All you have to do to get a clear picture of my shortcomings and weaknesses is to talk to my family and close friends- they will tell you that I sin, hurt others, lose my patience, get angry…  The laundry list of my peccadillos is long!  Yet, I got an email yesterday asking me how I manage to stay positive and faithful even with all the stresses and worries of life and I felt like I needed to take the time to answer that question.  If your language is poetry then “No Culpes a Nadie” from Pablo Neruda is my answer, but if flowery language is not a way that God speaks to you then here’s my humble answer.

Be still and know that I am God.

In life we have two options: to live as victims of our circumstances blaming others for all the wrongs of our lives or to take responsibility and create the life we want to live.  The sum of our lives is built on small, daily actions.  God gave us freewill to choose.  My hours of therapy have taught me that the only person I can change is myself and God asks me to sanctify myself- that is to live always striving to be a better me in Christ.  Thus, every choice I make will impact the wholeness of my life.  I reflect daily on the things and people in my life and if there’s an area that is robbing me of my peace I act.  Life is not a matter luck or good fortune (for some and not others) it’s a question of making the right choices.  If your job robs you of your peace, if a man doesn’t value or treat you well, if a friend causes you to sin…- God is using that feeling of unsettlement to highlight an area to pay attention to and change if need be.  Taking responsibilities for your actions is scary at first, but once you get the hang of it – the maturity to make right choices is so liberating!  I love my life- but it took a lot of change and a lot of godly choices for me to get to this point.

Prayer is also important, to have a dialogue with God and ask Him to highlight growth areas and to provide what’s needed to succeed in conversion.  Many times I tell people to pray and they respond that they do. Yet, prayer is more than just reciting words, or of one extensively talking about our list of needs to God without sitting around to listen to what He has to say.  Pope Francis, in the Joy of the Gospel, says that we must never stop being evangelized – that is that we all need to continue to grow in holiness.  If we read God’s word we find all the areas that we must grow in, so start there.  Work on joy, patience, kindness, faithfulness…  Currently I find myself working on patience and in trusting God.  I love this past Sunday’s reading about the incredulous Apostle Thomas because I too constantly need to be reaffirmed by God in matters of faith and my relationships with others.  I am working on patience in matters of the heart- to wait on the Lord and to treasure the edification of a friendship.  We only get one life, and we have no certainty how long it will be- this should push us to live wisely one good choice at a time.         

"Levántate y mira el sol por las mañanas y respira la luz del amanecer. Tú eres parte de la fuerza de tu vida, ahora despiértate, lucha, camina, decídete y triunfarás en la vida; nunca pienses en la suerte, porque la suerte es el pretexto de los fracasados."