Fr. Bob White - Trust Life
It seems every time the Risen Jesus appears to the disciples his greeting is always the same, “Peace be with you.” But this peace that Jesus offers, how do we claim it for our own lives?
A 97 year-old Benediction monk by the name of Brother David who is recognized as a true spiritual master was interviewed by Oprah, if that means anything. She asked him this question, “How do we find peace when things seem so out of control in the world and in our own lives?” His answer was simple. It consisted of just two words. “Trust life”.
Trust life, what does that mean? It was during the war in Afghanistan. A young U.S. marine stepped on a land mine leaving both legs badly mangled. He would have bled to death in forty -five seconds had not his fellow marines as they’d been taught applied tourniquets to save his life. almost fifty surgeries later the young marine returned home and there met a wonderful young woman whom he fell in love with and eventually married.
I had the honor of officiating at the wedding here at St. Victoria. I have this vivid memory of how the wedding began. It was the young marine who wasn’t supposed to walk again proudly walking down the aisle dessed in his marine dress blues. The triumph of the human spirit, I was seeing it right in front of me as he walked down the aisle that day.
What do we do when life comes along and beats you up and in a totally unfair way? The invitation is to trust life. Trust that God will use exactly where you feel most vulnerable to bring you to greater lwholeness and life. Trust life and peace will eventually come.
A priest took his first assignment as pastor. Due to his inexperience, he wasn’t able to effectively address certain issues in the parish that needed to be dealt with. At a point in time, he realized that he wasn’t in a position to give the parish what it needed to move forward. So, he moved on to look for another parish assignment.
Friends belonged to a small parish on the outskirts of the metro that was looking for a pastor. They told him about it but he hesitated, applying. To him it seemed like halfway to South Dakota. But last minute he threw his name in the hat and was selected as the pastor for that parish. Oh, by the way he was the only one to apply for the job. And that’s how I was lucky enough to land here at St. Victoria those twenty-eight years ago this summer. And by the way, I’m not retiring.
What do you do when you fall flat on your face, and you think you have failed miserably at what you had hoped to succeed at? The invitation is to trust life. Trust that God will use that defeat, that very place where you feel most vulnerable to bring you to greater life and wholeness. Trust life and the peace that Jesus promises will eventually come.
So, as Jesus said to his disciples he says to us, “Pace be with you. How do we claim that peace for our own? Ask, “Was there ever a time when I felt beat up by life and in a totally unfair way?” “Was there ever a time when you feel failed miserably at what you had hoped to succeed at?” With both of these the invitation is the same. Trust life and let the peace Jesus offers us be the gift that he gives you.
