Sometimes life may make us feel like chicken little in the folk tale where he said he thought the world was ending, “the sky is falling,” but reality tells us this is not so. For me, it was not the sky falling today, but a portion of the ceiling. A long concrete sliver fell from the deck ceiling with a very loud thud and a resounding bong as it momentarily landed on the metal railing and then plummeted to the ground below. I was sitting in the living room in a tranquil space until the noise intruded and alarmed me. Thankfully, I was safe and did not get hurt. However, it made me think of how precious life is and of how quickly it goes by.

None of us know when the Lord will call us home. Each day is His gift to us and an opportunity for us to be the best person we can be, the measure is how Christ-like we are. Certainly not an easy course for anyone who is serious about the Christian way. There are days when the way seems easy, and we begin to think that we are immune from failure. Yet, the truth is we will experience days of triumph and days of defeat. The failings are part of our human existence, which originated from original sin.

What failings do is open our hearts to becoming humble and to open our minds to how much we need to rely upon God for strength, guidance, and protection. We do not always do what we set out to do, but the very thing we did not set out to do. We are weak without God to accompany us in our daily lives. I am reminded of how St. Paul suffered with what he called “a thorn in his flesh.” One must remember that Jesus lifted St. Paul up after he repented and committed himself to the Lord. His journey was not an easy one, but the Lord must have known that he needed a “thorn,” so as to remain humble:

“Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:6-10). 

The only thing that is certain is the day that we have been given, for it may be our last. By seeking God first and asking Him to be our companion, we will be strengthened through His grace to follow His will on the path He has chosen for us. It is not necessary for us to know the way, for the Lord is leading us each step of our earthly journey and then to the ultimate destination in Heaven to be with Him forever. Even St. Thomas questioned how they (and all of us) would know the way:

“Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:5-6).

In the last supper discourse, Jesus spoke of how the Advocate (the Holy Spirit) would come – that He would not leave us orphans. The Holy Spirit is also known as the Comforter. When days seem heavy, the Spirit, Who dwells within us, urges us on and continually quenches our deepest thirst (just as Jesus promised to the woman at the well – John 4:1-26) for peace, fortitude, mercy and love. May God ever keep you under the shadow of His wings. No matter what comes may your house be built upon the rock of Christ (Matthew 7:24-27), which not even the mightiest storm can move.