11 August, Sunday — Heeding the seasons in our lives

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 19:4-8
Eph 4:30-5:2
Jn 6:41-51

“I am the bread of life.”

As a child, I have always experienced doubt, fear and challenges in daily life. Growing up without parents, I faced these issues alone. Often, if others found out about the difficulties I am facing, I would be told to “suck it up” and to plough through whatever I was facing then.

This advice is the main ‘go-to’ message passed on to my generation. Thankfully, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying lockdown, more attention is now given to self-care — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In today’s First Reading, Elijah feels down and asks the Lord to take his life. Tired, he finally falls asleep when an angel wakes him and gets him to eat a prepared scone and drink from a jar of water. He then falls asleep. The angel wakes him and prompts him to eat and drink again, to prepare him for his impending long journey.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 in the Old Testament talks about how different seasons can be found in our lives, and that these differences are important, and we can see that in the first reading. It was the appropriate time for Elijah to rest and feed himself before his trip.

Similarly, we will need to be sensitive to whatever season is appropriate for ourselves. If we need to take time to mourn a bad situation, we must heed this prompting, rather than force ourselves to go on. If we need to celebrate, we celebrate. Whatever the season, we should go along with it. Such is our journey in life.

We are normally great at guiding and taking care of those around us. If we see someone close to us struggling or facing challenges, we will likely guide them to care for themselves. However, the same tends to be less true when dealing with ourselves, even though we should be taking the best care of ourselves. Brothers and sisters, let us learn to be gentle with ourselves.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Paul Wee)

Prayer: Father God, help us to recognise the seasons and situations in our lives. We ask that we may heed the promptings of the Spirit. 

Thanksgiving: Thank You for always watching out for us, Father God. We are grateful for those around us who take care and love us.