Jesus Take the Wheel

There's so much conflict in our world right now, the air practically vibrates with it, from civil unrest to rumors of pandemic -- and all that has gone with that -- [grimace], to scandal in the government, and worries about the upcoming election  -- on top of the ever-increasing evidence of immorality and evil on our very doorsteps.

 It's hard not to be overwhelmed. But we don't have to be. We have it in our power to at least approach that 'peace which surpasseth all understanding.' Even in this world that seems so hopeless.  So much is determined by our attitudes and what we allow into our minds, our hearts, our homes -- and therefore, our souls -- and how good we are at letting Jesus be our GPS.

I never bought the idea that Jesus was going to "take the wheel," though there are times when He certainly does do the driving; in reality, He's expecting us to operate the car, fill it with gas, know and obey the rules of the road, be prepared for bad weather, prudently stop for rest and dining breaks (eat more than just junk food!), and listen to the GPS -- because when Our Lord is the GPS, you'll end up at the right Final Destination, even if you make wrong turns.

But I digress. [Recalculating-Recalculating]

Here's the rest of that Douay Rheims quote. It's found in one of the letters from St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 4-8:

[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. [5] Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. [6] Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus [8] For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of good repute, if there be any virtue, if any praise of discipline, think on these things.

I love these comforting words from St. Paul; they're dependable road signs to follow to a peaceful, calm heart. 

First go this way: Don't worry, just pray, and trust God to have everything under control (even if we can't see him any more than we can see the disembodied voice on a GPS). 

Next, turn over here and stay on this road: For peace which surpasseth all understanding (no human reason, just God reason), St. Paul reminds the Corinthians -- and us --  to keep our hearts and minds on Our Lord (which of course encompasses His Mother, the saints, and all heavenly things). The best path to peace and sanity is when our hearts are contemplating heaven, even if our bodies are bailing out a flooded basement. We have a responsibility to do our best in our stations of life, of course, but eternal things are all that matter in the end, anyway.  Lots of prayer goes in to mastering this mindset!

Then this: St. Paul tells us to fill our hearts, our lives -- and our homes --  (and I paraphrase here) with:

* things that are true

* things that are humble 

* things that are just 

* things that are holy 

* things that are lovely 

* anything that is of proven value toward virtue or orderliness

I love this last direction, because this is where a mother can truly shine for her family. If we're already praying and relying on God, and have determined in our daily lives to openly keep our eye on the prize (Our dear Lord and heaven, in general), then it's the most natural thing in the world to go about setting the scene for happiness and peace. Moms are in a unique position to surround our families with all these things in the way we choose to live:

* we can decorate our homes with a generous sprinkling of holy images and simply beautiful and comforting thigs

*  we can train our children's expectations to prefer simplicity and humility by choosing furnishings and fixtures that are not flashy, but of affordable good quality and clearly chosen for function and comfort and avoid objects (and even neighborhoods) that exemplify an overriding desire for popular acclaim or human respect

*  we can prepare our children for adult life by keeping a tidy and organized home and training them to be efficient participators in that goal (because sometimes it is just a goal... ;) )

*  we can teach them to discriminate carefully what type of information -- television, books, music, internet, conversations -- they allow to furnish their minds, hearts, and souls (garbage that goes in never really comes out without leaving debris behind -- and they need to know this!).

These are the things that should fill our minds and hearts. Even when the world is a disaster (it usually is in some way or another), our world doesn't have to be. Sometimes it's not possible to completely unplug ourselves from the media. The news of the world right now is in the very air, everywhere we go whether we like it or not, and it is important as parents to know what is going on and how to understand it all in terms of our faith -- for the purpose of voting, of protecting ourselves and our families -- and just answering the questions our children are bound to pepper us with.

But, if we want to keep our families moving heavenward, all the worldly news should be no more than billboards along the side of the road and not the scenery at all. We can't ignore that they're there, but if we're driving through beautiful country, we can make sure our children are having wholesome conversation inside the car, while focusing on the rolling hills and tidy barns instead. And if God really is our GPS, we'll hit rough patches (no question!), and the landscape might be iffy at times, but all is safe and good, no worries: Dad's steady as a rock, Mom's lined up In Praise of Mary and Enya on the CD player, the doors are locked, the children are teasing each other as children do, the baby is sleeping (God willing) in his car seat, God is never out of signal range, and everyone knows the destination is worth all the effort, even when the road are terrible and all the billboards all tell you you're going the wrong way. You can trust God's Positioning System.