God's Work

I will not try to do God's work today.

I spent a few minutes in the Eucharistic Chapel in my church this morning.  There was a book of daily meditations sitting on the kneeler and after a few minutes of private prayer, I picked it up and found today's meditation.  The above quote was at the bottom of the page and quickly caught my eye.  My first thought was "What?  Why not?"  Then, I read the whole meditation.  I don't have it in hand right now, so I can't quote it verbatim, but the general idea is that so often we get in God's way or exhaust ourselves trying to do things that are in God's hands alone.  We need to trust more and do God's job less.  I really felt like a burden had been lifted right off my shoulders.  I only have to do my own work today, not God's...He's perfectly capable.  :)

Amazing

I work with this amazing lady named Jeanne.  She accompanies my school church choir and plays for our concerts.  Last Lent, she was diagnosed with cancer.  She allowed Father to perform the Sacrament of Healing (Anointing of the Sick) for her during a school Mass despite her concern about how it might affect the kids' faith if she died of her cancer.  She took about six weeks off after surgery but continued to play for us through her chemo.  On her first day back, the student body all wore yellow shirts (the color associated with cancer research) in her honor.  Shortly after that, she gave a reflection on her faith experience with cancer.  She brought a stuffed frog and told the students that it reminded her that she must Fully Rely On God.  She was given a clean bill of health in June.  Then, just before Thanksgiving, she pulled me aside after our school's Thanksgiving Mass to tell me that her cancer was back and this time it was deemed terminal.  The doctors are giving her months.  Today at Mass, she and Father broke the news to the student body and Father gave her the Anointing of the Sick again.  She pulled out her frog and told the kids that she had an amazing summer that she wouldn't have had without their prayers, but "you can't pray someone alive forever, you know."  She told them she was a bit apprehensive because she didn't know exactly how it would go, but she trusted that it would be wonderful and that she was truly looking forward to heaven.  I was, fortunately, not the only one crying.  She is one amazing lady and I can only pray that when it is my time to die, I can show as much courage and teach as many kids about faith as she is doing now.  Please pray for us all.