Yes indeed. Jesus desires to help us reach that balance within ourselves. However, we need to do our part. At least we need to be prepared to face what we need to face. At least we need to admit that yes we do have a problem. We do need help. We do need to share what is burdening us with someone. John Kennedy used to often say, “Throw a lantern on your problems”. This means do not try to solve everything on your own. Face what needs to be faced so that you might be even pushed at times to do what is necessary.
We have just experienced a horrible tragedy this week with the death of the four year old Darcy Freeman. Her father just dropped her from the West Gate Bridge into the Yarra River. We are all shocked with this tragedy. How could such a thing happen in our times when we are surrounded by so many highly technological means, which in many people’s opinions make our lives so more manageable and productive. We are now understanding more about the state of mind of the father who caused this terrible tragedy. Recently separated, he was trying to make some sense of his new situation. Surely he needed help in this area. Surely be needed professional help to cope with his new situation. I wonder whether he sought what was necessary including God.
This is not easy to do. Very often we are embarrassed to admit that we need help. We are afraid that if we admit to someone that we are in some kind of need then we appear to be weak. As a consequence we would lose the respect that others might have of us. Strangely enough, even when we are in dire straights we are too proud to admit that we cannot handle the situation by ourselves. The result is that we become more overburdened as the time goes by with many dire consequences. It is true, change is painful. It is not that easy to admit our shortcomings and we try to hide our situation with the result that one day we can easily succumb to a tragic solution because trying to hide our situation demands a lot of energy and it is very draining.
Many of our people who work on the land have been suffering for quite some time the effect of the drought. Some are doing it very hard. Families are under strain. We know of some cases where children are saying to their teachers that they cannot take part in school excursions because their families could not afford the necessary fees or because they prefer to use the excursion time to stay at home to help dad on the farm. Talking to some families, they have told me that the best thing that we can do as a church is to provide opportunities for farmers and their families to meet together for a BBQ or a picnic. At least this gives the people concerned the chance to talk and to realise that there are others who are in the same position and situation. Gradually people can open up and try to seek solution together to a common problematic situation.
Recognising there is a problem is the first step towards rehabilitation. When we have the courage to face our problems, we are renewed with a certain creative energy. Fear, shame and guilt often make us stay in isolation. It is by showing our wounds, by allowing ourselves to touch and be touched that we are healed. It is precisely our brokenness, our woundedness that Jesus desires to heal if we let him.
One of the great fruits of World Youth Day is that young people desire to know more about our faith. As a result once a month at the Cathedral before the 6.00pm mass there is a time of catechesis where young people are invited to gather to deepen their knowledge about our faith. I have been conducting these sessions but the next one is being led by one of the young people themselves. I met this young person sometime back to have a look at the presentation. I was so edified because this person was able to make a very profound reflection on the first reading taken from the Book of Job. This person reflected about her life in the time of the story of Job. There is an amazing honesty in saying, “yes my life for quite a while had not been that edifying. I was wounded, hurt and abused. Yes I sought a solution for some happiness in ways that were not life giving. Yet because someone encouraged, guided and accompanied me to experience the powerful touch and presence of Jesus who had never abandoned me, today I am such a different person not afraid to share my life story with you. I am doing this so that all people, especially young people who are undergoing what I have been through, will not give up, will not despair, but join me and others in our walk with Jesus”. Wow, what power, what energy. This is the basic essence of our faith.
Jesus besides being God was also human. He understands us very well. Let us decide to go to Him in our troubled moments knowing that everything will work out well for all those who are in God.
God Bless
