November 24, 2024
My dear Kirkland Catholics,
I am at meeting downtown as I write this. The part of the meeting I was invited here for has not begun. The topic they are currently discussing is chancery building security, and because I do not work here it’s not relevant to me, so I am not being rude to not pay attention and write this bulletin column.
The meeting topic and my realization that I really don’t need to be here (yet) brings to mind for me (at risk of sounding “stream of consciousness” like James Joyce) both being places one doesn’t need to be (the first part of this meeting); and the nature of safety as Christians. They are related.
We find safety in the Lord in the measure that we surrender our intellects to Him and then hearts to Him. “The mind is an excellent servant and a terrible master” is a saying that calls us out about how we focus our attention. The phrase “visitor parking” (I am not making this up!) just came up in this meeting on chancery security which is perfect and providential segue into talking about which visitors park “rent free” in my head? What “parks” in my mind which is not helpful to my flourishing? Maybe just stop reading here and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what is “parked” in your head that the Lord is not helpful to your flourishing….
Psalm 32:7 says, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” The Heavenly Father is our “hiding place” – what a beautiful image of resting in Him. The place we should be is in the Lord, there we are protected. In terms of places that we shouldn’t be, the concept begs the question of media I consume, or conversations I get pulled into that are dangerous for my peace of heart.
Our safety is in the Lord Jesus, and in His word. I highly encourage you – if you do not already – to try to commit to 10 minutes of prayer with Scripture each day between now and the end of the calendar year; or at least to read or listen to the daily Mass readings or one chapter of the Gospels per day and one psalm per day. Daily Scripture makes a huge difference in the mind and heart of the believer.
With love in Christ,
Fr. Brad