Week 18 (July 19-25)
By Associate Helen Donnelly Goehring, Alumna of Barat College, Child of Mary
By your endurance you will gain your souls.
Luke 21:19
Political upheavals, wars and famine, world poverty, out of control droughts, storms and fires ... and I live in Seattle, Washington, a city with the possibility of an earthquake looming in the shadows. Now, we are being visited by COVID-19. Is this what Jesus meant by signs of the end times?
In addition to these political and natural disasters, and a frightening pandemic, my own world often seems to be sitting on a fault line. My failing health, worse yet, that of family members, and my financial struggles, all consume a lot of emotional/spiritual energy.
I hear a voice whispering, “Live in the present. Remember, you have enough to eat, a comfortable place to live, excellent doctors and a supportive spiritual community.” I need to tune in to that voice and tune out the “what ifs.”
Jesus said not a hair of my head will perish. “By your endurance you will gain your souls.” That’s quite a pay off! Shouldn’t those words be enough to assure me that I’ll weather the challenges of old age, natural disasters and COVID-19 with grace?
