Jesus, I Trust in You
Blog Post #25
I woke up this morning at the usual time...early! My first thought was to question how much time I had before the start of the 7:25 a.m. St. Patrick Communion Service. And then I remembered. COVID-19 has changed a lot of things.
There would be no Communion Service. Ahhh, but I can still make God the first order of the day, and I am determined to keep some routine and composure in my life. So after having some conversation with my husband and spending time together in prayer, I decided to take a walk while listening to the latest homily by Bishop Robert Barron.
God had other plans. I did take the walk but my phone died two minutes into the homily. No big deal. I started praying the Rosary. I’ve been using my fingers for years so it was okay that the usual beads were not in the pocket of the coat I was wearing. My morning offering continued. And all felt well in my soul.
The air was crisp and the morning beautiful. The partial moon and the barren trees reminded me that some things are still constant. I thanked God again as I transitioned from the hauntingly beautiful moon to a delightfully stunning sunrise. I counted it all as pure blessing after the weekend’s devastating news detailing for us all the many ways the world will be shutting down and going into isolation to avoid the invisible germs.
As I walked along I was reminded of a prayer one kindred-spirit friend from Connecticut told me about many years ago. It quickly became one of my favorite prayers and has since gotten me through many “dark nights of the soul.” That prayer is “The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy” and the main theme is “Jesus, I trust in You.” How appropriate for this day, this situation, this great uncertainly.
Hey, you’ve got to trust someone as you navigate your way through life. And I decided a long time ago that I’m banking on Jesus...so, “Jesus, I trust in You” feels solid and safe and all kinds of secure. I prayed a decade of the Chaplet right then and there.
And as I prayed and walked I was reminded of another soul friend who I’d had a texting conversation with the previous morning. We’ve both decided we’re going to seek, find, and live out the silver lining of this unprecedented season of our lives with as much dignity and grace and goodness as we can muster. I think trusting in Jesus is going to go a long way in helping me to embrace that decision.
And, honestly, I was already feeling the silver lining this morning via praying with my husband, getting outside into the cool, crisp morning air, being grateful that I was actually able to walk (many can’t), reciting the Rosary and the Chaplet, and appreciating the beauty of both the moon and the sunrise. But, still, God had more in store.
As I turned the corner, I recognized one of my past students putting a suitcase in the trunk of her rental car. I had not seen her since the day she graduated from Bryan High School, but I knew it was her. So I called out her name and we had a wonderful serendipitous conversation. I walked away thanking God for that sweet encounter.
But God still wasn’t done gifting me. Just around the next corner I ran into my neighbor man walking his grand dog, Lily. Lily is a particularly beautiful dog and she allowed me to pet her and enjoy her gentle nature. We chatted about the current situation for a bit and both agreed that having life slow down a bit isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I was on my final lap, so as I neared home and turned into my driveway, I rejoiced in all the goodness God had allowed in my very first hour of waking on this most unprecedented day...despite the Coronavirus.
Yes, we are in for a bit of a ride, for sure. And there is no telling where it will lead. Uncertainty has always been challenging. But the way I look at it, the whole situation is going to give us the opportunity to practice that which we should we doing every moment of every day anyhow...simply, trusting in the Alpha and the Omega....the One Who created us and who loves us beyond comprehension. So, no matter what happens, I pray that the words on my lips will be simply, “Jesus, I trust in You!”