“All Worry is Atheism,’’ — Fulton Sheen
Divine Mercy is two words: “Trust Jesus,’’ but we keep worrying and doubting, pouring stress into otherwise good moments.
“Are we with God?” Deacon Dave asked. We have all sorts of evidence God is with us but do we trust God enough to stay? Fear makes us run.
Joseph trusted God and the angels enough to go through with his marriage plans when he learned Mary was pregnant. He did things God’s way rather than his own way, accepting an incredibly difficult life’s mission.
“All worrying is atheism” because it’s a lack of trust in God, Blessed Fulton Sheen explained.
How often do we seek God’s wisdom? How often do we just stop thinking and talking and telling — and simply listen?
Fourteen years ago, Dave recalls, “I reacted poorly to my circumstances when our daugter was born. I was angry, scared, cynical and self pitying.’’ The baby had down syndrome. An extra chromosome.
Having a special needs child wasn’t part of his plan so he grew angry at God. This must be a mistake, he thought or a punishment. But, he now knows, it was God’s Plan.
Alone with his baby, “filled with fear, I prayed that God would heal her. My words were of desperation: God, you have to heal her because I cannot deal with what the future holds.’’
At the most vulnerable moment of his life, he felt the attack of the evil one tell him “You trusted God. You trusted him and look what he gave you? He gave you damaged goods. How can a God who says he loves you do that to you?’’
For six weeks, he didn’t trust God, wallowing in anger, dutifully showing up at Church to pray “but very little was happening. And then He came.’’
“It was in the classroom of silence that the Holy Spirit came when I was spiritually and emotionally exhausted and he spoke these words to my heart:’’
“I have heard you and now you need to listen to Me. I’ve got two things for you: First, I promise you that you will see My glory in your daughter’s life. Secondly, I’m not going to heal your daughter because she’s not the one that’s handicapped. The person that’s handicapped is you because you’re judging her.’’
“It was at that moment that God broke into my life and healed me in an astonishing way, to love and embrace her for the beautiful daughter of God that she is,’’ he recalls. “Healing is real for us. If we’re honest with ourselves, we all get lied to in various ways about our self image, our social status, how much money we have or how successful our children are.’’
The devil is a liar and an accusor and the great divider, telling us someone will be a burden.
“It takes faith, humility and courage to allow the Lord to use us even when things don’t seem to make sense,’’ he added. “Nothing is cheap if it costs all you have.’’
