There’s Nothing We Can’t Handle Together

On our refrigerator is a little card with a picture of Jesus. On the back it says, “Lord, help me to remember that nothing will happen to me that we can’t handle together!”

I thought of this card as I reflected on Martha in today’s gospel. Martha, I think, is like so many of us today. As Jesus said, she’s “anxious and worried.” She’s also not paying attention to Jesus, which may very well be the reason she’s so stressed out in the first place. On the other hand, Martha’s sister Mary, who took the time to be with Jesus and listen to him, is calm and at peace. As Jesus said, she had the “better part.”

Perhaps something we’re meant to learn from this is that whenever we’re “anxious and worried” like Martha, we need to be like Mary and spend some time with Jesus. One thing I’ve been trying to do lately, first thing in the morning, is ask Jesus to help me turn all of my worried thoughts into opportunities for prayer, so that instead of dwelling on them and getting more stressed, Jesus might shed his light upon them and give me some of his peace. Through this little prayer, Jesus…

…reminds me that he’s in charge…

…invites me to hand all my troubles over to him…

…and, like the little card on my refrigerator, assures me that together, there’s nothing that he and I can’t handle.

Readings for today’s Mass: http://www.usccb.org/nab/072911.shtml

Photo Credit: lmind1012 via Creative Commons