September 20, The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
At a meeting I recently attended, the first agenda item was this “ice breaker” question: What do I like the most about the season of Fall/Autumn? The responses to this were varied as I would expect. When I consider the positives about the autumn season, I think about the beauty of the trees turning, cooler air which brings renewed strength, some activities starting up again-offering new beginnings, harvesting of the crops, and as a sports fan, the beginning of football and pressure-cooker baseball pennant races and the post season to follow. But at the same time, what could be considered as the negatives. Vacation time has past. No more cookouts and barbeques. The long days of daylight are ending with later sunrises and earlier sunsets. Heavier clothing needs to be worn. And, oh no, those heating bills! As you can see regarding this season we find ourselves in, there are positives and also negatives. This is true for about every aspect of our lives. Pure “joy rides” just do not seem to exist.
As we view these many “mixed bags” of life, are we able to maintain a positive view and seeing the “glass of events” at least half full, or do we just dwell on the negative and see them half empty or worse yet, “bone dry.” And if we do see them as dry, what might that say about our own state of mind and the status of our emotional/spiritual health? Now, we do have those waves of emotion over time when we are “all in” with life and those when we desire to “check out” from it. But on average, what is your mindset—positive and full of hope or negative with despair? When apparently stuck in a negative space, can we stretch and see the positives, offering us hope.
Regarding this subject matter, I have always liked the lyrics of the David Haas song: How Shall I Sing To God. I believed I had referenced this in the past. Here are some of those lyrics:
How shall I sing to God when life is filled with gladness, loving and birth, wonder and worth? I’ll sing from the heart, thankfully receiving. joyful in believing. This is my song, I’ll sing it with love.
How shall I sing to God when life is filled with bleakness, empty and chill, breaking my will? I’ll sing through my pain, angrily or aching, crying or complaining. This is my song, I’ll sing it with love.
As we move through the tapestry of life experiences and happenings, let us always remain God-focused and sing God’s praises through the good, the bad and the ugly.