Stewardship: Just do one thing

By Barbara Dury | Published: August 29, 2010
       I find it hard to believe that next weekend and the celebration of Labor Day, for most of us, means the end of summer. I hope that all have had the chance to relax and recharge for the coming year. As we all come back together and get ready return to our “normal” routines a favorite topic of conversation is what we did over the summer: the trips we took, the people we visited, the books we read, the adventures we had at camp.
      What did I do this summer? The focal point of my summer was a course that I took titled “God and the Mystery of Suffering”. As I head for the finish line in the Master of Ministry Program offered by St. John‟s Seminary, I discovered that I needed another elective in spirituality if I was still planning to graduate this coming May …so that is what I did. It turned out to be one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking classes I have taken.
      What did I learn? Suffering is part of human nature; no one can avoid it. The ability to know that we suffer is one of the things that defines us as a human being. God does not directly cause our suffering but He allows it; but even as he allows it He is always there with us to help us through it; to give us consolation, strength and courage. Suffering is not only redemptive when we unite it with the saving suffering of Jesus Christ but it can also be transformative for each one of us. How we handle our own pain and suffering, and the pain and suffering of others, helps to define who we are as a human being. Our truth is that the why of human suffering remains hidden from us in the mystery of God. We do not get the chance to determine when and how we suffer but we do get the chance to decide how we handle it, how we live our life.
      During this course I was constantly reminded of a favorite quote of mine by Albert Einstein: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” I choose to live my life as if everything is a miracle. What about you?
~Barbara Dury
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