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I remember talking to one of my nephews when we was a toddler. I asked him, “What do you want to be when you grow up? He answered, “My Mom says I can be anything I want. I want to be God.”
Well he’s older now, and I think he realizes he can’t be God. Actually none of us can, although some people keep trying. Perhaps that explains why there is so much angst in our lives. Too often, we want to be something different than what we are . . . a perfect parent, a star musician, a flawless completion, 3% body fat. St. Francis de Salles says, “Be who you are and be that well.”
We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t have to know the answers. We don’t have anything more than who we are. God will do all the heavy lifting in our spiritual lives. Author Matthew Kelly wrote, “If we start feeling overwhelmed spiritually, there is a fairly good change that we have confused our role with God’s role.”
Paul understood that in the second reading as he was quoting a popular song of the day with, “How unsearchable are God’s way and who has known the mind of the Lord.” Peter doesn’t really get it. For although his response is good in the gospel with saying to Jesus that he is the Christ, the Son of God. The next verses in Matthew gospel (which we will hear next weekend) Peter gets yelled at by Jesus and is even called a devil for not understanding Jesus’s role.
Still all through scripture we are reminded how narrow our thinking is, or how shallow our understanding of God’s role in our lives.
We say, “It’s impossible.” God says, “All things are possible.” (Luke 18:27)
We say, “Nobody really loves me.” God says, “I love you.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
We say, “I can’t go on.” God says, “My grace is sufficient.” (II Corinthians 12:9)
We say, “I can’t figure things out.” God says, “I will direct your steps.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
We say, “I’m always worried and frustrated.” God says “Cast all your cares on me.” (1 Peter 5:7)
We say, “I feel all alone.” God says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
You see we don’t have to push the river. The river will flow without us. We don’t have to force the sun to rise, it will. That’s God role.
So think of a problem or a burden that you are carrying right now. Of course do what you can but then our role is to let go and to trust God with whatever it is. Think of a person you are having a hard time with right now.
Well there’s a great prayer called the Serenity Prayer, but I found a newer version of it. It goes like this:
The New Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
which is pretty much everyone
since I’m clearly not you, God.
At least not the last time I checked.
And while you’re at it, God,
please give me the courage to change
what I need to change about myself,
which is frankly a lot since, for once again I’m not you,
which means I’m not perfect.
It’s better for me to focus on changing myself
than to worry about changing other people, who,
as you’ll no doubt remember me saying,
I can’t change anyway.
Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up
whenever I think that I’m clearly smarter
than everyone else in the room,
that no one knows what they’re talking about except me,
or that I alone have all the answers.
Basically, God, grant me the wisdom
to remember that I’m not you. Amen.
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