The Holy Spirit's Family Room

Just before, the day before, I began chemotherapy I was blessed to consult with a priest and spiritual director, a wise man. When I asked him how I could weather this journey through illness, his advice surprised me. He thought for a moment, then said, “radical openness.” I was not expecting this response. “What? I am not a radical! I have never done anything radical in my life!”  

As the days unfold I am learning the wisdom of this approach. Basically, it means, “God is in charge.” His ways are mysterious, surprising, and often not what we want in the moment. We can begin to see his wisdom only in retrospect. Maybe that hardship, maybe that pain, isn’t about me! Maybe that pain is a way for someone else to change, to gain insight, to grow. As change unfolds, there is a ripple effect for my family, my community, and eventually my world.  

This radical openness allows for hope in the face of what seem to be insurmountable problems. Climate change. Drought. War. Politics. Homelessness. How can we, as individuals and as a society, hope to make a difference in our world? Expect radical openness to God’s intervention! As he did so long ago at Jericho, God can and will do the unexpected. Our part is to be hopeful and watchful and open to his lead.