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Helen Syski sees a holy challenge in her children’s lack of haste.


He was happy. Singing softly to himself, head slightly tilted as he contemplated his sock, and his foot, and the meaning of life.

I was unhappy. Gritting my teeth, jaw clenched, I bit back many, many words that shouldn’t be said about how late we were and what it meant to DO THE TASK AT HAND.

However, I successfully bit back the words, and as I watched him his joy began to permeate my stony heart. He was in the moment, unconcerned, unpressured by the cares of the world. If I was honest with myself, we were only a minute late, and the only person who was going to notice was me.

 

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Jesus’ words settled in my heart.

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4)

 

Unless I can rest in the Lord and be absorbed in the present moment where He dwells, I will not enter heaven. Unless I can humble myself and accept when I am late, I will not enter heaven. I will be too self-absorbed, too busy trying to cover up mistakes and mishaps and blaming others to greet my Savior.

This Lent, I’m giving up haste; I’m embracing late. Hopefully to discover that mea culpa frees me to change on the inside, rather than getting by on the outside. That “on time” can come from a place of love and leisure, a place of presence, rather than the place of “somewhere other than here.” My hope is that without the cheap façade of rush, a strong foundation of NOW will undergird our family life.

 

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Rushing places a host of things above my children and husband. Rushing gives me the feeling of doing without accomplishing anything. Rushing is all about THE NEXT THING and skips the now thing. Because sometimes, when we are doing the now thing, it looks like or feels like nothing.

 

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My hope is that without the cheap façade of rush, a strong foundation of NOW will undergird our family life. #CatholicMom

Do you find yourself always saying “busy” when someone asks how you are? Try saying “life is full” instead. Busy is rushing. Busy is scattered. Busy is you and Jesus and your family passing like ships in the night. Fullness is here and now. Fullness is being present. Fullness is satiating. Fullness is embracing Emanuel.

Let us become children again, absorbed in the moments of our day. Forget about time for a bit. Erase efficiency with Emmanuel.

 

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Copyright 2023 Helen Syski
Images: Canva