What's In Your Wake?

Sheri Wohlfert shares the Holy-Spirit whisper that came from Psalm 23 and a summer day at the lake. 

The Holy Spirit whispers in the ordinary 

It’s hard to believe that we’re already knee-deep in August! It’s been a lovely summer, and I love all the great summer things there are to do in the beautiful lake-dotted state of Michigan. A few weeks ago, I was sitting by a lake watching a beach full of swimmers and dozens of boats pulling skiers and tubers.  

One thing the boats had in common was this: No matter how big or small they were, they left a wake. I spent a long time peacefully watching the waves from the wakes make their way to shore.  

I hadn’t thought much about that afternoon until a recent Sunday morning when one of the Mass readings was from Psalm 23. Someone wise once told me to ask God at the beginning of each Mass for at least one nugget to take home. I don’t always remember to follow that good advice, but I’m glad I was paying attention to the Holy Spirit's whisper that Sunday morning, because verse 6 of the 23rd Psalm was a nugget I needed.  

Indeed, mercy and goodness will pursue me all the days of my life. (Psalm 23:6) 

The wake we leave behind 

A boat never looks behind, and once the wake has been set in motion, there is no taking it back. It just keeps speeding along. Sometimes the wake can be a lot of fun for tubers or skiers, but sometimes the wake can be harmful or hurtful.  

I had to stop and think about what I leave in my wake. We all leave a wake — and quite often, like the boat, we aren’t even aware of what’s happening behind us. I thought about people in the same aisle of the grocery store … what do I leave in my wake as I speed to the end of the row? I wondered how many times I have sped by people so fast I didn’t even notice someone who needed a little help or encouragement — or even a simple smile. How many people do I leave in my wake unnoticed who simply needed someone to acknowledge them? 

Since the number of places we leave a wake is large, this just might be our biggest opportunity to grow in holiness and discipleship. The writer of this psalm did a great job of describing what we should be leaving in our wake: mercy and goodness. The Father is so fancy, isn’t He?  

Heaven doesn’t depend on us doing giant things like building an orphanage or feeding a village. Thank goodness He makes it simpler than that. Mercy is love in action, and goodness is the definition of the thoughts and actions of Jesus. That’s what we should be leaving in our wake. I think I’ll spend some time paying attention to what I leave behind instead of being so worried about charging full speed ahead. 

A seed to plant:

Pray about your wake and pay attention to those who leave good things in their wake … let’s see if we can’t make a difference before summer ends. Blessings on your day!

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Sheri Wohlfert
Images: Canva