Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds! Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life span? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore.”

The guiding thought of the movie "Bella" is given by its first lines: "My grandmother used to say, "You want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans." In the movie, Jose and Nina both discover God's plans in an instant. Jose, whose plans were to become a professional international soccer player discovers the divine plan in a tragic way. Nina, a waitress trying to establish a life for herself discovers that she is pregnant, something that she did not want, and further discovers that God's plan for her involves rejection and loss of a job. But God's plan always brings about good. Possessing a basically kind human personality, Jose establishes a relationship with Nina that brings about good for both of them.

Is there any way to be completely prepared for what will happen in life? The believer in Jesus Christ will answer with a definite "Yes" because she/he understands that God always takes care of everyone. Just as God clothes the grass in the field and feeds the ravens, God will take care of us. God will always provide.

In the movie, "Bella," it seemed that nothing good could come from the tragedies that happened to Jose and Nina, but God's plan is always a good plan, even though it does not seem like it. If we acknowledge that God is in charge of our lives as we try to live them, we can only be happy with the results.

Our problem comes in two ways. First, we don't really believe it. We believe in God, to be sure, but we cannot bring ourselves to believe that God continually takes care of the millions of people who populate this earth. And secondly, even if we do believe that God will take care of us, the chances are that we want God to take care of us a little better--that is, the way we think things should be.

The answer lies in developing an approach to life that centers on the belief that things will unfold as God intends. We pray every day with the belief that God is God and "can do anything," even to the point of helping everyone of us as a beneficent provider. And yes, some doors in the real world will close, and close with finality never to be opened again, but others will open, and different good paths will happen. It means truly accepting the old adage of "letting go and letting God." That is, we have to learn to trust deeply in the grace of God at work in our lives and serenely let go of things that we cannot change at the present time. Our lives are more than what we think they are. They are God's creation and God's goodness in progress.             

THOUGHT
 
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, you take care of us. You want us to go about our lives with the thought of taking care of ourselves and others, and then you work with us in such a way that no matter what happens, you will always bring it to good. Help us always believe in your presence. Be with us, we pray.

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America