Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

Fifth Sunday of Easter (April 24, 2005)

Suggested Emphasis

"Do not let you hearts be troubled. Have faith in God; have faith in me."

Salesian Perspective

William Barclay sets the context for Jesus' assurance to his disciples in today's Gospel. "In a very short time life for the disciples was going to collapse. Their world was going to disintegrate in chaos all around them. At such a time there was only one thing to do: stubbornly hold on to trust in God... There comes a time when we have to believe what we cannot prove and to accept what we don't always understand. If, in the darkest hour, we believe that somehow there is a purpose in life and that this purpose is love, even the unbearable becomes bearable and even in the darkness there is a glimmer of light."

There are many things that trouble our hearts. World wide, we witness the ravages of terrorism, the violence of religious intolerance, the hatred of cultural and social genocide, the devastation of natural disasters. On the domestic front, Americans appear polarized around the uncertainties associated with such issues as national security, social security, energy independence and affordable health care. Even closer to home, we harbor concerns and anxieties about family, friends, other loved ones... perhaps, even ourselves

Truth is that there is always something, be it global or local, which distracts our minds and troubles our hearts.

In the face of these and so many other things that seize our hearts, Jesus asks us to have faith in God. In the face of all that shakes our faith, Jesus asks us to have faith in him.

St. Francis de Sales observed: "What can I say to stop the flux of these thoughts in your heart? Do not strive to heal yourself of them, for such anxious striving would make your heart sicker... Do not struggle to overcome these anxieties, for this effort would simply strengthen them... Fix your mind on Christ crucified." He continued by concluding "If the whole world turns topsy-turvy, if all around us is darkness and smoke and din, yet God is still with us. For if we know that God lives in the darkness and on Mount Sinai which is full of smoke and surrounded with the roar of thunder and lightning, shall not all be well with us as long as we keep close to God?" (Stopp, Selected Letters, p. 125)

There come those times in all our lives when we have done all we can to address a concern and need to leave the rest to God. There are other times when we have not even a clue as to how to address a situation and need to place our trust in God. The wisdom of Francis de Sales' advice is to recognize that to the extent that we allow our hearts to be troubled we lose the strength or ability to deal with those very things that trouble our hearts in the first place. Placing our trust in God - placing our trust in Jesus - placing our trust in the Spirit - better enables us to know how to better trust ourselves and others in dealing with the challenges of life. Placing our trust in God also reminds us that trusting ourselves and trusting others - even those we love the most - has its limits.

Placing our faith in God does not guarantee how the mystery of life will unfold. However, placing our faith in God should always be our first step in entering life's mysteries more deeply... and faithfully.

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS is Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.