Thoughts from today . . .

While I was sitting in the living room, a glance out the window showed me two things:

1. Guy running laps barefoot around the park across the street
2. Birds hopping on the ground and squirrels running through the trees.

With regards to the first I wondered what was wrong with that guy, that he would be out in the middle of an open field when were told to stay inside. I wondered if he didn't know, but I would think the lack of activity would seem strange. There are never not people and dogs in that park. There are never this few cars on the street. (The barefoot part got me based on the aforementioned dogs, like that almost might as well be a dog park, barefoot, really)

In regards to the second, I am envious of their lack of awareness, worry, and concern. The birds fly around unconcerned they hop in the grass. They worry not, but I awoke to disturbing news, ominous sirens, and a warning to lock myself inside my house. I am pretty calm, slightly annoyed at being stuck inside on such a beautiful day, but otherwise I'd be at work, so there is no difference there, but helicopters overhead are not a sound I am used to hearing. 

It is hard not to be slightly on edge, when a couple people endanger so many. And there are so many questions, but I am trying to trust that I am being looked after, cared for, and loved. I am trying to take this passage to heart:  

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. Matthew 6:25-34

And in the midst of letting go of worry in the face of evil, these words from Saint Teresa of Avila should be remembered:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

And we should be the love of Christ working in the world. We should be the peace the world cannot give. Above all we need to maintain a belief in the fundamental good of people. We need to not be discouraged in our call to love one another.