At that point in my life when I turned my back on God, my thought process was, “I can handle my life on my own. You allowed harm to come to me, so clearly you aren’t interested in helping me. I’ll take it from here.”
Instantly, I set out on a path to save myself from my pain. Not too shockingly, I only ended up dumping more pain on myself by my bad choices. More pain, more regrets.
I thought if I just looked nice, was a “good” person, kept my grades up in college that I would save myself from the hollowness I felt.
But, none of that worked. None of it.
I needed a Savior. It’s hard for us to admit that because we are taught, especially in the West, that being independent is what makes you happy.
“Be your own boss.”
“Will yourself well.”
“Live your truth to be truly happy.”
These things don’t work. They just don’t. We need a Savior—not a self-help guru, not a social media influencer, not a politician that does what we want.
We need a Savior.
The line today from the centurion in Matthew 8:5-11, is perhaps, one of my favorites. We say it at every Mass in a very personal way.
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
I love that line. I love it with all my heart. To acknowledge my unworthiness and ask for healing from my Savior is the true path to joy.
Advent is a time, Catholic Pilgrims, to prepare and wait in anticipation for the coming of Our Savior. He already came 2,000 years ago, but it’s still worthwhile to acknowledge our need for the tiny baby that was born at Christmas and make room in our souls for Him.
Have a blessed Monday.
