by Sr. Sheila Campbell  MMM    Ireland    29.03.2022

Isn’t this a wonderful picture? I was really taken with it when Sr. Kathie sent me this from USA. It speaks to the tough times of our lives. The times when we see only barrenness and concrete in our lives. Difficulties, problems, worries seem to dominate. And yet, look, life springs out of the crack.

I wonder if God isn’t trying to give me a message – there is nowhere where I cannot give you love and hope. Even what seems to be to be barren can be fertile. It really doesn’t depend on me. Sometimes I go into the chapel to pray – and nothing. I can’t feel anything or have any coherent thoughts. These are the barren times and I just have to sit back, laugh at myself and say to God, “well, I turned up, now you do the rest.”

There are times I walk around thinking that I am in control. But I am not, really. At the moment I am panicking because I have to live-stream an event from our Chapel in the Motherhouse. It is my first time to do it and it could go all wrong. I got one online lesson. I wonder will I manage? What will I do if it doesn’t work?

Do you hear this kind of self-conversations running through your head? This is the time to take a deep breath and look at the little plant. God will push up through all my hardness and layers of self-doubt. God will find a way to bring life into the world. It will not be through my planning and worry. Today I promise God not to feel over-whelmed. Today, just for today, God is in control!