May 14, 2010
The Second Half
Sign of change
BY DEACON JIM AND ANN CAVERA
It was almost dark yesterday when we knew for certain everything had changed. We heard the realtor out front, pounding a “For Sale” sign into the ground. For the past couple of months we had resisted taking this step. Now we know this is probably our best option for selling our house so that we can move closer to our son and his family. Something about watching the sign go up brought us face-to-face with what it will mean to move. In the five years we have lived here, we have come to love our house and the people in this community. Mentally, we know moving is the right decision for us, but our hearts aren’t quite ready to leave.
There are many times in life when one sign changes everything. A son or daughter marries and our relationship takes a new and undetermined direction. With the birth of a baby, we know our lives will never be the same. Loved ones pass away. We are blindsided by an accident or illness. A storm or flood destroys a home. Nothing prepares us for this kind of shift, but there is no turning back. We must embrace the change, or lose our way.
For the disciples, the Resurrection changed everything. After Easter morning, they lived in an in between time. Their old life with Christ was gone, but what was to be was still a mystery. How do people react when they are confused about what is happening in their lives? Often, when we don’t know where we are going, we try to go back to who we were. The Gospel of John tells us that Peter decided to go fishing and six others went with him. They went back to doing what was most familiar to them before the crucifixion. While being on the water may have brought comfort, it wasn’t necessarily productive. It wasn’t until Christ appeared and they relied on his direction that they found success.
Reading the last chapters of each of the gospels, we find two messages for us in Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples. First, when we are uncertain about what to do, it is best to wait and pray until we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Second, no matter where we are sent, our main purpose is to spread the message of Christ. Perhaps knowing how to wait is the most difficult thing for most of us. Waiting means we are not in charge and that can be a confusing state of life.
We all have our own ways of waiting for the future to take shape. A parishioner comes in to talk about struggling with alcohol and cigarettes. She wants to be rid of both habits, but explains these things have been giving her comfort in some stressful times. Today, thinking about our uncertain future makes me want to do something familiar like baking a large batch of cookies (which both of us are trying to avoid) or going for a long walk. One of those choices is definitely more productive than the other. With a sign firmly planted in our front yard, we are certain change is about to happen. Maybe we can manage if we remember all Christ expects is for us to wait, pray, and be ready to spread the Word.
Deacon Jim and Ann Cavera are former residents of Evansville; their award-winning column is a regular feature of the Message. Contact them at www.catholicseniorspirit.com.