Guest Post: Sr. Mary Joseph
Today I was struck by the thought, “I have only one life.” I don’t know where it came from. But the Spirit led me to reflect on this a bit. Yes, I have only one life. How will I live it?
Am I all about saving time, saving money, saving energy? For what? There are no guarantees for a tomorrow, let alone a next year. Let me spend myself in service of God and neighbor. Spend myself into neediness! Then let God take over.
In life there is no do-over. When I am on my death-bed, I cannot say, “Wait a minute! I made some mistakes that I have to go back and fix. I am not at peace with everyone. I saved up my time to have a vacation that I never got. I did not give my ALL to God, as I had promised. I held back out of fear, selfishness, or human respect. Give me some more time to make it right.” IMPOSSIBLE!
As a religious woman, my focus has to be on the present moment, living for God with everything I’ve got, right now. I cannot waste time fretting about the past or fearing the future. I have neither of those, only now. And I do not want to spend my days taking back what I gave to God.
That is a real danger in every walk of life. It is so important to renew ourselves in what we committed to, not to slack off, take back, or fall into a spiritual coma.
I have only one life. Lord God, give me the grace of awareness to make the most of today.
