“Jesus, Take Care of Everything”

I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse, but I tend to try and keep many thoughts in my mind at one time. I can go from one thought to another, to another, to another. It can be a bit like multi-tasking; trying to be efficient, I do several things at once. This can often be problematic….. “Oh, maybe I’ll send that text while I’m driving down the New Jersey Turnpike” (actually thank God, I don’t do that)… but I think you know what I mean. 

As I put my to-do  list  together for the next day, it can grow and grow and grow, until it’s really a to-do list for an entire month or year or lifetime…. “I’m going to take out the trash and go to the bank, get gas in the car, begin work on a masters degree, take a trip to Europe, get a job in NYC, try out for the Seton Hall basketball team, etc.” The net-net of all this is that I exhaust myself and end up doing nothing. “Auuuuuughhhh, woe is me.”

I do better when I begin my day by asking God to help me. As St. Pope John Paull II began each day, “Holy Spirit teach me how to think…”. I need the Holy Spirit to help me focus on what he wants me to do this day. Lord help me to put aside the other plans and ideas that may be good, but are not for me this day. Lord help me.

Today was no exception to this reoccurring process. I have a lot on my mind. I did take my prayer time and went to mass; I have some upcoming meetings and projects…. my “to-do” list is pretty expansive. But then Judy and I decided to go to Adoration at the beautiful St. Joseph’s Shrine. So I asked the Holy Spirit to help me. As I do that, I can feel the peace of Christ coming back. Okay, take a deep breath. “Holy Spirit help me…. okay, I’m not going to India today and work with Mother Teresa’s nuns, I’m not going  to picket the White House, I’m not going to write a book on troubling theological questions….deep breath…” 

A good friend recently gave me a novena. The daily prayer is  “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.” (10 times) I’m only on day two, but it’s a beautiful novena. I hope I can finish it. I pray it will help me to calm down and listen more intently to the Lord and do only what he calls me to do. If this happens, this would be very good news.