Bless the Lord

Mountains and hills bless the Lord; All you winds bless the Lord (Daniel 3: 75, 65, NAB).

Yesterday, I went to Mountain  Lakes an RV campground in the mountains of San Bernardino. I went with my wife; we took our bathing suits, our rosaries, and our problems.

While I was there I spent some time just sitting, looking at the mountains, the trees, and the small critters here and there. My wife, at first, spent a lot of time ranting about certain difficulties we both have to face and resolve. I listened, I listened, I listened, but I didn’t hear just the facts. No, I heard pain, worry, frustration, and anxiety attached to these problems. I listened, I heard, and I understood. I didn’t say much because I didn’t have much to say. I didn’t have any answers; I couldn’t map out a solution.

As she talked, I thought of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount:

Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; They do not so or weep, they gather nothing into the barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds  them. No, not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wildflowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon and all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, Oh, you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat? Or What are we to drink? Or What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek, your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; Tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil (Matthew 6: 26-33, The New American Bible).

As she talked, I listened and my silent participation became a prayer.

Before we left, we stopped for a while on top of our favorite hill, and looked into the darkness of the night sky seeing the moon and searching for the stars. The night breeze was cool and gentle, and the air itself was clean and fresh. There were no flies, mosquitoes or small, flying insects, we were unmolested. We prayed in silence; the problems remained but they were stripped of their power. We were free of worry, anxiety, and frustration.

In essence, we had given it all to God. It’s as though the trees leaned our way, heard our woes, and took the pain from us onto themselves. It seemed that the gentle breeze picked up and carried our dark shadows into the wilderness where they were weakened and dispersed further into the mountains.  I felt that being in the presence of God’s creation placed us in the presence of God, Himself and that His surrounding creation in those mountains, trees, rivers, and streams merely absorbed and dispersed all the worries and woes assigned to the problems we had.

At the end of our brief stay, we still had our problems; we came with them, but something had changed, something profound, wonderful, and peaceful. We were leaving without the anxiety, frustration, worry, and stress that always seems to follow in the shadows of such problems. The shadows were empty; the worry and anxiety were gone.

Returning home with clear minds, strong hearts, and renewed courage, we were able to better carry our crosses. We knew that God was providing for us, giving us guidance, and helping us to plan, and we knew that God would be there for us in His way, and in His time. The forest taught us that His concern and love are just as real as the beauty, wonder, and awe found in His natural creation, the wilderness.