Pastoral Message – October 22, 2023
As you know, one of my main occupations during my free time has been unpacking my boxes of stuff since moving here in mid-September. You never quite know, until you have to move, how much stuff you have accumulated. In preparing for my move, I got rid of a lot of things. Now, as I unpack my many boxes, I am getting rid of more things. My boxes aren’t marked, so it’s a surprise each time I open a box. Sometimes my reaction is, “Oh! Here is something I’ve been looking for! I’m glad to have it back!” At other times my reaction is, “I can’t believe I’ve been carrying this from place to place and have never needed it or used it!”
Under the surface of this activity of unpacking boxes, my mind has been exploring the other “stuff” we carry around with us. I mean our memories, our attitudes, and our habitual ways of thinking, speaking, and acting (and reacting). Some are good and useful for our life and growth, and perhaps others are not good and not useful. It seems to me that it is good for us to occasionally unpack those internal “boxes” and examine what we are carrying around with us. It is possible that we might be carrying unnecessary burdens which we should finally discard. I know that this is the case with me, and I share these thoughts with you in case they are useful for you as well.
I like to travel, and I have gone on some wonderful adventures through the years. One thing I have noticed is that, more and more, I have learned to travel lightly. It’s not fun to lug big, heavy suitcases through airports and train stations. We can do without a lot of things that only seem necessary in our daily lives at home. There are reasons why Jesus tells his Apostles to travel lightly when he sends them out on a mission (Mt. 10:9-10).
The journey through life is no exception to this. To travel lightly, to live more simply, is one of the secrets to happiness and peace. It also frees us up, so we can more readily enjoy each moment and each experience to the full. The absence of clutter (around us and within us) also takes away many distractions from our awareness of the presence of God, who will provide for our every need if we stay close to him.
Fr. Philip
