Tony Delpra had a good word today at the POP meeting.

Cast your bread upon the waters,
for after many days you will find it again.
2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight,
for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3 If clouds are full of water,
they pour rain upon the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where it falls, there will it lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed [a] in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.

-Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6

This really spoke to me today. I went confession yesterday and one of the big issues that I have found is dealing with an individual that seems extremely distraught over the recent problems with the Catholic Church and the War in Iraq, and every other thing that is going on in the world. I want to defend the Church but do not want to go about it in the wrong way. I have found myself mostly listening to what the person has to say and trying to understand where he is coming from. It is hard to have conversations with him because he is so negative about everything, which can in a sense transfer to me in which I start to get negative.

Where the scripture comes in is great. "Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie." Awesome. What great imagery. It means don't worry about the things you cannot control, or your moment to be what you were created for may pass you by. Letting things that you can't control or do anything about pulls you away from reality in the here and now. The war in Iraq, Church scandals, world hunger, etc... You can't do a damn thing about them besides keep your own life right by praying and doing good when the opportunity knocks (or even looking for opportunities). If you waste your time being consumed by all of the tragedies and unfairness all you are doing is adding to it by not doing your own part, which makes you just as bad.

One mistake by and individual or even years worth of going down the wrong path then eventually finding your way back to God and seeking forgiveness is infinately better than a whole life spent upset and doing nothing but complain about how bad things are in the world.