And the reward – seeing the clean cupboards, or more appropriately the Holy Face of God – give such joy that the world has never known.
About a month ago, my feelings of frustration seemed to get the better of me.
While nothing in particular was terribly wrong, it was certainly a time when everything seemed to get the better of me – all at once. Perhaps, being so close to the end of the year, I simply could not justify all the aggravation that I was experiencing in my daily life, and I just suddenly – and inexplicably – became extremely frustrated.
Ever since I can remember, I have always responded in the same way to feelings of extreme frustration. When I become frustrated beyond the usual, I generally start cleaning out cupboards. It is not a conscious soothing thing – it is rather a spur of the moment decision that seems to generate feelings of calmness and control in me as I toss out the old stuff and make room for the new. And in this way, I guess I am able to feel less frustrated, because I can feel that I have achieved something significant…
On that particular weekend, about a month ago, those feelings of frustration culminated in a massive – and unexpected – spring clean. Now I am blessed that I have my children with me and that they decided on that occasion to be helpful to me and help me with the clean-up.
And so it was that together, we sorted out clothes and toys and books and shoes so that we could make room in our cupboards for our things and allocate the things that we rarely used or needed to those less fortunate than we were…
And this was a big job. It was tiring and annoying to have to empty out cupboards and sort through the tings that came out of them and to decide whether or not we would keep them or give them away. And then the things that we were keeping needed to be cleaned up and re-packed appropriately.
And while we were working, my children kept repeating to themselves and to me, “This is going to be so wonderful when we are finished.” And in the days following, the children (and I) would open the newly cleaned cupboards and stop to admire the beautiful organisation. And that view made us all feel so happy and as though we had achieved something significant.
And I have been thinking about that today because it seems to me that this is just the way that we should offer sacrifices as we prepare for eternal salvation. You see, those sacrifices that we offer are uncomfortable and unpleasant in the moment. And the reward – seeing the clean cupboards, or more appropriately the Holy Face of God – give such joy that the world has never known.
And I have been thinking about that today as I have been watching my children admire their newly cleaned cupboards. Because it seems to me that there will be such joy in eternity if I could only clean up my life on earth…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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