Worry

Worry

The Rev Mark Link, S.J., has written a number of booklets with reflections for mediation. They are filled with stories and metaphors that are both are entertaining and meaningful. They are available from Thomas More publishingWorry (www.thomasmore.com) In one of them, A contemporary walk with Jesus, he refers to William Barclay, the Scottish theologian. Barclay was a Protestant scholar who wrote many books about religion including study guides for the Bible that are well written, interesting and filled with explanations which make scripture come alive. Father Link says, in one of his publications, Barclay talks about an American Bishop Quayle who was a great worrier. He would sit up all night worrying about things, until one night, Quayle heard God’s voice as clearly as it if it had been someone sitting in the same room. The voice said: "Quayle, go to bed. I’ll sit up for the rest of the night." The impact on Bishop Quayle was dramatic and according to Barclay "thereafter, there was in Quayle a wonderful serenity, fore he had learned to cast his burden on the Lord." Link then quotes E.C. McKenzie:"There is no need to nervously pace the deck of the ship of life when the Great Pilot is at the wheel."

As Jimmy Buffet has it in his lyrics to the song Cowboy in the Jungle: "We’ve gotta roll with the punches; Learn to play all of our hunches; Makin’ the best of whatever comes your way; forget that blind ambition; And learn to trust your intuition; Plowin’ straight ahead come what may…"

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