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But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:7-8)
There’s a lot of talk today, about the need to be ‘realistic’ and accept the world as it is and ourselves as we are, meaning we don’t have to worry our pretty little heads about the things that are wrong with ourselves and our world. But the Holy Spirit calls us and liberates us to change the things we can change, according to our various vocations, through faith, hope and love. The vision that opens up to us through faith, hope and love ‘sees’ more than ‘things as they are’; it sees things as they will be, in God, at “the end of all things” that St. Peter says “is at hand.” You could say that this vision also sees less, in the sense that “love will cover a multitude of sins”; in the sense that we let things go, because of our “fervent love for one another.”
This doesn’t actually mean ‘not seeing’ the multitude of sins in ourselves and others. St. Peter in today’s Epistle-reading calls us to be both “serious and watchful” in our prayers, like grown-ups. It means seeing ourselves and others, warts and all, through the prism of love, as God sees us, always envisioning our potential, to continue becoming who we are in His eyes, His beloved children. And this is not just an intellectual exercise, which remains in our already-mentioned pretty little heads. The more we clarify our vision, in “serious and watchful” prayer in communion with God’s Spirit, our faith, hope and love grow and liberate us to move forward and act in ways that foster in ourselves and others the change we desire; the change we believe in, the change we hope for, and the change we love, as we experience it gradually in and among ourselves.
Let me not be a slave to “realism” this Wednesday, but let God into my heart with His undying faith, hope and love for all of us and our world. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen!
