Scarlett O’Hara or Saint?
A Time For Humble Service

During this tumultuous time of Church and State upheaval we find ourselves at a loss. How to respond, when Satan in nipping at the toes of clergy and statesman alike? A good and humble solution is to reaffirm our need for childlike trust in God. It is when we ‘let go and let God‘, that we finally concede that these situations are not ours to resolve. Like Peter, walking across the sea to Jesus, the answer is faith, not what we can control. Yet, like Peter in his weakness of faith, we often fail to rely on faith. This is the time to call out to Jesus for His help. Yet in our own fallen human nature we find ourselves in spasms of fear so paralyzing that we shy away from the very One in Whom our safety lies.

Frail Human Reaction

We aren’t particularly unusual in this frail human reaction. Consider how scripture, continually through the ages, admonishes us to offer our trials and fears to Jesus. The same Jesus Who gave His very life for us.

The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support.  Psalm 18:2

Finding the wherewithal to do this, however, is not an easy task. Our mortal, life-preserving instincts all too often send us in the opposite direction – fleeing away from His assistance.

Humble or Denial?

When we are finally spent – having fled away from the things we fear and breathless – the exhaustion we feel blunts our emotions. It is then that we are able to resist the instinctual pull of terror.

But is this faith a true faith and humility? Or is it an attitude of denial, of “I’ll think about it tomorrow”? The answer lies in our will. Do we thrust those abysmal fears away, into the deep and dark recesses of our minds – hidden from all but our subconscious mind? Or to we bring them to the glaring light of day and then offer them to God?

For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light. For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth; Proving what is well pleasing to God: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. But all things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light; for all that is made manifest is light. Ephesians 5:8-13

Scarlett or Saint?

In answering this question we show whether we are successfully working toward becoming a saint – or imitating Scarlett O’Hara, from the 1936 novel and motion picture Gone With the Wind.

“I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.” Scarlett

If we deny ourselves the opportunity to faithfully present our fears to God the Father, we are doing nothing more than repressing our trials for another day. On the other hand, if we face them head on, we are putting our faith and childlike trust into the all-powerful Hand of God.

“I can do all these things in him who strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Humble Determination

These tumultuous times of clergy scandal, rampant immorality, and godless living call for a strong determination to be a part of the solution. The problems we are facing today come from the denial and repression practiced in the past. We have failed to be humble and acknowledge sinfulness. The dirt of Satan was swept under the rug. Now is the time to stand up, push back on sin, and petition Our Savior for His calming of the storm.

We must confirm our inability to repair the damage and to head off the impending disaster. Yet it is our duty to stand firm in support of Holy Mother Church and the inherent goodness of humanity – when we follow Her lead. After all, we are blessed to have the Sacraments and Jesus, Himself, available to us. Our duty is to faithfully do all we are capable of. Yet, we must profess that only God controls the outcome.