Well, winter has come. The last week or so has been a challenge for many people as school busses were cancelled, road conditions for driving were too dangerous even for the ploughs to do their job. For the first time this winter season we had to cancel Masses in Tobermory and Lion’s Head as it was just too risky to drive. As I was sitting in the rectory not able to drive anywhere I became aware how important it is for me to look at the good that can come out of difficult situations. We all know, I’m sure we’ve heard it many times that it’s important to learn how to slow down our busy lives. Well, we can be aware of this need and yet find little patience to actually apply it to our lives. As I was sitting in the rectory during these snow days, unable to go anywhere, I realized that this is a perfect opportunity for me to slow down and take advantage of this time. I remembered the words of God directed to the Prophet Isiah: “Be still and know that I am God”. Whenever I think of these words I can’t help but get into an argument in my own head: “But how can I be still? There is so much to do, so many churches to visit, so many tasks to complete. I have no time to be still right now. Perhaps later!” On the snowy days of last week when everything had to be closed because of the weather I could not argue with God any more. I realized that the unfortunate bad weather has provided a perfect opportunity for me to respond positively to the invitation from God “Be still, relax, breathe, and know that I am God, I am with you, I love you”. There are many events in our lives that can catch us by surprise, force us to change our plans, derail our journeys. It’s so easy to get upset when this happens and to choose to be mad. But think what would happen if we simply looked at these complications not as mistakes but as opportunities, opportunities to slow down, opportunities to take a breath, and maybe even to rediscover something beautiful that has been lost. I pray that we may find new life in the most unexpected and unplanned difficulties we encounter in life, that we may find God over and over and over again.
Fr. Wojtek Kuzma