Before I Forget…

Maybe I've shared this story with you before, or during a homily, but as we prepare to celebrate a new year, I'd like to tell it again:

An old Chinese farmer had one prized workhorse for his small farm.  For example, when it was time to plow, he hooked up the animal to the plow and it broke the ground for planting.  When it was time to take the harvest to the market, he would hitch the horse to a wagon.  When he wanted to travel a great distance, he would saddle the horse and ride.  The horse played an important role in his life. 
One day, a bee stung the horse, and in fright, he ran into the mountains.  The old farmer tried to follow him, but he couldn't keep up.  He came home that night to tell the whole village that he had lost his beloved horse.  His neighbors told him that they were sorry for his bad luck about losing his horse. 
The old farmer shrugged and said, "Bad luck, good luck, who is to say?" 
Two days later, the horse came back from the mountains, and with him were six wild horses from the same mountains.  The farmer was able to corral all seven horses, which was an economic bonanza. 
Word got around the village.  The villagers came at night and said to him that they were glad to hear about his good luck, about all the animals he now had. 
Again, the old farmer shrugged and said, "Good luck,  bad luck, who is to say?" 
The farmer's son realized what an opportunity this was to make some money.  If he could tame these wild horses, then he could sell them to be farm animals.  He began to try to break in these wild horses.  One of them bucked him off one day, and the son broke his leg in three places. Word got around the village, and the neighbors came that night and told the farmer that they were sorry about his bad luck, about his son getting hurt.

Again the old farmer shrugged, "Bad luck, good luck, who is to say?"
Not long after that, a war broke out in China.  The government came and conscripted every able-bodied man under the age of 60 to go and fight.  Because the son was injured, he was not required to go.  That turned out to be something good, because every villager who was drafted into service ended up being killed in the war.  One again, "Good luck, bad luck, who is to say?"
How can this story help us as we live the Christian life, disciples of the Crucified, Resurrected Christ?  I don't know what 2004 holds for me, but I pray that I can be Christ-centered rather than circumstance-centered.  Whatever happens in 2004, choose God.  The more we choose God, the more we choose deep inner joy in our lives.  If life in 2004 looks like "bad luck" to your neighbors, if you stay close to God, who knows, "Bad luck, good luck, who is to say?" 
The source of real joy for all Christians is to simply open our lives to Jesus and allow His joy to flow in and turn our burdens (bad luck) into blessings (good luck).  Can we trust Jesus Christ, the Teacher, the Leader, the Savior, the Gift of God? 
I don't know the burdens that many of you are carrying these days.  I believe, as a  disciple of  Christ, that Christ Jesus is sufficient for every circumstance that you will encounter in 2004. Believe that Christ will be your STRENGTH - your LIGHT - your PEACE - your BREAD- your WATER - your HOPE - and your eternal LIFE.  Give your self to Christ and trust Him with your life.  Instead of debating whether a particular event is good luck or bad luck, know that Christ cares about you and is with you.

             Love,

Fr. Bill