Making Connections (continued)

Passion and exuberance are good things. They are important in motivating people, they bring meaning to life. But in dealing with events, a person like a leader or sport’s hero, or God, passion and exuberance need to be balanced with an openness to the possibility of the unexpected, a desire to understand, and patience. As we discover this balance, we find peace in the things that bring us joy or that challenge us.

Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem reminds us that God has come into the world. It reminds us that we will have expectations of what that might mean. As time would tell, the rest of Jesus’ story reminds us that we need to be open to the possibility that God’s coming into our world may mean something different than what we expect. If we are open to this possibility, we guard ourselves from the roller coaster of exuberance and disappointment. By balancing exuberant expectations with an open mind and an open heart, and by watching how string of cause and effect plays out, time tells how God is revealed in our lives and the lives of those around us.

How might a shift in how you see a situation make you feel about it? Can you think of some examples of where being open to other possibilities helped you feel better, or more positive about a situation?*