Given by Rev. Steve Meineke May 1, 2022
Everyone’s spiritual life has ups and downs. We can get a sense of deja vu sometimes. We feel we have been through this before. Sometimes one can get stuck on the down side and forget how to turn things around. The month of May is Mental Health Month. Today we are talking about a spiritual condition similar to depression called acedia. When we feel spiritual alive, we feel energized, positive, and up-lifted. When we feel spiritual depleted, it is hard to feel connected with others and to God. After two years of living through the pandemic, many are feeling spiritually depleted and weary. There are so many things going on now (war, the environment, politics, family, and the economy), we are feeling compassion fatigue. It is hard to care when we are overwhelmed. Today’s reading points us to the perils of acedia and shows us the remedy. The apostles had succumb to acedia and gone back to their old lives before Jesus. Jesus appears and invites them to breakfast. The journey of faith begins each day. Sometimes Jesus makes surprise visits in the midst of our routines. If we are willing to try just one more time, we may be surprised at the results. Anything we do can help renew our spirits.
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