Overview:

Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A Reflection for Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mt 19:14)

Find today’s readings here.

At first glance, today’s first reading and Gospel appear to be polar opposites. In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). In the first reading, Joshua warns the tribes of Israel that God “is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins” (Joshua 24:19) and will “do evil to you and destroy you” (Joshua 24:20) if they worship false gods. Very different vibes, as the kids would say.

A closer look, however, reveals a similar theme: coming to God and placing all of our faith in Him.

Trusting God is easier said than done. As an admitted worrywart, I have always found comfort in the idea of fate, that God is orchestrating a master plan for my life and everything will work out the way it is supposed to. But as I rapidly approach my senior year of college, I’m finding it harder and harder to maintain my faith in God’s steering of my ship.

Like most other twenty-somethings and soon-to-be college graduates, I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. A million questions about the future are swirling around in my head: Should I go to law school or pursue a career in journalism? Will I even be able to get a job? Should I stay in Washington, D.C., or move back to New York City? Will I wake up in thirty years and realize I should have chosen to be a doctor? As appealing as having my own apartment sounds, what happens if I choke while eating and I’m there all alone? 

While I’m certainly being overdramatic, at this moment in my life, it feels like every decision I make will permanently alter the course of my existence. As someone who craves feeling in control, I feel very much not in control. 

But, as the readings today remind me, I don’t need to feel in control—because I’m not the one in control. Joshua tells the Israelites to “Fear the Lord and serve him completely and sincerely” (Joshua 24:14). He is reminding the Israelites of where their faith should lie–not in false gods or idols, but in the one true Lord. By worrying so much about the aforementioned questions about my future, I am making something of an idol out of them, accidentally distrusting God’s plan for me. 

By coming to Jesus and putting my faith in Him, the Kingdom of Heaven will be mine. All I need to do is let go and let God.

Grace Copps is a student at Georgetown University and a summer intern at America Media.