So this shutdown is getting bad. I've been in DC for two decades and when I was first hired I suffered through the 21 day 1995-1996 shutdown. That sucked. But I survived. Hey- Hey.
As this weekend passes and we get closer to the first missed payday, I'm getting worried. I'd been praying off and on for an end to the shutdown, for a short shutdown.
In the middle of the week, I popped into church on my way to the grocery store. I just happen to see a woman I've seen at mass, an odd old bird, and remembered that the church was open. So I walked over and lit two candles. I had no idea, or couldn't remember which saint would cover this situation.
Tonight, for mass, I once again plopped in money for candles and pray for an intercession from a saint. This time I decided to actually do a search for a saint who would cover this government shutdown. Google brought me St. Thomas More.
Ah.
That changed my whole mindset. My prior prayers for intercession from saint TBD, it was simply to ask for the government shutdown to end quickly so I could get back to work. As a history student, the Tudor/ Stuart period was my area study, so I remember St. Thomas More. So instead of praying for an end to the shutdown, I prayed for strength to endure. Oh, I really want the shutdown to end, but I need to seek strength in my G-d, rather than my job.
To know if someone is a saint or not, ask, does this person point me to Jesus? That's their job, pointing you to Jesus. It's not if they were nice, because some saints were total jackazzes for Christ, Saint You-Can't-Do-This-To-Me-I'ma-Roman-Citizen Paul for one. St. Thomas More reminded me of Jesus. Not that I'm in the habit of forgetting Jesus, but my Lord is not always on my mind as he should. I am the Lord's servant first of all, and a civil servant secondly.
So I leave the shutdown in the Lord's hands. He will bring me back to work in his good time. This is all to his good, part of his unknowable plan, my job is to trust in him.
