Solving puzzles

SOMEONE gifted me with some boxes of puzzles the other

day. I thanked him profusely, of course. But I immediately turned

those puzzles over to the school where I work, because I feel the

students would need and enjoy them more than I would.

  

            Truth is I have more than enough puzzles to solve

everyday. Just figuring out what to say in the homily for my daily

Masses is already one, and a big one at that. What to advise a

penitent in confession, how to motivate a student with flagging

spirit, how to help the many beggars I meet everyday in the streets,

are some of the puzzles I have to solve.

  

            And there are a lot more. There are daily challenges to

face, trials to cope with, mysteries to fathom, surprises and other

unexpected things, sometimes unpleasant ones, to tackle, etc. Of

course, from time to time, as a form of rest and recreation I play

games and I’m already happy with a few minutes with the Sudoku. That

would already refresh my mind.

  

            I suppose we just have to be game again when these puzzles

come. I have learned to look at them as God’s way to make my life

exciting and adventurous, drawing from me some creative juices.

Sometimes I feel that God is playing games with me, just to humor me.

  

            Thus, I was happy to discover in the Book of Proverbs a

passage that says that Wisdom, the Old Testament allusion to Christ,

enjoys, laughs and plays with the people of the world. “He rejoiced in

his whole world,” it says, “and delights in mankind.” (8,31)

   

            At first, as a young boy, I would be easily and badly

affected by life’s puzzles, distressed and pained as I felt I was

confused and getting lost. It was only sometime later that I

discovered there was no point to react and to feel that way. I

realized that feeling worried over them did not help any, but would

rather just make things worse. That’s thanks to my spiritual adviser

who showed me the light.

  

            So, I suppose, we just have to play along, doing the best

that we can give, though it’s clear that many times, our best would

still not be enough and would still be made a lot better. So we should

just be game with the whole thing.

  

            Besides, Christ told us clearly: “Do not be anxious about

tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own

trouble be sufficient for the day.” (Mt 6,34) What a relief to hear

those words!

  

            Of course, a certain toughness is needed here also, a

toughness that is compatible with flexibility and adaptability, a

toughness that does not make us lose our human tenderness. We should

still manage to smile, to be light-hearted, positive and optimistic in

outlook and behaviour.

  

            This, of course, will require struggle and continuing

practice. We have to learn to be humble so as to be open to the twists

and turns of the many puzzles in our life and still able to hold on to

our faith and trust in God’s merciful providence.

   

            We should expect to get dirty sometimes, to suffer cuts

and bruises as we play with life’s puzzles. But as long as we keep our

union with God, at least in intention, God will always be on our side.

  

            We have been reassured of this in the psalms. “This I

know, that God is on my side.” (56,9) And, “With God on our side will

win. He will defeat our enemies.” (108,13)