Ending the day well

JUST as we like to begin the day well, we should also like

to end the day well. That is always the ideal we want to pursue,

though many, if not most times, we fail to do so. And the problem is

actually because we do not know what ending the day well is.

            For many of us, ending the day well usually means that

there should be no problem that would weigh heavily on our mind and

heart as we go to bed. This, of course, is not realistic, since

especially nowadays life is full of challenges, issues, difficulties,

etc. We simply cannot cope with all of those.

            If our criterion for ending the day well is that there

should be no problem at day’s end, then we will never end our day

well. We need to be more realistic about this and consider the fact

that usually at day’s end, there will always be unfinished businesses,

let alone, problems unsolved, challenges not yet tackled.

            Ending the day well, for sure, should mean that we can

manage to feel good as we go to bed. There should be peace and joy,

the sensation that despite the drama of life, things are resolved

somehow. We should feel the sensation that we have arrived home

somehow, a sense of reaching our final goal.

            This can only happen if ending the day well is associated

with reconciling ourselves with God regardless of how things in our

life are at the end of the day. With God, everything is taken care of.

            Remember Christ saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary

and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and

learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find

rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt

11,28-30)

            It would be good if we meditate closely on these words so

that we strengthen our faith which is what should guide us in

understanding how we can end the day well, rather than our own human

estimation of things.

            Aside from telling us where we can find our proper rest,

these words somehow tell us also that whatever we do during the day

should be considered as a burden that is not only ours, but also

Christ’s. Our problem is that we consider our earthly affairs simply

as ours. We have to overcome and correct this wrong attitude.

            Of course, the underlying problem here is that many of us

do not know how to deal with God, how to refer everything to him. We

often think that our earthly affairs and concerns are simply ours. If

we ever go to God, it is only when we have some difficult or

unsolvable problems.

            Many of us have forgotten that our life, whether we are

aware of it or not, is actually a shared life with God. The ideal, of

course, is that we should always be constantly aware of that basic

truth, so that whatever happens, even in our worst scenario, we still

can feel secure that everything will just turn out right.

            There would be no real reason to feel disturbed or to fall

into sadness, anxiety and even depression. Even in our worst

situation, like when we really have committed a big, stupid blunder,

things can still be made right, because we can always say, Sorry, and

God will always understand and forgive us.

            Remember the parable of the prodigal son. (cfr. Lk

15,11-32) The spoiled brat in the end decided to go back to his

father. And the father was very happy to have him back.

            Let’s strengthen our faith in the all-powerful providence

of God who is always in control of whatever happens in our life. As

the Book of Ecclesiastes would put it, “To every thing there is a

season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...” (3,1-8)