It’s normal for the diverse circumstances, situations and relationships that we experience every day to elicit in us different moods. Good news which makes us happy may be followed by a criticism by a colleague that makes us furious or depressed. Afterwards we have a little success at work, which makes us happy but at the same time demands more responsibility from us.
Claret writes this resolution at a very decisive moment: on the eve of his Episcopal ordination. In the previous year he had to go through a serious process of discernment because his Episcopal appointment forced him to leave for Cuba, leaving behind two newly accomplished projects whose future he thought was in danger – “Libreria Religiosa” (Religious library) for publishing and the Congregation of Missionaries. In the beginning he rejected the appointment as archbishop but ended up accepting it out of obedience. In the winter of 1849-50 he had to undergo knee surgery, which forced him to be inactive for almost two months. To think that he was a hyperactive person! He was now occupied with the immediate preparation for his ordination and the journey to unknown Cuba. It was not really the best time to be calm, everything foments nervousness… Hence the resolution. Every sickness has a cure.
God has created us to be sensitive and that is positive. But we should not be carried away by sensitiveness, otherwise we would stumble along conditioned by events as they happen.
We need to trigger other capacities we have as humans, like will and reason that enable us to achieve serenity and basic confidence… through euphoria and excessive depression. The confidence of knowing that God accompanies us always and the testimony of Jesus and of the saints could be of great help to us, especially in the moments of great perplexity.
Do others consider me as a sensitive, but serene and confident person?