(Continued from page 1) worry
one to lose the hope of escaping it. Pure
fear causes the action of flight or, combined
with the emotion of hope, becomes anger and so
causes one to fight the impending evil. Anxiety
"moves" in the direction of inactivity,
as escape seems less possible. Thenext step is
called acedia, the medieval name for
depression, the contemporary "common
cold" of the psyche, when movement ceases,
as the overcoming of the evil is perceived to
beimpossible. To put it simply, fear leads to
anger or flight, sorrow leads to anxiety, and
then to depression.Now
it is entirely likely that in any given unhappy
situation, foreseen or endured, all of the
emotions will be atwork. Still it is helpful to
distinguish them so that their negative effects
can be eliminated. What is the sign of anxiety?
It is atendency to an inability to act. So what
is the cure for worry, at least in part? Taking
action, when it is rational and moral to doso.
"Don't just stand there...!" The
"scared rabbit" stillness of the
worrier is his greatest foe. Pray, talk, write,
work, sleep, think,confront, punish, reward,
quit, join, ask, refuse, mend, break,laugh, cry,
eat, fast, run, walk, but DO something
which is areasonable, moral, and feasible
response to your anxiety. Worry is conquered by
action, and action destroys the root of
depression.
Most of all though, rejoice,
for joy and delight in one's good are the opposite
of the sorrow at one's evils which causes worry.
Deliberate, intentional rejoicing, instead of
restricting the soul's scope to the "narrow
escape" of worry, broadens one's perception
of a situation, by shining the light of good
things on the evils which bring us sorrow and
cause us anxiety and depression. Immediate
gratification of the sense to dull the pain of
anxiety is not the enjoyment meant here. This may
be a very incidental and even legitimate remedy,
but it cannot cure worry, but only postpone its
pain with an unrelated pleasure. Rather, confront
worry on the high ground. Count your blessings,
give thanks for the good things you do have, give
thanks for the good things God will draw out of
your present troubles. Then ACT!
True joy can be a choice,
even in the midst of difficulties. Job said,
"Even if He kill me, still would I
praiseHim." Remember the words of Saint Paul
regarding thesufferings of our Divine Lord:
"For the joy that was set beforeHim, He
endured the cross." Our Lord was afraid,
even"sorrowful unto death", but He
never showed the immobilitywhich is the fruit of
anxiety, He kept on moving toward that joy which
was won at the price of His Blood. Sometimes He
will askus to follow Him there, too. Does the
thought of the carrying of your cross make you
anxious? Don't worry about it, just carry itand
remember Christ's words of joy, not to a man of
the law, butto a crucified lawbreaker: "This
day you shall be with Me in Paradise."
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From
Saint Thomas More's Writings:
"Still
moved by fear borne of daughterly affection, Meg
objected that it would soon be too late for More
to change his mind.
He replied, "Too
late, daughter Margaret? I beseech our Lord that,
if I ever make such a change, it may be too late
indeed. For well l know the change cannot be good
for my soul....And therefore I pray God that in
this world l never approve of such change. For as
much as I take harm here, I shall at least that
much less therefore when I go from here...
"Mistrust Him, Meg,
will I not, even though I feel myself faint
Indeed, although I should feel my fear even to
the point of overthrowing me, yet shall I
remember how St. Peter, with a blast of wind,
began to sink for his faint faith, and shall do
as he did-call upon Christ and pray Him to help.
And then I trust He shall set His holy hand unto
me, and in the stormy seas, hold me up from
drowning...
"And finally,
Margaret, this I know well, that without my fault
He will not let me be lost... Therefore, my own
gooddaughter, ever trouble your mind over
anything that ever shall happen to me in this
world Nothing can come but what God wills. And I
make Myself very sure that whatsoever that be,
even if it seems ever so bad a sight, it shall
indeed be the best...
"Serve God and be
merry and rejoice in Him. And if anything happens
to me that you would not approve, pray to God for
me, but trouble not yourself: as I shall full
heartily pray for us all that we may meet
together in heaven where we shall be merry
revert.. "
Wegemer,
Gerard B. Thomas More: A Portrait of
Courage* Scepter Publishers (1995)
page 180-1
*Available
through Paulist Press (Costa Mesa) and St. Ioseph
Radio (Orange)
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