Calm...Cool...Collected

Tuesday of 15 in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 7:1-9

The Lord is giving Isaiah words to say to Ahaz. 

In the face of particularly meaty threats:

Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear...

Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm! 

I was looking up the etymology of the word tranquil and found a graph showing the pattern of usage since 1800.  It was at a high in 1840 then slowly declining until 2004 only to begin resurgence. 

Calm, serene, relaxed, unruffled, unperturbed, unflustered, untroubled, composed…calm, cool, and collected;)  Is resurgence evidence of the longing? Is the growing shelf space taken up with “Self-Help/Spirituality” manuals evidence of the longing?

In an ever-expanding universe of over 200 billion galaxies, and an equally unfathomable nano world, being firmly grounded so as to remain tranquil doesn’t come easily.  It takes much deliberateness.

Remaining tranquil

Keeping fear in check

Staying firmly grounded

All these are the fruits of a steady and stewarded relationship with God. 

The invitation:
Come.  Sit with me as you start your day.