Divine Mercy: I'm Not OK, Neither Are You, And That's OK

I stole the title of this blog post directly from the homily one of our pastors, Very Rev. Peter R. Cebulka, CO, on Divine Mercy Sunday. Anyone remember this book from the 1960s? It is one of the top-selling self-help books ever; in 1972, when I was 10, it rose to the top of the New York Times' best seller list and remained there for two years. My parents had a copy and I perused its pages, looking for wisdom.

But, as Father Peter pointed out, the premise of the book is bogus. I am not OK; you are not OK and that is perfectly OK because God, in His infinite love and immeasurable wisdom, loves us, watches us stumble, helps us to get off the ground and keep walking.

The pastor's words are staying with me throughout this week when already I have encountered: a good friend contemplating the end of her marriage, a student who completed a slew of last-minute work over spring break so he wouldn't fail my class for the marking period and my own limitations as an overweight woman trying to improve my health. None of us is OK; each of us struggles in our own ways with our limitations. But that is all right, right?

God didn't summon us into being so we could be perfect. His expectations are that we try to follow Him as best we can.

I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.