In the film Amadeus, the Emperor Joseph II dismisses Mozart's masterpiece with the comment, "There are simply too many notes." He was wrong about Mozart, who had written, as he claimed, "just as many notes as are required, neither more nor less." Nevertheless, it is true that the natural integrity of any creative endeavor is destroyed and its meaning distorted by too many repetitious, distracting, or confusing components, whether that be too many notes in an opera, too many brush strokes on a canvas, too many images in a poem, too many flourishes in a dance, or even too many elements in a life.

Uncontrolled, unhelpful thoughts that are repeatedly directed along the same familiar worn out paths, perhaps programmed from long ago, freeze the mind and hold it hostage, weakening our capacity for creative expression and understanding. Unhealed, raw feelings that are constantly allowed to storm through our lives frazzle the heart, diminishing our ability to be sensitive, loving, and compassionate. Undirected, irrelevant activities that are routinely permitted to clutter our days exhaust the will, draining energy for the vital tasks that are more central to our values and goals. Perhaps all these frenzied efforts are driven by unspoken fears that we are not good enough, not strong enough, or not doing enough. Ironically, our struggles are quite ineffective in resolving these fears. Moreover, whatever our motives, at such times we are concentrating too much on merely personal concerns.

We cannot always prevent feeling overwhelmed by life's crises and necessities from time to time, but we can strive for direction and balance. The mind that is focused on the Lord is characterized by strength in adversity, fearlessness, and equanimity, whatever transpires. As a natural consequence, thoughts, feelings, and actions will then be brought into accord with higher spiritual purposes. Immeasurable power, infinite courage, and perfect peace are the gifts of God, freely given. What is asked of us is only that we keep our eyes on Christ in all the days of our lives, and prayerfully dedicate them to His service.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
Until our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace. Amen.
- John Greenleaf Whittier

Contributed by Diane S.
Published Monday June 10, 2002
Week 28 of Liturgical Year A