I don’t mean that monster under the bed, I mean that mummy monster who comes out in the evening and towards the night! That mummy monster who is exhausted after a long day with the kids, or perhaps has worked and still had to rush home to get dinner prepared.
We all have a little bit of that monster in us. We are weary by the end of the day. We feel like shouting at times, we don’t feel like smiling. Every task seems just that bit harder, whether it be entertaining a conversation with our husband, reading a goodnight story or cleaning up the kitchen.
So what can we do about it? I find this time of the evening/night a very special time for sanctity! Living this time with a sporting spirit, when it is a struggle for you, is particularly fruitful. When we stop seeing things from a merely human point of view and see things more supernaturally, our jobs and things we need to get done, become a lot easier.
For me, from 6pm onwards, I feel a need to lean totally on Our Lord, because I know humanly, if I gave in to my whims and emotions I certainly wouldn’t be a very pleasant person to be around.
I ask God for cheerfulness. I ask Him for abundant patience not to ‘lose it’ or speak abruptly to my husband or children simply because it’s the end of the day. I tell him I want to continue with that same enthusiasm and energy which I had in the morning. I ask Him to help me to keep smiling!
Our Lord is wonderful. He will never let us carry a cross on our own. Nothing will ever be too much to bear if we depend and trust in Him. With Our Lord by our side, we can do anything.
We can be a saint during this hour which we find so difficult. Persevere with a good attitude. Treat your husband and children with great affection. Spend time with them. Laugh and keep situations light. Finally when it is your time to hit the bed, you will be pleased that you have offered your very best to Our Lord, whom ultimately is the only person you are serving and wanting to please!
Originally posted 2015-09-09 12:00:40.