The other morning I was out on my usual morning walk. As I was walking next to the canal on the cement walking trail that runs alongside it I happened to look down and spot a stranded caterpillar. From his perspective he must have been lost in this barren wasteland. The sun beat down upon him making the unending desert of cement unbearably hot to his tiny caterpillar feet. He was next the curb between the path and the slope that lead down to the river. As I watched he desperately tried to climb the 90 degree cement wall again and again only to fall off about half way up each time. His movements were all frenzied and panicked as each time he fell he would run further down the path before trying the climb again. Dirt and derbies clung to his fine fur coat indicating he had been at this for quite some time, as each time he fell more clumps of spiderwebs and lint got stuck in his hair.
I was just about to leave as I had grown tired of watching his feeble attempts and needed to return home, when I realized perhaps I could assist this tiny creature. Hesitantly I reached my had toward him. Having lived in Louisiana for a time as a child I knew it was risky to touch a caterpillar as some varieties pack quite a sting in their bristles. As I touched the edges of his fur I didn't feel any sting so I determined he was safe to assist. I guided him onto my hand and let him wriggle from hand to hand as he continued his mad attempt to climb the wall. After a time he seemed to realize he was now in a new environment and calmed down as he discovered some sort of salt deposits or oil on my palms that he greedily tried to eat. I allowed him to gnaw on my hand as I tired to find a good place to relocate him. I spotted some bright green weeds down by the water and followed the path to the water's edge. On the way I attempted to pluck the dirt clumps out of his fur, but it was very difficult to do without pulling out his fur along with the dirt. I managed to remove some of the bigger clumps but there were a lot of smaller ones I couldn't removed without the risk of injuring the poor little guy. We arrived at weeds and I placed the tip of leaf right in front of his face encouraging him to stop trying to eat my hand, and climb onto the leaf instead. He seemed to recognize the leaf right away and happily climbed onto and began devouring it as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.
I was quite pleased with the whole situation as I know that some caterpillars only eat certain kinds of plants and I had no idea what kind of plants this particular caterpillar ate. I found it quite fortunate indeed that I had selected a plant that he actually ate.
As I reflected upon this little event some interesting insights came to me about how God may view us. As I watched this caterpillar, covered in dirt, struggle for his life I did not feel disdain toward him. I did not wish to punish him for becoming dirty and failing to stay on whatever plant he had likely hatched upon, I desired to help him. I didn't want to see him struggle any longer and only wished to provide him with what he needed which was food. I thought perhaps this is similar to the way God sees us. We must appear quite desperate in our attempts to live out our lives on our own without any assistance from God. We become covered in dirt as we struggle and fall into sin again and again as we attempt to make the vertical climb to happiness all by ourselves. When God looks at us and sees all the dirt (sin) within us, and watches our panicked, anxious, mad, attempts to escape from the spiritual desert we find ourselves in I don't think He looks as us with anger, or disdain, I think He looks at us with love and desires to help us.
I was unable to remove all of the clumps of dirt from the caterpillar's fur without pulling out his fur along with the dirt, but I was able to remove some of the larger pieces right away. When we allow God to work in our souls and remove the sin from our lives it can be painful. It can feel like we are losing a part of ourselves that we have grown accustomed to. God does not want to hurt us so He may help us remove some sins right away once we surrender to Him, but other sins are intertwined in our souls and must be removed very carefully over time to prevent injury.
The caterpillar became clam once he realized he was in my hand and not on the cement wall any more. This reminds me of how we are called to rest in the Lord. (Matthew 11:28) "Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." While God will not forcibly pick us up as I did to the caterpillar, He does invite us to come to Him and rest in Him. We can gain strength, and peace for the journey ahead by taking time to rest in the Lord each day through prayer, or the Mass.
When I looked for a place to bring the caterpillar I did not throw him into a busy street, or put him into the water of the river, I wanted to bring him to a place I thought he would find what he needed to survive. Likewise God always wants to lead us to what is better for us. When we place our trust in God He does not bring us to a place that is harmful to us He wants the very best for us and desires to give us what we need. Sometimes what is best for us is not easy, but it is our job to trust that His plans are for the safety of our souls, and that is why we should follow where ever He leads.
I treated this caterpillar with love because I put his need for food above my need to return home. Love is when you put another persons needs above your own. God did this best when He suffered and died as a sacrifice for my and your sins. God put our need to be fully united to Him (only this will bring us complete happiness and satisfaction) above His own convince of remaining in Heaven perfectly in love as He is. God doesn't need anything, His love is free gift to us, because He gives all to us and we are not even capable of giving anything back that he needs, because He has no needs. When we praise God it helps us to know and trust Him more. He does not need our praise or thanksgiving, but yet desires it because He loves us, and wants us to share in His love by coming to know Him.
We are small and weak on our own, but God desires us to become the beautiful person he created us to be. We can only become that person by allowing God to help us. Allow Him to help you today!
As I reflected upon this little event some interesting insights came to me about how God may view us. As I watched this caterpillar, covered in dirt, struggle for his life I did not feel disdain toward him. I did not wish to punish him for becoming dirty and failing to stay on whatever plant he had likely hatched upon, I desired to help him. I didn't want to see him struggle any longer and only wished to provide him with what he needed which was food. I thought perhaps this is similar to the way God sees us. We must appear quite desperate in our attempts to live out our lives on our own without any assistance from God. We become covered in dirt as we struggle and fall into sin again and again as we attempt to make the vertical climb to happiness all by ourselves. When God looks at us and sees all the dirt (sin) within us, and watches our panicked, anxious, mad, attempts to escape from the spiritual desert we find ourselves in I don't think He looks as us with anger, or disdain, I think He looks at us with love and desires to help us.
I was unable to remove all of the clumps of dirt from the caterpillar's fur without pulling out his fur along with the dirt, but I was able to remove some of the larger pieces right away. When we allow God to work in our souls and remove the sin from our lives it can be painful. It can feel like we are losing a part of ourselves that we have grown accustomed to. God does not want to hurt us so He may help us remove some sins right away once we surrender to Him, but other sins are intertwined in our souls and must be removed very carefully over time to prevent injury.
The caterpillar became clam once he realized he was in my hand and not on the cement wall any more. This reminds me of how we are called to rest in the Lord. (Matthew 11:28) "Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." While God will not forcibly pick us up as I did to the caterpillar, He does invite us to come to Him and rest in Him. We can gain strength, and peace for the journey ahead by taking time to rest in the Lord each day through prayer, or the Mass.
When I looked for a place to bring the caterpillar I did not throw him into a busy street, or put him into the water of the river, I wanted to bring him to a place I thought he would find what he needed to survive. Likewise God always wants to lead us to what is better for us. When we place our trust in God He does not bring us to a place that is harmful to us He wants the very best for us and desires to give us what we need. Sometimes what is best for us is not easy, but it is our job to trust that His plans are for the safety of our souls, and that is why we should follow where ever He leads.
I treated this caterpillar with love because I put his need for food above my need to return home. Love is when you put another persons needs above your own. God did this best when He suffered and died as a sacrifice for my and your sins. God put our need to be fully united to Him (only this will bring us complete happiness and satisfaction) above His own convince of remaining in Heaven perfectly in love as He is. God doesn't need anything, His love is free gift to us, because He gives all to us and we are not even capable of giving anything back that he needs, because He has no needs. When we praise God it helps us to know and trust Him more. He does not need our praise or thanksgiving, but yet desires it because He loves us, and wants us to share in His love by coming to know Him.
We are small and weak on our own, but God desires us to become the beautiful person he created us to be. We can only become that person by allowing God to help us. Allow Him to help you today!
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