Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,

At a recent confession, the priest assigned to me a penance that, at the time, I thought rather odd. The penance was to say, “Jesus, I trust in You,” fifteen times slowly and with reverence. Now, the penances assigned after confession are usually very short and easy. They are meant more to remind us of the need for doing penance in order to atone for our sins, than to be a severe penance in themselves.

Over the years I have had several, what I would call strange, penances. There are priests who assign a task that they think is keeping with the sins confessed. For example, the confession of a lack of charity might warrant the penance to do something nice for someone. I tend to overthink those types of penance. How do I know what I did was nice enough? Did that good deed count as my penance, or is it something I would have done anyway? You get the idea.

Anyway, back to, “Jesus, I trust in You.”  My thoughts were, Is this enough?  How will I know if I said  it slowly enough and with sufficient reverence? I guess I can always add a rosary if I don’t feel satisfied enough. 
So I began: “Jesus, I trust in you.” When I had said three, a strange calm came over me and I began to think. Jesus, I do want to trust you. Jesus, I do love you. Jesus help me to serve you better. The repetition of those five words became a profound prayer. I thought of many times I fail to trust Jesus. When I forget that my priestly ministry is really His work. I am merely the instrument. Mother Teresa used this image: I am a pencil in the hand of God. Which means, without God, the work is not accomplished.

Jesus, I trust in You. Help me to see you in the people that I serve. For to serve them, is to serve You.

Jesus I trust in You. Help me to be a reflection of Your love. In everything I do, may Your love shine forth from me.

Jesus I trust in You. When I fear the future, remind me that I do not walk alone; You are always there to guide, to love, to sanctify me.

By the time I reached fifteen, I was almost ready to start again.

Jesus, I trust in You!

Msgr. Cox