Immediate Tasks
"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers not because you must, but because you are willing; as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve." (I Peter, 5:2)
Naturally, in the realm of just possibilities, no one should deny help or assistance to the companions that solicit a reasonable request from afar; however, it is our obligation to pay attention to Peter's teaching, regarding our immediate tasks.
Some individuals deliberately give themselves to disquieting thoughts of dreadful events, projected by the sick mind of others, and that will probably never occur. They waste a lot of time suggesting formulas of action or in useless lament.
The field work of others and future occurrences, in order to be examined, always require a great deal of consideration and reflection.
Further on, it is indispensable to recognize that the difficult problem, at hand or at a distance, has the finality of enriching our own personal experience, thus enabling us to solve other and more intricate enigmas of the path.
It is for this reason that the message from Simon Peter is profound and opportune for all times, and for all situations.
Let us attend to the imperatives of the divine service which is localized in our personal landscape, not by constraint, but rather, with spontaneous goodwill, escaping more so, from our own personal interest, and firmly and attentively assisting in good causes, as much as possible.
It is sometimes reasonable for the individual to preoccupy himself with the world situation, with the regeneration of the collectivities, with the positions and responsibilities of others, but we must not overlook caring for "God's flock that is under our care."
XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 26.