I had just that sort of day the other day, and, oddly, our July liturgical shelf helped move me from sadness to smiles.
At one point during my "off" day, my daughter noticed silent tears slipping from my eyes and came to give me a concerned hug. I thanked her and reassured her that nothing had happened to anyone, that I was not sad nor angry with her or her brothers, and that Mommy just woke with many emotions and needed to release them.
My daughter accepted that, gave me another hug, and, then, sat down quietly next to me, where she sang happily in an attempt, I am sure, to keep her empathetic self cheerful and to cheer me as well.
A moment later, my daughter glanced at our July liturgical shelf, called to her brothers, and asked them to help her.
Together, they began praying An Offering of the Precious Blood for Souls. I joined them through my tears, and, as they each took a small, tear-shaped piece of tissue paper "blood" to place in the chalice at Jesus' feet, a grateful smile caught a tear that slipped down my cheek.
Christ offered such a sacrifice for all of us and continually offers each us consolation... mercy... hope.
Following Him, we can offer up our own struggles, no matter what they are.
I know this, of course, but, while stewing in my sadness the other day, I had forgotten to turn my sorrow into something beautiful and worthwhile by offering it up.
Then, Christ sent my children to remind me.
Little did I know a few days prior when my children and I had put together our simple July liturgical shelf as a way of teaching them about our faith that it would become a vehicle for Christ to reach me during a moment of sadness.
He truly works in wonderful ways.
I pray His ways reach you during your next moment of sadness, too.
