God told Abram: "Don't just do something, sit there." God did not need Abram to have a son by Sarai's maid to help God fulfill His promises (see Gn 15:4). Then Sarai's maid, Hagar, tried to help God protect her by fleeing into the wilderness. God told her to go back and stay put (Gn 16:9). Sometimes the best thing we can do is nothing. For example, the Lord told Moses that He would fight for the Israelites against the Egyptians. Moses had "only to keep still" (Ex 14:14). Isaiah prophesied: "By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust your strength lies" (Is 30:15).

Although we must not be apathetic when God calls us into action, we must not be pressured into action when He calls us to stay put. If those protesting abuses in the Church at the time of the Reformation had stayed put, we would possibly have a united, renewed Church. If the Christians in the inner city had not fled to the suburbs, inner-city churches would not be closed, and the larger Church would be stronger. If rural people were not pushing into the cities, more families would remain intact, and fewer young people would be manipulated and dehumanized. If we just stayed put, we wouldn't see so many immature and unprepared single people getting married and so many married people getting divorced.

Where are you the most pressured to make a move? Don't give in to the pressure. Move only in obedience to God.

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 5, 2009

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.