Morning Star Newsletter Monthly Reflection 

August 2026

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Trust. Surrender. Pause. 

Author: Peggy Sue Mutchler, Youth and Adult Ministry Events Program Coordinator  

The month of August invites us to contemplate the Immaculate Heart of Mary — a heart formed entirely by faith, trust, and complete surrender to God’s will. Mary’s holiness did not come from a life free of hardship, but from her unwavering confidence in the Lord through every joy and every sorrow. 

At the Annunciation, Mary responded to God’s unexpected call with words that have echoed throughout salvation history: 

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” — Luke 1:38. 

Her fiat — her yes — was more than a single moment; it became the pattern of her entire life. She trusted God at Bethlehem, during the flight into Egypt, throughout the hidden years at Nazareth, and most profoundly at the foot of the Cross. Even when she could not fully understand God’s plan, she entrusted herself to His providence. 

As I sit writing this reflection, I find myself looking back on my day. Normally, I begin each morning in prayer but today was different. Before I had the chance, my daughter’s panicked cry echoed through the house: 

 “Mom!” 

 It was not the same kind of echo as Mary’s response to God. 

 Everyone came running to the kitchen, where my daughter stood pointing at the countertop. 

 “What are they? There are thousands of them!” 

She wasn’t exaggerating. Overnight, thousands of tiny red ants had invaded our kitchen. 

I wish I could tell you that I responded with Mary’s unwavering confidence in the Lord. 

I didn’t.  As my own mother used to say, I came unglued. 

 Suddenly, everyone stopped watching the ants and started watching me. In my frantic attempt to eliminate these tiny invaders, I slipped into the all-too familiar “if only” speech: 

“If only you had wiped the counters before bed … If only you had listened … If only …” 

Perhaps you’ve had one of those moments too. 

Only minutes earlier, I had been writing about trusting the Lord through every joy and every sorrow. Yet when my own plans were interrupted, I didn’t trust. I reacted. I pointed fingers. I let frustration speak louder than faith. 

How quickly peace can disappear. 

One of my most frequent prayers is simply saying, “Jesus, I trust in You.” 

Sometimes I repeat it again and again.  “Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You …” 

Why is unwavering trust so difficult? I know how I should respond. I strive for emotional maturity and interior peace. Yet in a matter of seconds, I can lose both. This morning reminded me of a humbling truth: I am a sinner in need of a Savior. 

Looking back, I realized what was missing. I never paused. Instead of stopping to invite Christ into the moment, I reacted before I prayed. That simple act of pause is actually a profound spiritual practice. 

Before we speak … 

Before we react … 

Before we defend ourselves … 

Pause. 

Ask the Lord: 

“Where are You in this moment?” 

“What are You asking of me?” 

“How do You desire me to respond?” 

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus himself models this holy pause. Before choosing the Twelve, He spent the night in prayer (Lk 6:12). Before dawn, he withdrew to a deserted place to pray (Mk 1:35). After feeding the five thousand, he went up the mountain alone (Mt 14:23). And in Gethsemane, before embracing the Cross, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). 

When I recognize my failures to pause, I return to the Lord, ask His forgiveness, and return to Scripture. There I find Mary, who “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). 

The Immaculate Heart teaches us that trust is born not from having every answer, but from remaining close to the Lord in prayer and faithfully pondering His Word. Like Mary, we are called to bring our hopes, fears, joys, and sufferings before God, allowing Him to shape our hearts according to His will. 

The Psalmist reminds us: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act” (Ps 37:5). 

And Jesus assures us: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me” (Jn 14:1). 

As we honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary this month, may we ask her to intercede for us, that our hearts may become more like hers — humble enough to receive God’s will, courageous enough to embrace it, and trusting enough to follow wherever Christ leads. 

Perhaps that is the lesson Mary offers us this month: Trust. Surrender. Pause. Trust that God is present. Surrender your own plans to his. And before the next interruption comes, as it surely will, pause long enough to invite Jesus into the moment.