Category: hope

Normal ingredients in life

Sr. Dorcee, beloved2 Comments
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Cardinal Avery Dulles

“Suffering and diminishment are not the greatest of evils, but are normal ingredients in life, especially in old age.  They are to be accepted as elements of a full human existence . . . As I become increasingly paralyzed and unable to speak, I can identify with the  many paralytics and mute persons in the Gospel . .  If the Lord now calls me to a period of weakness, I know well that his power can be made perfect in infirmity.  “Blessed be the name of the Lord!'” (Avery Dulles, S.J., 39th McGinley Lecture, April 1, 2008.)

Raging Sea

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Raging Sea

Michael W. Smith

Sometimes the journey makes you weary
Feels like a long and winding road
Sometimes this life can lose its meaning
But you might be surprised to find some hope
Maybe you’re wondering where love is
You may feel it’s far away from here
Maybe you’re wondering where I am
You might be surprised to find I’m near

Chorus:
And when your life is tossed and turning
And you’re on the raging sea
I’ll come and pull you from the water
Then you will know that you are free

So if you’re stumbling through the valley
Or if you’re tempted to give up the fight
Reach out your hand and I will lead you
I will be your strong arm in the night

Repeat chorus

Be not afraid!

Sr. Dorcee, beloved1 Comment

Witnesses to Hope is close to its 1000th post.  This is the first post I ever put up.  I think the reasons are obvious.

POPE EMBRACES CHILD DURING AUDIENCE

 

BE NOT AFRAID! (John Paul II, October 16, 1978 and many, many times afterward . . .)

“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his son, Jesus.” (WYD 2002, Toronto)

A Prayer of Hope

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A Prayer of Hope, Before the Blessed Sacrament

Within Your small circumference,
my Eucharistic Lord,
I see the world entire,
an image of the globe as You made it:
pure round planet
lovingly crafted,
playfully spinning,
laden with hope and promise.

Within Your shadow,
my Eucharistic Lord,
I see the world as well,
an image of the world as it became:
dark round abyss
hollowed out in rebellion,
yawning in malice,
swirling with rage and despair

But into the maw
of that black hole of sin
You have tossed this tiny Orb
of Your divinity.
The blackness swallows
but chokes:
Death must die.

For this humble Star has burst
into a glorious Supernova
filling the abyss,
slaying the darkness,
transfiguring the heaven
with the splendor of a billion suns.

Draw me in,
my Eucharistic Lord,
by Your gravity of goodness;
set ablaze, set me spinning
into orbit around You.
Lead me in Your radiant train,
a bright speck
in Your galaxy of grace.

~Paul Thigpen

Christians and depression

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Bill, over at Unshakable Hope, has a very timely and interesting post: Why are So Many Christians Depressed?  Most of the comments (and his responses) are very good.  You can find my own among them.  I will direct you over there today.  I’m sure there are some of you, including myself, who deal with (or have dealt with) depression and struggled with “What does this mean about me and God?  Am I failing him somehow?”, etc.

And, by the way, if you haven’t already, read Bill’s story while you’re over there.  (Under “About Bill“.)

Know that you are all in my prayers.  And keep him and his family in yours.