On Tuesday I was on my hands and knees taking a photo of spring creeping into Pennsylvania, when a colleague came around the corner. She thought I was praying. I could have been. To a God, who six hours before the ground got covered with five inches of snow, gave me a sign of hope. A couple of weeks ago a woman who I have worked with for years lost a college aged son in an automobile accident. I send a card with my prayers included. May those amazing powers of hope, joy, and love come and help her through these dark times.
Today five inches of snow had covered my sign of hope and when I got to the school I am told more sad news as I check in. Again I hope that the sadness is felt and then some how released.
At work a friend had forwarded me an internet prayer chain thingee. Is she too in need of prayer? I will ask her tomorrow as she will hopefully be stopping by my room. I sent her an e-mail and told her I would pass it on, but no tags and no "do this in five minutes."
As I sit here hoping for joy to melt sadness, I have made my wish. So I will finally read the words I have pasted below. The words I am to pass on. The words are by St Therese and they came to me the day after I blogged about praying at night, in silence, with her at the Jesuit Retreat Center.
Here my friends...
'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'
I am sad. I am hopeful.
if these words touched your heart as they just touched mine. Pass them on... and on... they have been flowing for hundreds of years by folk like ourselves.
Peace...
My deeply sincere and sad condolences to your friend. I don't have to imagine how agonizing every breath is for her right now.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words, Wayne, especially when we put ourselves into them and extend His reality unto others...
ReplyDeleteGannet Girl--- imagining it is painful to me, it was hard to sit with the pain as I wrote it last night. your posts amaze me.
ReplyDeleteJim--- I can only wish that when I am in a dark place there will be people who are hoping for my healing and making pots of soup to keep me nourished.
Sorry to hear that you are dealing with sad news from several directions right now. I will keep your friend in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteThe picture is very nice. I'm hopeful that I'll see the ground before April. I know that there are snowdrops in my backyard but they are under two feet of snow and ice.
Kathryn J--- hopefully you get a melt down this weekend, we are to be in the 50's on Sunday!
ReplyDeleteAlways so sad to hear of more broken-hearted people. There are by far too many. I find lately that I wake up praying for people. Some I've never met but they are on my heart none the less. It seems there's not much I can do, but in the meantime, I'll pray.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing those St. Therese words. Timely to say the least.
Here's to spring.
Mich
My word verification today is "cryings...." I could not NOT leave a comment.... Mich is right...there are far too many sad people and stories.....
ReplyDeleteMich--- it always seems that there are folk in need of hope in my life. Maybe at one moment this week all I know will be filled with joy... it's got to be possible.
ReplyDeleteGiggles--- I once got "Christ" as word verification, I bet I could have sold it on e-bay for a cool million.