June 7, 2008

The Promise

Sometimes life is overwhelming. Our own personal lives can feel mundane, pointless, and even hopeless at times. At this moment we are left facing an important question. What will my response be? Will I give in to my feelings of despair and meaninglessness or will I choose to believe and accept God’s love even though I may not “feel” it.

Saint Paul reminds us that “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor 5:7) As Christians we must choose, sometimes several times a day, to believe in God’s love and concern for us. Sometimes the only thing we have to cling to in these moments is a memory from our life when we first began to perceive God’s presence in our lives. Strangely enough, these moments of reflection strengthen us and enable us to push forward through difficulties and trials, all the while helping us to become more mature men and women of faith.

The following poem reflects this experience:
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The Promise

Inside my flesh
It lingers,

The memory of that moment.

It shook me,
An earthquake of the heart;

The promise of infinite love,
Even when I veered from your gaze,
Even when my love
Crashed miles before reaching yours.

This promise sustains me;
Without it I am lost,

The poorest of men

 

Br. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock, CFR
St. Leopold Friary, Yonkers, NY