It has often troubled me, having a mind which knows so much, and yet knows so little. When the word “why” comes to mind, I want to find the answer. I dig; I search, and I pray. Yet, often it seems that I will never know the answer to that troublesome question.
I heard so many “why’s” this week. A dear friend is losing her sight, with so many troubling implications. “Why” almost seems the least of her questions, as her life as she knew it is totally changing. Another friend is very ill, and cries in pain and worry, and is afraid to ask doctors “why” for fear of the answer. Another dear friend looked at death in the eye, and spoke to Jesus in expectation, and now struggles to heal. And I myself have my own health issues, which I hesitate to bring to my doctor.
Death, an end to life as we know it, is near. Why?
The men’s group presented a few videos of America, patriotic songs, beautiful scenes, showing many of God’s blessings on this country. Some made me cry. And then the younger men spoke: “I liked that song; I never knew the words.” The song they referred to was God Bless America. Don’t know the words??
And I cried in my heart: Why?
Today was the last mass of our priest, a very saintly example of manhood, who is moving on to another parish. The mass readings today included the story of Abram who, at 99 years of age, was told he would be a father, a son to be named Isaac. And Abram laughed!! Despite the fact he knew it was God speaking to him, in his heart he could not accept the words. Why me? Why now? Why this?
So many of our lives are changing. Illness? Death? Unplanned pregnancy? New job? A country founded as “one nation under God” no longer knows how to praise Him?
The priest spoke of his sadness at leaving our parish, of the many blessings God has given him, but now things are changing. Things will not be as he planned, but then he pointed to Abram. Radical changes can come about in our lives, changes we fear, but we, like Abram, are not alone. God is with us, always. We can’t possibly see or understand His plans, but He loves us. In that we can trust; He died out of love for us.
We will never fully understand why fearsome events happen to us and around us --- at least not in this life. The priest noted that these are precisely the times not to despair, but praise God. God has done so much for us because He loves us; why would we think He would stop? One day we will see and understand it all, but for now, we need strong faith, to accept and to trust that God loves us, even in permitting trials for which we can perceive no reason. We must be able to say: “I don’t understand why, but Lord, I will accept, I will trust. I will trust in Your never failing love, your never failing mercy.”
- - - - - - - - - -
These are two of the videos the men’s group watched. (Maybe you might send the links to your kids or grandkids as a 4th of July present.)
No comments:
Post a Comment