Jan 03, 2016

 

Prayer of St. Francis (9)

Where there is despair, hope

“Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without words

And never stops at all.”

                           Emily Dickinson

We will talk about the next line of the Prayer of St. Francis, Where there is despair, hope.

There are times in life when everything seems so bleak, that the world that we have lived in is seemingly being destroyed, and somehow a few spoken words by a friend helps us put things into a different perspective and what we perceive changes. Occasionally a stranger speaks these words or it is something we read that changes things. All of us have been lucky at sometime in our life to have had this gift of Hope given to us.

It has not been by accident that these words or something we see occurs; no, it is a gift from God that was placed before us, something called synchronicity, or an unusual sequence of events.

We as the Face of God on earth, are called to be the conduit of the Love of God to those in despair whose life crosses ours, for they are sent to us by God. Quite often we do not even know how the other person feels, but something impels us to speak out and say a few words of encouragement. When we feel this impetus, we must always respond to the feeling and express our love, concern and hope to another. It is often impossible to know where the other person resides in their thoughts by outward appearances, as we are all actors on the stage of life and have learned well how to hide our innermost feelings, especially those of deep emotions like despair.

Our world has many examples of people being in desperate situations, from natural calamities such as flooding, earthquakes, and fires, and man-made conditions as the war zones throughout the world. There is nothing personally we can do about those as a usual condition, except offer hope for aid in resettlement situations. But our life has many bearing the brunt of frightening diagnosis by the medical environment, losing jobs, divorce, a child dying, and so many more. When a friend’s loved one dies we so often don’t know what to say, but if we listen to our hearts and feelings, we will hear the message that we need to bring to that moment. Usually it is just a sense of support, you are there if they need to talk, etc. That is why bringing food to the family helps; it is not the food as much as the sense of caring that is the most valuable.

Think of the times when we have been in similar situations, what words were spoken to us that helped further the healing process?

Dire medical diagnosis is the most devastating news that has no quick solution. All we can do is hold their hands at that point, lending our support as best we can. A good friend of mine has been volunteering for the hospice in his town for almost 20 years, sitting with the dying over periods of time from a few weeks to a year or more. Yes, he gets to love the person, and it is difficult to see them pass, but the gratification of knowing he has helped not just the patient in the process but the family as well, as the time breaks for family members is an enormous gift.

The love we share with others in serious situations where despair seems palpable is the most powerful pain reliever we can give another, for we are the gift of the love of God made visible. Dare we take the burden when it is presented to us? That is the challenge that we have to face at the time, for we will be given the opportunity time and time again. Yes, I have failed probably more often than I accepted the challenge, but the challenges continue to gain in opportunity if I only look.

Next time we will look at other situations, such as suicide.

“The things you do for yourself

are gone when you are gone,

but the things you do for others

remain as your legacy.”

                           Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

Questions to Ponder

What is your reaction when faced with a situation where another is in a desperate situation and need support?

How do you face serious situations in your own life?

Meditation

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.”

If this meditation post has been helpful, I would appreciate it if you would pass it on or share it.