Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”

“If it isn't one thing, it's another.” The story of our life. The ancient Chinese sage Confucius put it this way: in youth we have to be on our guard against lust; in our prime against aggressiveness; in old age against greediness. Overcoming the problems of one time of our life doesn't mean we're home free. Don’t worry! Something else will come along; or the old ones will return.

This is true in our prayer life, too. We pray for Dad's health and comfort in old age, maybe for years; eventually, of course, he dies. For a moment we feel an emptiness in our prayers. But then we hear that Jill and Ben are breaking up and our concern for them and the children drives us to pray hard again. That is resolved. But then: Jim has an inoperable malignancy. We remember him daily and more than that in prayer. And so it goes. We pray for the dead: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And very appropriately. This life gives us little rest from concern, even fears.

As Confucius suggests, there's always something to pray about, even to ask forgiveness for, some weakness that hangs in there. Even our little successes can give rise to further concern. We might make some progress, at least for a while, against our sensuality. That easily leads us to pat ourselves on the back and feel pretty self-satisfied. Another problem: self-satisfaction. The needs and concerns, of our own or of those dear to us, serve the great purpose of reminding us of our dependence on a loving God, on grace.

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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