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

An unhappy and guilt-ridden spirit seems at times to be one response in the face of the infinite quantity of world suffering. If we can't change conditions for children working as slave laborers or for starving nations or victims of civil war, we can at least wipe the smile off our face and show everyone how seriously we take all this pain.

Roberta Bondi writes of this useless approach to world suffering: "If the Christian did not have the guts to abandon a middle-class life in an overt way, then he or she could still demonstrate solidarity with those who suffered by internally rejecting ordinary life to live in a perpetual state of self-flagellating guilt" (Memories of God, p. 162-3).

The temptation is there. We feel that if we cannot do anything about the mountain of human suffering, we can at least not appear to be happy. Possibly such approaches are driven by the right sentiments. But don't they simply add to the amount of hopelessness and discouragement in the world? Don't we who believe that Christ rose from the dead have somehow to offer? Can’t we bring some hope and joy into our attitude and possibly into our environment? “And so my soul sings songs to you unceasingly. Oh Lord, my God, I will thank you forever.” (Psalm 30)

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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