Good morning. We live in a world filled with sorrow. Do you recall the last time you felt lonely and defeated? Who was there to lift you up? In today’s Gospel we read of a grieving widow and our Lord’s demonstration of compassion for her. “He was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep." What loneliness, what sense of desperation and uncertainty she must have felt. Our Lord heard her cry and He felt her pain and He was moved.
Loneliness is a feeling each one of us experiences. Everyone at some point in our lives deals with feeling isolated and alone. Loneliness is a feeling each one of us has in a response to our deep desire for being connected, to being a part of another. We very much see this in marriage. There is a longing that exists; a desire for oneness that we experience that goes well beyond the knowing of any other. Yet, despite this desire for oneness with another there remains an uncertainty with each of us of connecting with another. We’ve all been hurt, rejected or betrayed at one time or another. So we stay isolated, lonely and hurting. Strangely we resist going where we are likely to feel comfort, because the certainty of the familiar, because the loneliness is more certain and predictable. Yes, instead of reaching out, we await the compassionate embrace of another, rather than risk rejection.
From the beginning, God was aware of our need for connectedness. He knew our deepest desires, and in response to this He reached out, He felt Adam’s pain and He created for Adam a helper. “The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” Eve would complete him and provide him with real companionship. So it is in marriage, we are there to fill the void, to lift one another up when we are feeling lonely and defeated.
Yet, we do not have to be alone to feel loneliness; it is possible to feel lonely even in marriage. Our saint for today, Saint Joseph of Cupertino knew the sting of rejection and isolation. He found comfort in prayer and trusting in God. Our Lord shows us an example to follow. He too prayed to the Father in times of loneliness and uncertainty. He likewise teaches us to reach out to each other, to feel one another’s pain and to lift each other up from our feelings of isolation and loneliness. Do something today to lift your spouse up, to make your special someone feel significant and wanted. Make a great day!
Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Joseph of Cupertino.
Loneliness is a feeling each one of us experiences. Everyone at some point in our lives deals with feeling isolated and alone. Loneliness is a feeling each one of us has in a response to our deep desire for being connected, to being a part of another. We very much see this in marriage. There is a longing that exists; a desire for oneness that we experience that goes well beyond the knowing of any other. Yet, despite this desire for oneness with another there remains an uncertainty with each of us of connecting with another. We’ve all been hurt, rejected or betrayed at one time or another. So we stay isolated, lonely and hurting. Strangely we resist going where we are likely to feel comfort, because the certainty of the familiar, because the loneliness is more certain and predictable. Yes, instead of reaching out, we await the compassionate embrace of another, rather than risk rejection.
From the beginning, God was aware of our need for connectedness. He knew our deepest desires, and in response to this He reached out, He felt Adam’s pain and He created for Adam a helper. “The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” Eve would complete him and provide him with real companionship. So it is in marriage, we are there to fill the void, to lift one another up when we are feeling lonely and defeated.
Yet, we do not have to be alone to feel loneliness; it is possible to feel lonely even in marriage. Our saint for today, Saint Joseph of Cupertino knew the sting of rejection and isolation. He found comfort in prayer and trusting in God. Our Lord shows us an example to follow. He too prayed to the Father in times of loneliness and uncertainty. He likewise teaches us to reach out to each other, to feel one another’s pain and to lift each other up from our feelings of isolation and loneliness. Do something today to lift your spouse up, to make your special someone feel significant and wanted. Make a great day!
Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Joseph of Cupertino.
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