The other night, around nine p.m., I was taking out the trash and feeling like I’d run out of energy, and it was only Monday. That’s when I ran into an older woman who was coming in with groceries. I said hello and asked how her husband was doing.
She explained that he’s in a skilled nursing facility, and there are some challenges. But then she said he had a great visit from a chaplain who came to visit, and they prayed “our prayer.” She then went on to pray a beautiful prayer, and her face lit up as she told me that she and her husband had said prayer together for decades every night, and they still do.
In today’s Readings, we hear two opposite stories. On the one hand, there is Solomon, whom God has blessed throughout his life, and yet, in his elderly years, drifts and is susceptible to being led astray by his wives to worship strange gods.
Seeking Healing
On the other hand, there is the Greek woman who was not a Jew and yet believed in Jesus’ healing power and was undauntedly persistent in seeking healing for her daughter.
None of us knows how we will respond to prosperity or adversity until we are in the moment, and likewise, we don’t know how aging will affect our faith. We do have reminders from God to be on guard against our susceptibility to drift like Solomon, as well as the encouragement to seek to draw closer to God each day, like the woman in the gospel and my neighbor.
God's Loving Presence
Monday night, as I prepared to say goodnight to my neighbor, I asked her to give my best to her husband and let him know I’ve been praying for them each day.
It was then that I saw that radiant smile again and knew God had blessed me with a reminder of God’s presence in our lives and how it enables us to persevere in faith and love even in the most difficult of times.
My brothers and sisters, may we never forget God’s desire to keep us close so that we might have faith in how He works in our lives, especially when we need Him the most.
May we never underestimate the power of prayer and witness of faith, even when it feels very late at night.
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