DECEMBER 4
There are seasons of prayer which, though spent amid dis-
tractions and tediousness, are yet, owing to a good intention,
fruitful to the heart, strengthening it against all temptation.
—FRANCOIS DE SALIGNAC DE
LA MOTHE FÉNELONThe temptation for mourners is to despair. There are other
temptations—to deny, to idealize, to refuse help—just to
name a few. But despair is certainly readily available, and
especially so at this season when everyone is gearing up for
holiday celebrations and family get-togethers. And if we are
trying to keep our hearts and minds “on track” for healing,
there are extra difficulties at this time—distractions galore,
and too much to do. We get overtired, and our sadness
permeates it all, making the burden heavier.
Now is a good time to heed the words of the seventeenth-
century author and churchman, Fénelon. We can acknow-
ledge the difficulties of the season, do what we can to cultiv-
ate some inner peace, and trust that we won’t lose our way
before the sometime-glad, sometime-sad weeks pass and
things quiet down.
In the flurry of the coming weeks I will try to spend a few minutes
each day in prayerful silence—my own particular stay against the
emotional and physical tumult of these days.