by Fr. Justin Fulton
Here is a picture of my next-door neighbor Nick Shaw and myself back in 1986. At that time, we had no idea Nick would someday be a successful businessman in the medical services industry and myself a priest. Life sure is unpredictable! Here is one of my favorite prayers:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.
– Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude
This prayer is a prayer all of us have prayed, whether we have known it or not. We may have never recited the words. We may have never written them down or read them either. Yet if we are honest with ourselves, all of us have felt this prayer in our hearts. We live this prayer daily. And all of our hearts have spoken these words for us.
The poor and vulnerable served by Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska live these words every day. In solidarity, we live these words with them. All of us have a Baptismal call to serve God and serve our neighbor. The staff, volunteers, benefactors, and spiritual partners of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska are humbled to live out their particular Baptismal calls in service to God and neighbor.
Please remember that every one of us has a Cross, struggle, and burden to bear. Please remember that Jesus carries that Cross, struggle, and burden with you. We are not alone. All of us have the same Father. Our Father never abandons us in our strife, in our temptations, in our struggles. He is with us and His grace provides the strength we need to bear the Cross and to be with Him forever in Heaven.
May we always remember and be with the poor and the vulnerable. May we help them with their Crosses.
May we always remember that indeed we are all poor and vulnerable. May we have peace knowing that God our Father is with us, and He never leaves any of us to face our perils alone.
Thank you for your prayers and support of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska. May God bless you always!
