A Blessing for Claiming Faith
When I was a youth, I believed fervently in God.
I thought that was faith.
Looking back, I was praying for pain to pass me by.
I thought that would be a blessing.
When I was an adolescent, I stopped believing in God.
I thought that made me faithless.
Looking back, I was learning to ignore pain.
I thought that would be a blessing.
When I came of age, I questioned the nature of belief.
I wondered what faith was.
Looking back, I was searching for my lost joy.
I thought that finding it would be a blessing.
When I reached middle life, I experienced unavoidable loss.
I had to learn how to grieve.
Under the rock of grief, I found my lost joy.
And that has truly been a blessing.
As I continue along the path, broken-hearted and full of love,
I’ve had my first glimpses of faith.
That I am called.
That I am loved and seen and cherished and valued and worthy.
That we are all so blessed.
May it be so for all my siblings.
May they learn to be broken-hearted.
May they hear their call.
May they recognize that they are loved and seen and cherished and valued and worthy.
May they claim this as faith.
