Carry Them Forth

Carry Them Forth
If He were to shield us from these moments of great loss
He would have to do so at an unthinkable cost.
For if from our pain and suffering He sought to save us
He would be forced to limit the free will He so lovingly gave us.
In this world we will struggle and many days face heartache and strife

But in this world we will also know many wonders, each making up our life.
As we face a moment as dark and uncertain as this seems to be
We must challenge our heart to lead our soul to the light our spirit can see.
This too shall pass but not without first our mourning and tears
And as it passes and we go forth we do so with their memories for the remainder of our years.
Carry them forth, each and every day, make them known to all
For this will ensure their eternal influence upon the world and allow you to answer this call.

- Dg2012

 

 This was actually a Facebook post from a man I met ten years ago at my confirmation retreat; he is a youth pastor at a nearby parish and was one of the leaders there that weekend.  At the time I was a very lost 18 year old who wasn't anywhere near sure about my thoughts on God, let alone whether or not I wanted to commit myself to the Catholic Church.  I distinctly remember arguing about a number of points and I remember him patiently addressing each one with me.  I've since gained a lot of clarity on my faith and continue to work on my own walk with God, but am so grateful that I chose all those years ago to continue a path of learning and growing.  Three years ago, I saw him on Facebook through a mutual acquaintance and added him, because I never forgot his impact on me that weekend. 

 

Fast forward to now and I saw the words above show up in my newsfeed and although they were actually intended for the families impacted by a recent tragedy in my hometown, they really spoke to me too.  He's given his permission for me to share them here because I hope they will help someone else in the way that they've helped me. 

 

I don't have much to add to his words, because really they stand alone quite well...but I will add this thought: it's incredible that someone I met ten years for one weekend brought me such incredible peace with words that were intended for a situation wholly separate from my own.  We never know what impact we may be having on the life of another...