Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Human Condition

Right now there seems to be so much sad news coming my way.

These are the people I've been asked to pray for recently:

  • A young woman of 41 with 3 children, 8, 6 and 4-woman is suffering from breast cancer
  • A father raising two adopted boys-father is sick with liver cancer.
  • A friend's mother beginning to show signs of Parkinson's disease
  • A friend's father in the advance stages of Parkinson's disease.
  • Teenage girls dealing with the year anniversary of the suicide of one of their classmates
  • A man going to be executed in a few weeks
  • A friend out of a job for almost two years now
  • Two friends in their 30s who just had their first son and they are in serious need of a babysitter
  • Friends struggling with graduate school work
  • Older people who are suffering from depression
The list could go on and on-I'm sure.  It's hard but it also shows me that people do beleive in the power of prayer.  God is in that prayer and I must remember that when I struggle with all these needs and concerns.  I also must remember that suffering is part of being human.  However we can not just live with the suffering-we also have to look for signs of hope.

I see that hope in the following ways;
  • People signing up to cook and prepare meals for the families suffering with cancer.
  • People bringing in animals and guests to cheer up others in their depression
  • Friends volunteering to babysit on certain days.
  • Friend volunteering to sit with the mother and father suffering from Parkinson's.
  • Counselors being with the teenage girls.
  • People sending my friend job ads and giving her name as a reference
  • Graduate students encouraging each other to keep plugging away.
People are good to one another when the going gets tough. We all have struggles; but we all are here to support one another too.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

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