so much beauty

This quote would have made me feel better if I'd heard it 3 years ago. Every year around this time I think a message to my former self saying, 'you'll find a prayer that you can say that will give you peace for the day.'

As if he heard me doing this last year, all day long I heard his soothing voice in my head periodically saying simply, "so much beauty."

***

“God Is present, loving, smiling, having received our loved ones. They are in his presence, illumined by his smile, and warmed by his love. His kingdom is enriched this day, so enriched by so many beautiful souls. So much beauty. Our world is so empty without them. Our hearts are broken, our sadness immense, our tears so abundant… We live our sorrow together.

“We need You. Please come and touch us. Fill us with courage, calm our discomfort, give us signs of Your presence. We need to feel that You hear us as we offer You our prayers and we try to overcome our grief. We ask You, we beg You, come.”

Father Mychal Judge, after the TWA Flt. 800 crash