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by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"Turn to me and have mercy, for I'm lonely and afflicted." (Psalm 50:15)
Do you feel lonely ?
Loneliness results from inadequate level of social relationships, subjective
experience, and an unpleasant feelings of emptiness and solitude. It's a modern
social phenomena capable of spreading like a disease. Study reveals that 20% (60
million) of Americans are in the grip of loneliness. People are lonely because
they build walls instead of bridges. Actually we are not condemned to live
alone. "It is not good for the man to be alone." ( Genesis 2:18)
Love, connection, and support are vital for our health. We need others to play
and learn with, and share our joy with. And we need others to turn to us at
times of sadness and grief. With out this, we feel lonely. We should ward off
loneliness by understanding:
1: It's common but temporary and it will pass as the season changes.
2: God is always available to overcome.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you
need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and
minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6,7)
3: Decide to get away busy helping others-especially those who are sick and shut
in.
An interview in an American newspaper with an individual who earned his living
by hiring himself out as best man at the weddings of couples who had no friends
said that he had already stood up at 60 nuptials that year. Reassuring as it was
that those 120 individuals had at least found each other.
It was very painful to me when I heard that Mathew had moved from the city of
Chennai to Kerala for the sake of his Children. Mathew, an LIC agent in Chennai,
was the pleasant guest to almost all the Keralites who are in the house - sick
and shut in. Every day religiously he knocks at the doors of solitudes and
loneliest. He sits and talks almost all the subjects under the sky. He creates a
lovely, lively fragrance in the house and, before leaving, he offers a word of
prayer, welcomed by everybody. He has left a legacy of freshness and
friendliness. An angel in the garb of an LIC agent!
"No I will not abandon you as orphans- I will come to you." ( John 14:18)
Make a telephone call, Make a sun shine card, drop in, that way we can start to
build the bridges and break the walls of loneliness.
Jesus, ward off from loneliness. We pray for those who are lonely and involuntary solitude. Let your spirit of fullness fill our hearts and minds and our homes. All we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen
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