In 1841, the famous American thinker, Ralph Waldo Emerson, finished his essay Self-Reliance. Towards the end of the essay, he says, at home, I dream that in Naples. In Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk and bark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples. But there beside me is the stern fact.
The sad self, unrelenting, identical that I flip from my giant goes with me wherever I go. Ralph Waldo Emerson tried to escape his sadness through travel, but I think we all do this on some level. Maybe it’s food, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, or even just the distraction of social media. But eventually we are forced to face the reality that no matter our distraction.
Our giants come with us, whether it’s sadness, depression, self-worth, or some other hangup. We all have a giant in our life, a giant who’s reluctant to leave us, a giant who will sometimes not let us go ago. I think when we feel like this, it’s important to remember that we aren’t alone. Jesus knows what it feels like to be sad and misunderstood.
So much so that the prophet Isaiah said that we could identify the Messiah because he would be a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. I truly believe that there is a word of hope for us in the midst of sadness, and here it is. God understands He is near to those who are struggling in life. Your giant may come with you wherever you go, but God does too.
This has been everyday miracles by hope, mindfulness, and prayer.
In the year 1818, a 26-year-old Catholic priest by the name of Joseph Moore was preparing for the Christmas Eve service at his church in the Austrian Alps. And while cleaning up the church in preparation, he found out that his organ had broken. This was not good. I mean, here’s this young guy that is probably new to this church.
If you’ve ever gone through art history class, you’re probably familiar with a painting called The Light of the World. It was painted by the British artist Holman Hunt, and hangs in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It’s one of the most iconic religious paintings in history. The painting depicts Jesus standing outside of a small, dilapidated cottage.
I was recently listening to the U2 album, all that you Can’t Leave Behind, and I came across a song called Grace. The lyrics say this, grace takes the blame, covers the shame, removes the stain, but once was hurt, but once was friction. What left a mark? No longer stings because grace makes beauty out of ugly things.
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