03.11.2026 | Wednesday in Lent

Hope in Stormy Skies
 
The skies above the garden before the storm rolled through were something to behold. The clouds were churning, the colors shifting into shades we seldom see. It was eerie and beautiful all at once. The thunder was foretold in every swirl of the sky, yet the glory was still present. It was a reminder that even when storms are on their way, grace remains.
 
It is Spring in Saint Louis, no matter what the calendar says. The wild swings in temperature and the return of thunderstorms are proof enough. Yesterday brought 80 plus degrees, and tonight we may dip into the 30s. A wild ride indeed. My old arthritic bones are feeling every bit of the change.
 
I used to laugh when my grandparents claimed they could predict the weather with their knees and hips. Now I know they were telling the truth. And yet, even with the aches and pains, I would not trade this life. I have been given the gift of a simple life filled with love. Yes, there are aches. Yes, there are curveballs that come out of nowhere and knock us off our feet. But there is also a certain calm that comes with age.
 
The wonderful thing about getting older is that we have seen it before. Hopefully, we will see it again, though there are certainly some things I would prefer not to repeat. Still, we know that with time and work, things can and do change. That is where our hope lies. We must hold fast to hope. Hope fuels faith. Faith fuels love. And love, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, is stronger than hate.
 
The truth of love is real. It can change the world. It may be the only thing that can. Hatred cannot drive out hatred. We know this. Ask the old men. They have seen enough to guarantee it does not work. As Paul writes, in the end three things abide: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love. Amen to that.
 
May the changing skies teach us to breathe deeply, trust gently, and walk forward with grace.