Reflection for January 11

Forty years [after I first encountered Merton] I’m still reading him, still finding friendship, love, and rescue — essential elements in serving as a messenger of hope. Imparting hope to others has nothing to do with exhorting or cheering them on. It has everything to do with relationships that honor the soul, encourage the heart, inspire the mind, quicken the step, and heal the wounds we suffer along the way (Parker J. Palmer, “A Friendship, A Love, A Rescue,” www.onbeing.org).