Finding Hope in Disturbing Times

Let’s face it—disturbing times have a way of grabbing the headlines in our minds and hearts. Fear, uncertainty, and callousness seem to dominate, drowning out faith, hope, and mercy. When the world feels like it’s spinning off its axis, I find it helpful to take a longer view.

This week, you’ve probably heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assurance: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” It’s a powerful perspective, one I lean on often. Yet, when life feels chaotic, I sometimes struggle to see the arc at all, let alone its bend toward justice. That’s when I turn to a variation on this theme—one that restores my ability to transform outrage or rancor into meaningful action.

For the past two seasons, my daily meditation has been walking the labyrinth at St. Scholastica. This sacred path—marked by short switchbacks and longer, curving stretches—mirrors life’s complexity. With each step, I’m either moving toward the center or away from it, but never in a direct route. The constant turns remind me that progress isn’t always linear. Yet every step, even those that feel like detours, brings me closer to a place of sacred stillness.

What’s true for the labyrinth is also true for life. Our human experience, like a labyrinthine pattern, is an evolutionary sacred journey. Even when the path seems chaotic, even when it feels like we’re headed in the wrong direction, the journey is still moving us toward a center—toward love, toward goodness, toward greater wholeness.

This simple truth keeps me grounded: Each step, no matter how steady or clumsy it feels, is part of a divine unfolding. To be clear: This doesn’t mean we sit back and wait for change to happen: As spiritual beings, we are here to be the light, the love, and the infinite good that the world needs now. That work is best undertaken when are hearts are open and our thoughts are calm.

So, in these turbulent times, I pray your walk on the labyrinth of life is faith-filled and determined. May you be anchored in hope, but also ask: What is mine to do? As we lead with love, guided by the wisdom within, every step becomes a step toward healing—not just for ourselves but for all those whom our lives touch.

(And btw, since we're one in God, that's the whole world. Just sayin'!)