There was Jesus

As people around the world mourn the death of Dolly Parton, there is one of her songs that we can look back on as especially helpful for meditation and wonder on the goodness of God. “There was Jesus,” a duet she performed with Zach Williams, is a song that reminds us that even in the hard times when we feel alone and can’t see how God is working things for our good, Jesus is always there and will never abandon us. This can also be applied to St. Monica, who we celebrated yesterday, and her struggle and pain in praying for the conversions of her husband and son, who became St. Augustine. She may not have been able to see exactly how God was working, but she knew He was there and could see the fruits of her labors for them as she looked back and saw how God supported her and slowly brought her family back to Him.

In the waiting, in the searching

In the healing, in the hurting

Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces

Every minute, every moment

Where I’ve been and where I’m going

Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it

There was Jesus

It is often in the moments that we are left waiting and searching for an answer that we get frustrated and start to wonder if we are being heard and we may even question if God cares. But it is in these moments that He wants us to lean on Him and trust Him to prepare us for what’s coming next. When we look back, we often see that these moments were actually blessings in disguise and that God knew that we might not have been able to handle an answer right away. St. Monica came to realize that during the years in which she prayed and suffered for her husband and son, God was working in their lives to prepare them for their futures. Her life shows us that no matter how difficult or painful a situation is, Jesus wants to meet us in those moments of pain and waiting and carry us through.

Perseverance is another major theme in the life of St. Monica and in this song. They show us that no matter how hard things get, we should never give up or despair of God’s mercy or care in our lives. If St. Monica hadn’t kept praying, it’s likely that we wouldn’t have St. Augustine, one of the greatest minds in the Church. Don’t give up. Also, reflect on past events in your life. You’ll realize that even in the darkest moments…

There was Jesus.