I have grown weary of doing good.

Of reaching out. Of pursuing. Of waiting. Of praying. Of standing firm. 

Even if I do all these things I am still alone, tired and discouraged. 

I find myself wishing St. Paul would write me a letter, as he did to the early church spread around the Mediterranean Sea. I have begun reading these letters aloud to my family a chapter at a time in the mornings before we begin our day, just as they were read aloud to the churches in Ephesus, Galatia, and Philippi. By reading them aloud, the stories come to life, just as they do during Sunday Mass. 

St. Paul wrote about two women in the church at Philippi who had been arguing. These were women who loved Jesus and had worked along aside St. Paul. He implored them to make peace. 

In Ephesians, St. Paul called an entire church to unity, with “humility and gentleness.” He pleaded with them to be patient with each other and bear each other with love and peace. He said when they didn’t, they cheapened the Gospel. 

St. Paul had stronger words for the church at Galatia, who he said were “quickly deserting” and “perverting” the Gospel of Christ. If the Galatians were confused about which gospel was true, St. Paul reminded them that they would know by the fruits. If there are “hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,” this is not of God. But if there is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,” this is from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:20-23). 

The issues these churches were facing then, we are facing now. I find comfort in that. I look to St. Paul to know what to do. 

I feel St. Paul stretch across time and pages, knowing that I need encouragement. He writes, “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. … do good to all, but especially to those who belong to the family of the faith” (Galatians 6:9-10). 

On Sunday evenings, my friend Anna sends out an email to her friends. It is addressed to “Dear One.” I don’t know how many people she sends it out to, but with those words, it is just for me. 

Dear One, 

Remember to go outside. 

To step out into the air, close your eyes and breathe. 

Fill your lungs with outside air. 

Fix your eyes on distances beyond your own four walls. 

It will change you, this simple, small thing, in ways you can’t anticipate. 

And remember your work is good and valuable. 

Your presence in this world is important and necessary. 

If that’s not a modern-day epistle, I don’t know what is.

So Beloved,

Walk with me.

Send your own epistles, handwritten, emailed, texted, voice note or in person.

Remind one another of what is right and good and true.

Let us reap good fruit.

Let us not grow weary of doing good.

Northwest Catholic - May 2021