Tu Me Manques (03/21/2026)
This week, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and I must admit that my mind frequently strayed to the Irish I have loved who are no longer with me this side of the sod: my father, my oldest sister, my two younger brothers, my precious grandson. And I found myself saying out loud to them because I do believe they live just beyond my sight, that I missed them. However, I used the French phrase that says it so much better: Tu me manques (you are missing from me).
You see, each of my loved ones took a part of me that has left an empty space. It is hard to explain, but it is very real. I believe that someday, we will be together again. My faith tells me that. My hope reinforces that because the LORD’s promises are trustworthy. And my love tells me that it doesn’t end. And so, during the day, I frequently whispered, “you are missing from me.”
And as happens frequently in my life, my journey, I realize that there are layers to my experiences and feelings and that what I physically experience has a spiritual component. And I realized humbly and contritely that Jesus was calling to me – Tu me manques – “you are missing from me.” In the busyness and pain of the past few weeks, I’d built walls to keep hurt out but it wasn’t working that way – those walls never do – all they keep out is love and the main source of love is my LORD, Jesus Christ. And last evening, as I lay in bed saying my final thank you for the day and searching for healing and hope, I recognized that the walls needed to come down.
And I slept like a log. I overslept for me. But this morning, when I rose, I could see things more clearly. I said my prayers. I also called my daughter, and we had a wonderful conversation about loving through the pain of loss and accepting the truth that love demands a lot of us. And we made plans to find a way to celebrate my grandson, Michael, next March, on what would be his 25th birthday.
And now I’m trying to re-enter the race. For those of you who have been checking on me, I am a little better today, but this respiratory virus continues to have a hold. But I am blessed to have so many eyes and hearts watching out for me. I thank you all.
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us consider anew this day the whole purpose of Lent, to rid ourselves of the obstacles, the walls we’ve built or the clutter we’ve taken on that rob us not only of room for Christ but love for Christ. Let us recognize that tug within us that feels at times like discontent and others like misery is Christ’s desire to dwell within us where we’ve left no room. “Remain in me as I remain in you.” Let us focus on that more wholly during these final two week of Lent. Let us seek to love well as He showed us.
Until tomorrow, let us all love well.
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