by Sr. Sheila Campbell MMM                                     Ireland                                    20.08.2025

The other evening I met one of our Sisters who is suffering from dementia. She was sitting down looking a little bit lost. Just to greet her I said, “How was your day today?” She answered, “I keep to myself so that the others will not be afraid of me”.

Now, how do you give an answer to that? My instinct was to reach down, give her a hug and kiss the top of her head. Later I was thinking about my instinctive response. It was one of giving comfort. I think this instinct is innate in all of us. Think of a mother comforting a newborn baby who is crying with colic, or a father comforting his son when the other team wins the football match!

Of course, we are only mirroring the way God comforts us when we comfort others. St Paul reminds us:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2Cor 1:3-4).

This kind of comfort has nothing to do with wealth or position. It is an assurance that despite all difficulties we face in life we are secure in God’s presence. God is ever present, ever loving – especially during the times we are totally unaware of it or unaccepting of it.
Today I set myself one small task. Share God’s comfort with one other person. It may be with a word, a gesture, or just a smile. Thank you, God, for comforting me. May I pass it along!