Before we start with commentary on the day’s news, let me share with you the most joyful tidings I have had in many a month. There is a reader of this newsletter, one of the community here, who is an old friend and devout Christian. He never comments, but he reads faithfully. I will respect his privacy by giving no details of his life, other than this important one: this man and his dear wife have been carrying one of the heaviest of burdens, for, I dunno, maybe a decade.
What is that burden? Their adult daughter, in her twenties, disappeared from their lives one day, without warning. She seemed to fall off the face of the earth. They knew she struggled with some issues, but never saw this coming. For years, they have prayed, wept, and spent generously on private detectives, desperate to know where she was, if she was okay, even if she was alive. The day of her disappearance has for many years been a day of deep mourning for them.
My friend told me in a phone conversation not long ago that they worried she might have been trafficked somehow, from one of the unsavory characters a detective found that she had associated with. At this point, my friend and his wife were at the point of giving her up for dead. Her trail had grown so cold for so long.
When I landed in Detroit from Europe yesterday to connect through to Birmingham, I was standing at baggage claim, when I turned my phone on. There was this message from my friend: “THEY FOUND [NAME]!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I stopped cold. No, this couldn’t be true … could it? Lord, really? I texted back asking for details, but saw my bag coming around the corner on the belt, so shoved my phone in my pocked as I grabbed it. Suddenly, I heard my friend’s voice coming from my pocket. My phone must have pocket-dialed him. I withdrew the phone from my pocket, and there he was, with his wife, on video. Both were weeping copiously.
They had found her!
She wasn’t home, and they haven’t seen her, and it’s not my place to give more details. But they know now, for certain (per the police), that their long-lost daughter is alive. *She is alive, and apparently, well. *I don’t know that I have ever seen two more joyful people. I’m crying as I type this, knowing how deeply and how long these two have suffered. This morning, waking up before daylight, I went straight to my icon corner to thank God for this miracle for my friends, and cried so hard I couldn’t continue.
She is alive!
I don’t know what comes next for this poor family. But you know, let us simply be grateful to God that their years of torment, wondering if their baby girl was alive or dead, are over now. Maybe a reunion is coming — please, please pray with me that it will be — but even if not, or not soon, at least they know she is alive.
In years gone by, in Europe, whenever there was a great Christian victory or miracle, the priests would gather the people of the town and the parishes to pray a Te Deum in thanksgiving. The prayer comes from around the year 500, and has long been a part of Western Christian devotion. This morning, no matter what confession you are, will you join me in praying a Te Deum (Latin for “To Thee, God”) for my beloved friends, the husband of whom is one of you, a reader of this newsletter? Here is the Te Deum prayer:
You are God: we praise you;You are God: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,Heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:Father, of majesty unbounded,Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory,The eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us freeYou did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.You overcame the sting of death,And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.We believe that you will come, and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people,Bought with the price of your own blood,And bring us with your saintsTo glory everlasting.Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.Govern and uphold them now and always.Day by day we bless you.We praise your name forever.Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.Lord, show us your love and mercy;For we put our trust in you.In you, Lord, is our hope:And we shall never hope in vain
**In you, Lord, is our hope: And we shall never hope in vain. **On these words are my entire post-divorce life built. I think many of you can imagine why. And why the good and great news from my friend yesterday has hit me so hard, in a good way, and not just because I love this man and his gentle wife.
She’s alive! Never lose hope, y’all. You just never know.
Send this to someone you know who needs to hear it, who needs the hope. And if you pray, don’t forget to pray the Te Deum for my friends.
The rest of today’s newsletter continues below. But to me, this news I report to you overshadows everything. If you knew this father and mother, and what they’ve been through, you would understand. Some of you share that pain, or a similar grief, and don’t need an explanation. Let us all share in their joy. The Lord has answered their prayers.
