In God We Trust

Sept. 1, 2023

Whether experiencing joy or facing crisis and sorrow, we are called to place our hope in the Lord

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

Sept. 1, 2023

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

When a tragedy strikes, such as the unexpected death of a loved one or a life-threatening illness, our trust in God is tested. When we face profound disappointment or anxiety — not merely a temporary setback, but rather the potential ruination of all that we have worked for — our trust in God is tested. When we are scandalized by the reprehensible behavior of Church leaders, our trust in God is tested.

Sadly, not everyone passes the test. In my many years as a priest and bishop, I have met more than a few people who have not only lost trust in the Church but who no longer trust in God. In some cases, their trust eroded over years, as life’s problems and disappointments mounted. Others lose their trust in God when they experience a cataclysmic, life-changing event.

None of us, myself included, is immune from crises and betrayals. The question is not whether we will experience such things, but how we will respond to them. My humble suggestion is that such events, whether big or small, should prompt us to renew our trust in God, and even more than that, to entrust our very lives to God and to his providence.

The question is not whether we will experience crises and betrayals, but how we will respond to them. ... Such events, whether big or small, should prompt us to renew our trust in God.

The Psalms often speak of being alone and betrayed by both friends and enemies. They remind us not only of human fickleness but also the unreliability of alliances with powerful people and the instruments of power. “Put no trust in princes, in children of Adam powerless to save” (Ps 146:3). “Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the Lord our God” (Ps 20:8). The same could be said of perennial idols such as money, pleasure and power. Psalm 135 says of our idols, “They have mouths that do not speak; they have eyes that do not see; they have ears that do not hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. Their makers shall become like them” (16-18).

But these warnings do not stand alone. Our experience of God’s love confirms what Scripture proclaims. And the overwhelming message of Scripture, from start to finish, is the trustworthiness of God — the God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations (Dt 7:9), who bears our burdens day by day (Ps 68), who numbers even the hairs on our head (Mt 10:30), and who so loved the world that he gave us his only Son (Jn 3:16). No one is more worthy of our trust than God. Our hope in him, as St. Paul teaches, “does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5). He also says, “God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength” (1 Cor 10:13).

Beyond trusting God during times of trouble or trusting God in this or that matter, we should entrust our whole life to him. In this, we have the saints as models. Accepting his unique vocation with faithful obedience, St. Joseph entrusted the whole of his life to the providential love of God. Such trust in God also shines forth in the example of Blessed Michael McGivney, including his bold initiative to found the Knights of Columbus.

Each morning, couples should join in prayer, entrusting themselves and their families to God. We priests should entrust our lives and ministries to God. Those searching for their vocation should do likewise. Regardless of circumstances, let us each entrust ourselves anew to God. As Psalm 37 affirms, “Trust in him, and he will act” (5).

Metal bucket at draw-well in European village.

In God We Trust

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