Fourth Quarter: Trusting God As We Age
How does God help us as we get older?
Fourth Quarter
When you are well into your seventies, you realize this could be the fourth quarter of your life. I look to the saints to help me navigate all the various trials the world has thrown my way. Age brings its small humiliations—sandals that pinch, eyes that sting—but these are not what I want to write about. I want to share the Gospel and how it has sustained me through every season of this life.
How does God help us as we get older?
Saint Faustina
If you ever need direction on trusting God, Saint Faustina is your guide. On February 22, 1931, Jesus appeared to this simple Polish nun and revealed to her the depth of His mercy. He asked her to bring the message of Divine Mercy to the world—a message so profound that Catholics have woven it into their daily prayer. God does not complicate His revelations; He simply calls us to trust.
When I visited Krakow, Poland, I purchased a beautiful Divine Mercy image. But I could not keep it. The same weevils that infested my antique dining set had also attacked the wooden frame. When I treated the furniture, I did not realize the weevils had wings—they had already spread to the image. I had to discard it.
Yet this loss taught me something. The Diary of Saint Faustina has given me profound spiritual insight into what it means to surrender—not just possessions, but control itself. It is truly an act of love from our Lord.
The Diary of Saint Faustina has given me so much spiritual insight. It is truly an act of love from our Lord.
Jesus, I Trust In You
With all the challenges of this world, we have no other choice but to turn to the Lord. Through every trial, I have never faltered in trusting Him. There are moments when I feel abandoned, yet I return always to this truth: He has been with me at every step. He speaks to me in visions, in dreams, through His Holy Word, and through the words of others.
The Lotto
The Lord spoke to me the other day about trusting Him for everything. Did I listen? Not really. Whenever the Lotto reaches over 300 million, I get excited and fall into the world’s delusions. “Lord, I don’t want the big prize, but I do want second place. I promise you I will give generously to ministries and to my parish.” So what happened the last time I bought a ticket? I lost my ATM card. That was my last purchase. What an inconvenience—having to reorder through online banking. I never win, and when I do, it’s only two dollars. I was sick to learn that Mega Millions now costs five dollars. What a waste.
Yet this morning, driving past the 7-11 after Mass, I saw the bold red sign: 600 million. For a moment, temptation flickered. But I bowed my head and thanked God for delivering me from this unhealthy habit.
Seventy-Four Years Young
Your mind tells you how you feel, regardless of age. There is something sacred about people who attend regular Mass; we remain under God’s protection. Did you know that volunteering adds years to your life? When you give of yourself—especially in service at church—you discover purpose. God is trusting you to guide others to Him.
I have watched young people lose their faith in secular environments. Imagine the spiritual and psychological harm done when they are taught to doubt God. So I pray daily that God will prepare my heart and mind to show my students who He truly is. I will never mislead them. With all my heart, I cannot.
With my recent fall, I depend on others for transportation. My left shoulder is in a sling. But neither will keep me from teaching catechism. He is my strength.
So at my age, I will continue to offer my services in teaching and guiding young people to the Lord. I will do this as long as God permits.
Japheth
Years ago I taught Christian Release Time, a Protestant Bible study program for fourth- and fifth-grade students in public schools. One student whose name is Japheth captured my heart immediately—though not for the reason you might think.
When he first told me his name, I answered, “Ja what?” I had never heard of this name before. It took me half the school year to pronounce it correctly. But by then, this young man held a special place in my heart.
A few years ago, Japheth recognized me at Mass. It was a beautiful reunion. His mother, Rosalva, and I are Eucharistic ministers at the 8:30 a.m. Mass, and we share a deep spiritual connection. I knew Japheth had recently become engaged, and I rejoiced with him.
Rosalva is a traditional Catholic woman who wears a beautiful lace veil. Her family usually sits directly behind Mike and me. One Sunday, Rosalva tapped my shoulder and said, “Japheth is getting married on August 16th. We would love to invite you to the service.” Of course I said yes. I have already begun praying for their nuptials, and I know it will be a beautiful wedding.
It took me a while to realize that Japheth’s name comes from Scripture. Japheth was one of Noah’s sons, mentioned in Genesis three times (Genesis 6:9-10, 6:32, and 9:18). He and his brothers played a crucial role in the story of the Great Flood and its aftermath. Japheth, along with his brothers Shem and Ham and their wives, are ancestors of all humanity.
After the flood, Noah became drunk. Japheth and his brother Shem acted with respectful discretion, covering their father’s nakedness without looking upon him. Because Japheth displayed such reverence, Noah blessed him and prophesied that God would enlarge his descendants. The name Japheth means “may he extend,” reflecting this prophecy of his descendants spreading across the earth. Read the full narrative in Genesis 9:20-27.
Now I understand why Rosalva named her son Japheth.
Genesis 9:23 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Falling Toward Grace
The First Fall
It was in the Holy City of Jerusalem when I took a terrible fall. Craving locally baked bread sprinkled with sesame seeds, I turned around with the pretzel in hand when a bollard took me down. It was a hard fall. Moses, our tour guide, quickly came to my aid. “Don’t get up—wait a minute to assess the injury.” This was an important lesson which I took to heart.
Striving toward sainthood, the path is not always clear. Especially for someone who likes to take daily walks. Last Wednesday, on our ordinary walk around our neighborhood, an uneven segment of the sidewalk caught the toe of my walking shoe and down I went. Mike was there and actually broke the fall; catching my face with his leg saved me from a face injury. The right knee and shoulder did not fare well in the fall. As much as Mike wanted to help me up, I remembered the Jerusalem lesson and waited, using my right hand to move toward a decorative brick barrier. I pulled myself up.
Sonja
Our daughter Sonja works for a local hospital. She suggested that I come to the emergency room as soon as possible. Sonja arranged for triage as soon as I arrived. X-rays of both my shoulder and knee were ordered. Praising the good Lord, the x-rays came back negative of any breaks, but my right shoulder is out of alignment and there is a possible tear in the tendons. Before leaving the hospital, Sonja arranged an appointment with one of the best orthopedic surgeons. So on Tuesday, an MRI will determine the severity of the injury. Praying that no surgery will be needed. Our daughter is an angel.
Deductive Reasoning
It started nine years ago with a hammer toe that required surgery. Instead of a joint replacement for the useless toe, I opted for a rod. Though the toe looks normal and my feet are anatomically correct, the suffering from the botched surgery has caused me to trip on a daily basis. With this last fall and the injury to my shoulder and right knee, I have cause to question why this is constant. I need to address the real concern, which is the useless toe.
Our Spiritual Falls
In the same way as a physical fall, we must look for the reason why we fall short in our spiritual walk. Like everything in life, we must take a good look around to make sure that an uneven spiritual sidewalk will not cause us to fall. When making a full dedication to serve God, the enemy is there to distract our walk. We cannot take our eyes off the Lord, or we will end up in the water like Peter.
Peter’s fall is the perfect example of spiritual deception. He was walking toward Christ across the water—moving toward the very source of salvation—yet he lost faith in Christ’s power while walking toward Him. That paradox is the nature of spiritual manipulation: the deceiver often poses as a guide to God while actually pulling away from Him. Peter cried out, and Christ caught him. But how many fall and have no one to cry out to—or worse, cry out to the very person pulling them under? As soon as Peter took his eyes off God, down he went. But he was saved because he recognized his error and called out to the Lord.
I find that with more spiritual growth comes more distractions to cause us to fall. So if the first Pope can take his eyes off God, we are no different.
When The World Went Quiet
Bella’s last visit to Disneyland was just days before COVID shut down the world. Now in her third year of college, she and her friend Zayda are back — back in “The Happiest Place On Earth.” This piece is a return to that earlier moment: a look back at the state of our minds when the world went quiet, and we all found ourselves descending into a deep, dark place that had no name.
March 2020
Last Tuesday evening, our son Mikos called. He had spoken with a doctor friend, and the message was clear: Mike and I needed to be careful and take steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Mike was already in bed and had a restful night’s sleep — but not me. Anxious, I turned on the news. The reporting was alarmist, fixated on the single-digit number of confirmed cases. I finally turned off the doomsday coverage and went to bed. Earlier in the call, Mikos had asked if we were prepared. “Prepared for what?” I answered. “Mom,” he said, “if either you or Dad gets sick, you’re going to need supplies.” That was my last thought as I got into bed — and needless to say, sleep did not come.
The Rosary
I fumbled in the dark for my rosary, which I keep on my nightstand. I clutched it and began to pray — asking God to take away my fear and free me from anxiety about this ever-changing situation. Throughout the prayer, I kept receiving one word: repent. I asked God to forgive me of any hidden transgressions. Then I prayed the Rosary with special intentions, dedicating each decade for God to intervene against this virus and for the remission of all our sins. Finally, around 3:30 a.m., I fell asleep.
As prayerful and faithful as I strive to be, I had gotten so caught up in the snares of negative news and the sensationalism surrounding the virus that it caused me to stumble. From this day forward, I will thank God for my health daily. Today is a new day. Nothing has improved — in fact, things have escalated from bad to worse — but I remain faithful and keep my eyes fixed on God.
This pandemic has changed many of us. We are praying more, and asking God to help us. We are in this together, navigating these turbulent times as one.
The prayers of the Rosary are drawn from Scripture. The Our Father — also called the Lord’s Prayer — was taught by Jesus himself to his disciples and is found in the Bible in two slightly different versions: Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4, with Matthew’s version being the one all Christians pray. The first part of the Hail Mary is composed of two Scripture verses joined together: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28) and “blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Luke 1:42). The second part of the Hail Mary is not taken directly from Scripture, but it is entirely biblical in the thoughts it expresses. As for the Magnificat, it is Mary’s prayer par excellence — the song of the messianic times — found in Luke 1:46–55.
We should all be in prayer. The Rosary is a powerful means of prayer. At three o’clock, I will also pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet — a powerful prayer asking Jesus to have mercy on us and the whole world. You can find the prayer online; please join the thousands who pray it at three o’clock each day.
Leah
My niece Leah was visiting from Arizona last week. Leah and her family are avid Disneyland attendees and had recently purchased annual passes. This was the only time they were able to use the passes.
She and her children were staying at a hotel near Disneyland, with plans to visit the park for three days. The weather cooperated for the first two visits — but Thursday brought rain, and with it, bad news. The coronavirus was declared a global pandemic, and shortly after, the announcement came that Disneyland would be closing effective Saturday.
Knowing Leah and her children were at the park, I texted her right away to let her know. Something about the announcement struck me as drastic, even suspicious, and I wanted them out of there. Meanwhile, her father was sending her the same message — urging her to leave. Between the two of us, we alarmed her so much that she began to feel physically ill, convinced she was coming down with the virus herself.
Looking back, the concern was real — but the reaction made things worse. The goal was simply to keep them safe.
Ashes and Sackcloth
Have you ever heard of Castel Sant’Angelo? This historic fortress stands on the banks of the Tiber River, just across from St. Peter’s Basilica. Perched at its summit is a bronze statue of St. Michael the Archangel.
Castel Sant’Angelo and the Plague of 590 AD
In 590 AD, a devastating plague struck Rome. A new outbreak had already carried off Pope Pelagius, and by general consent, Gregory was the candidate best fitted to succeed him. To implore God’s mercy, he ordered a great processional litany through the streets of Rome — from seven of the more venerable churches, seven columns of people streamed out, all to meet at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Pope Gregory the Great led the procession with a sacred image of the Madonna. At that time, the plague was decimating the population of Rome. And according to tradition, at the end of the prayers, the figure of St. Michael the Archangel appeared suddenly over the Mausoleum of Hadrian — the present Castel Sant’Angelo — indicating that the pestilence was ended.
The memory of the event is still preserved by the name “Sant’Angelo” given to the mausoleum of Hadrian, from the account that St. Michael was seen upon its summit in the act of sheathing his sword as a sign that the plague was over. In gratitude, a statue of St. Michael was placed atop the castle — a witness in stone to the mercy of God and the intercession of His great archangel.
Prayer to St. Michael
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
We all need to get on our knees and pray. Prayer changes things — it always has, and it always will. Join in praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet at three o’clock each day, uniting your voice with thousands around the world who are calling on the mercy of Jesus for our families, our nation, and our world.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, I thank You for Bella and Zayda’s visit — to see them so mature, walking the journey You have paved for them. Lord, never let them forget how much You love them, and continue to draw them to Your holy truth. Amen.