# Footsteps – A Reflection on the Father's Loving Care
*2015-12-29*

> Bill Young reflects on the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, honors the late Father White, and shares the classic “Footprints in the Sand” prayer as a reminder of Christ’s constant presence.

## Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

Good afternoon. This is Bill Young, and welcome to the Prayer and Lunch podcast. Today is Friday, January 29th, the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas, a brilliant theologian and writer of the 13th century, is rightly considered one of the greatest saints of all time.

## Remembering Father White

I didn’t have the opportunity to attend the funeral Mass of my former pastor, Father O’Meara White, but I heard it was a beautiful service, and the bishop’s homily was moving. Father White, an Irishman, will be laid to rest in his homeland beside his mother. His life reminds me of another great Irish saint, St. Patrick, whose conversion of Ireland gave the Church many wonderful priests—Father White, Father Jeff McCormick, Father Steve, and many others.

## The “Footsteps” Prayer

Today I’d like to pray a familiar prayer called “Footsteps,” a reflection on the Father’s loving care for us. It goes like this:

One night a man dreamed that he was walking along the beach with the Lord. As scenes from his life flashed before him, he saw two sets of footprints in the sand—one his own and one belonging to the Lord. In the final scene, he looked back and noticed that during the lowest and saddest moments there was only one set of footprints. Troubled, he asked the Lord why He seemed to abandon him in those times.

The Lord replied, “My son, my precious child, I love you and would never leave you. In the times of trial and suffering, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I was carrying you.”

May we all feel and understand these words. When we are at our lowest and think no one is there, the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, is always with us. Amen.

## Closing Blessing

God bless you all.

*Even when we see only one set of footprints, Christ is carrying us through our trials.*