“In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me,
within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
Albert Camus
I originally selected this quote because Albert Camus, the French philosopher and 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature winner was focused on the summer season. I wanted to write about his essay,“Return to Tipasa,”on the end of summer as I sit in my office looking at the calendar looking at the green trees that will soon turn to shades of gold ,brown and yellow. However, as I read the entire essay I was struck by Camus’ larger message about perseverance in spite of loss.” The poem emerged after Camus returned Algiers, his home, and wrote this essay reflecting his philosophy on how to face the challenges of life.
We hold an invincible summer season as well. Our summery sense of light, joy, and warmth comes from our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God gives us cause to smile, laugh, and love in spite the chilly winds of life or seasons of challenge. When the world pushes against us we push back resilient because of the Holy Spirit within us.
Through prayer, we hold the key to sustaining light, joy, and love for the world and ourselves. Calmness is ours in the midst of chaos when we seek God in prayer.. Romans 12:12 reminds us to “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” While we may read and appreciate Camus’ poetic prose, we must embrace scriptural teachings about prayer as our guide in all the seasons of life.