As I tried to play a round of golf, I noticed I couldn’t concentrate. My mind was troubled by something beyond my control. A deep sense of helplessness overtook me as I recalled how I had been duped in a business deal by someone close to me. A large sum of money remained unpaid. Unable to focus, I stood silently, watching as dusk swiftly descended overthe verdant course.
Suddenly, one of my fellow golfers, perhaps sensing my mood, shouted out to me: “Lead, Kindly Light.”
Those words, faintly familiar, echoed in my heart. It took a few moments for their meaning to sink in. But as they did, they began to stir something deep within me. I realized the truth of their message: I didn’t need to carry my burden alone.There is Divine Assurance in the words of Jesus:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened... take my yoke upon you.” (Mt 11:28–29)
That phrase, "Lead, Kindly Light", rekindled the source of my own light and life, which comes from the Divine Light. Those words took hold of me and dispelled my stormy mood. I recalled how many times I had heard them in the past, in this beloved hymn:
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’ encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene, one step enough for me.
Penned by Cardinal John Henry Newman and set to music by John Dykes in the 19th century, this hymn has given hope to countless souls across generations, including Mahatma Gandhi.
Just days later, I read the news that Cardinal Newman was to be declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo, in recognition of his exemplary contributions to Catholic thought and spirituality. An Anglican who later became Catholic, Newman wrote this hymn before his conversion, during a time of personal uncertainty.
The title Doctor of the Church is not given lightly. In over 2,000 years of Church history, only 37 saints have received this recognition, among them St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Bonaventure, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Now, Cardinal Newman joins their ranks.
As a writer, I find his life especially inspiring. He brought hope to many through his deeply spiritual words. His motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, “Heart speaks to heart”, was cited by Pope Francis in one of his recent encyclicals, Dilexit Nos.
Interestingly, many Doctors of the Church were writers too. Through the written word, they revealed to the world the immense riches of faith. Words, when inspired, become timelessthey echo through the centuries.
In our digital age, words may often feel overwhelming. Everything demands an instant response. At times, silence becomes our refuge.
Was this the experience of the man who could neither hear nor speak in Mark 7:31–37?
On July 30, 2025, Pope Leo delivered a profound reflection on that Gospel, emphasizing the healing of communication, especially in an age of noise and misunderstanding:
“Perhaps this man had stopped speaking because he felt he was saying things the wrong way, perhaps he felt inadequate. All of us experience what it means to be misunderstood, to feel that we are not truly heard. All of us need to ask the Lord to heal our way of communicating, not only so we may be more effective, but also so that we may avoid wounding others with our words.”
As the Holy Father reminds us, all we need is for the Light to guide us, one step at a time.
This very principle underlies the transformational work of organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, who encourage recovering addicts to journey one step at a time, one day at a time.
These deeply reassuring words from St. John Henry Newman seem fitting for times of confusion and personal loss, like the one I faced recently:
Therefore, I will trust Him.
Whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;
In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him.
If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends.
He may throw me among strangers.
He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me.
Still, He knows what He is about.
