A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where no water is. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your merciful love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips, when I think of you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword, they shall be prey for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall glory; for the mouths of liars will be stopped. (Psalm 63, RSV2-CE)
 
The 2018 Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference will be here before we know it. Those of us on the planning committee are working hard to make this event the most memorable ever. We all share a passion to see Catholic men come to a deeper appreciation of their faith and to live that faith out in a more meaningful way. We know that in order to make this happen we need to reach into that empty space within each man’s heart and offer something that will satisfy his deepest inner needs.

We all have our pictures of what it means to be satisfied. For some, it is having the best of everything: the biggest house in the finest neighborhood, the most expensive car, or latest and greatest gadget. For others, it is being the best at what they do in their job or their hobbies. It may lie in completing our bucket list or accomplishing a life-long dream. Whatever we seek to satisfy us, we remain restless until we achieve it, many of us for an entire lifetime. But is this all there is to a life of fulfillment?
 
Walking in the Wilderness
 
David was a man who knew what it was like to long for satisfaction in the dry desert places. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah, he was far from the trappings of the kingly power he experienced in Jerusalem. He was away from everything familiar, comfortable, and satisfying. He was tired, weary, lonely, hungry, and sad. Yet, from his aching heart he penned a psalm of praise to the God he knew had not abandoned him – Psalm 63. For David, God and God alone was his satisfaction.

There in the wilderness, David had a harsh reminder of his inner need – a living parable of the emptiness he felt before God. Like a man in the desert without water, David’s longing for satisfaction was so intense that he felt as though he was wasting away. As he stood there on a lonely hill, longing to feel the power and presence of God, he must have looked out and beheld the city he loved, remembering the tabernacle of the Lord. In his anguish, he peered within his soul to touch the memories of worship and wonder he had experienced in the sanctuary of the Almighty.
 
Remembering the Love We Need
 
David knew the secret to true satisfaction: the steadfast love of God. The word for this kind of love is "Hesed" – which, when pronounced, has a rich and strong "ch" sound to it, as though one must reach deep down to gather the strength to speak it. Hesed love is that deep, personal, merciful love that God richly pours out upon those who seek Him. It was that love that David remembered and longed to experience once more. In his remembering, he made it live again within his soul and it brought him satisfaction so incredible that he compared it to a full meal of rich and satisfying food.

All of us have this same spiritual memory living within us, waiting to burst forth in praise from our lips, ready to manifest itself in obedient acts of love. No matter where we are in life, in whatever wilderness we find ourselves, we can still experience that same kind of satisfaction when we turn our eyes to the Father. The Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference is a refuge in the wasteland of modern culture, an oasis in our deserts of disappointment and despair. Though we struggle to find purpose and fulfillment, this is a place where brothers come together, bringing their longing for God’s love out into the open, where together in fellowship we can experience the peace that passes all understanding.

Where are you today, brother? Are you in a dry and weary land? Are you feeling unsatisfied with your life – where it has been, where it is now, and where it is going? I invite you to join us on Saturday, October 20 ^th at St. Paul Catholic High School, in Bristol, Connecticut, where you will find a place of acceptance, refreshment, and supreme satisfaction; where you will once again come to see your place within the Body of believers and claim your role in God’s plan for your life. The Kingdom is found by traveling through the wilderness and clinging to the One who will bring us into the richness of His eternal home. Take hold of that love and let it wash over your weary soul, providing you with all you need to find true satisfaction in this weary world.