The eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” 

"Written in these walls, are the stories that I can’t explain. I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days. She told me in the morning she don’t feel the same about us in her bones, seems to me that when I die, these words will be written on my stone. And I’ll be gone, gone tonight. The story of my life: I take her home, I drive all night to keep her warm, and time is frozen: I give her hope, I spend her love until she’s broke inside. Although I am broken, my heart is untamed, still."   

One Direction's song "Story of My Life" at first sounds like a song of despair because the woman loved in the relationship is no longer interested in the man. She was very direct, saying to him that "she doesn't feel the same" about their relationship. And so the man is "gone, gone tonight." It is another song about a breakup, so common among the songs of our society. It shows that breakups are a real problem that people must understand.

In their song, however, there is a glimmer of hope, as he speaks of what should happen in the future. He sings, "Although I am broken, my heart is untamed, still." The sentence can be interpreted to mean that the man is attempting to get over the breakup. His heart is "still untamed," a heart that can yet be formed even though it feels broken after this relationship.

One can easily see such humanness in the Apostles whom Jesus chose during his time on earth. As Jesus was about to ascend back into the heavens, even after they had witnessed the Resurrection, they were still "doubtful." Their relationship with Jesus had been "broken" with his passion and death, and they were still not ready to accept what Jesus had accomplished. But there was hope for them, and happily therefore for all of us, as they began the movement known as Christianity. With hope, they took the Lord's promise to be with them. They spread his message and give the world a chance for eternal life.

Coming out of a breakup is not as profound as accepting redemption, of course, but the feelings are much the same. One must be able to have hope for a future. If it is not present, our lives will never be happy. If we look at our hearts as "still untamed" even after a breakup, we know that those hearts will be able to recover from the pain, and look forward to healthy relationships in the future.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son taught his Apostles to hope for the future, even though they might have doubted at one time. Give us the grace to see that even though there are difficulties in our lives, we still have the hope of true life. Be with us, we pray. 

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©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America