When I was in my twenties, I had a priest mentor who underscored that faith comes in and through our relationships with others. This truth of my priest friend always resonated with me because I have not had the experience of an epiphany of the transfiguration, nor a face-to-face encounter with Jesus in his earthly form. My faith comes from engagement with people of faith who are of this world - brothers and sisters who, in spite of the challenges they have endured or the triumphs they have celebrated, live joyfully and faithfully, never caving into despair or presumption. Following the example of St. Paul, they always give thanks and praise to God for everything.

   As I get older and old age becomes less of an abstraction, I reflect on my own accomplishments and failures. I am grateful for what successes I have experienced...