Among the realities we face as children of God living in a fallen world is that some days are difficult, days when our faith and our fortitude are tested.

So what do we do in such times?

In those moments when the melody of joy falters below our power of expression, we may have to stand silent for a time and simply listen to others, drawing strength from the splendor of the music around us--to hold tenaciously to the line in this hymn that reassures, "Jesus listening can hear the songs [you] cannot sing."

On those days when we feel a little out of tune, a little less than what we think we see or hear in others, I would ask us to remember it is by divine design that not all the voices in God's choir are the same. It takes variety--sopranos and altos, baritones and basses--to make rich music.

When we disparage our uniqueness or try to conform to fictitious stereotypes, then we lose the richness of tone and timbre that God intended when He created a world of diversity.

Believe in yourself, and believe in Him. Don't demean your worth or denigrate your contribution. Above all, don't abandon your role in the chorus. Why? Because you're unique. You're irreplaceable. The loss of even one voice diminishes every other singer in this great mortal choir of ours, including the loss of those who feel they are on the margins--margins of society or the margins of the Church.

We should stand as close as humanly possible to the Savior and Redeemer of the world, where we will be able to savor forever that most precious anthem of all--"the song of redeeming love."