Sleepless Nights

By Charla Spalluto Misse

As a parent, you know very well what it is to be awakened by your child.  Whether you wake because your child is hungry, sick or scared or because your child is going through some trial for which you earnestly pray for resolution, sleepless hours in the night are common for parents of children every age.

This summer, I read a quote from St. John Vianney: “When you awake in the night, transport yourself quickly in spirit before the Tabernacle, saying ‘Behold, my God, I come to adore you, to praise, thank and love you, and to keep you company with all the angels.’”

This simple suggestion to take refuge in adoration whenever I am awakened in the night has brought me peace.

I would often weave through problems in the night (rarely finding solutions).  A parent’s worry and concern can come unexpectedly at night when we are weak and unprepared. It may even be a bad dream, completely unreal, but in the night, seems so possible.

It can be hard to stop thinking about that problem you “know” you can solve and to, instead, focus your energy on adoration for Almighty God.

If you can do this, though, I have found you will amazingly be delivered to a peaceful place, allowing you to wake with the strength and confidence to do God’s will and to provide comfort to others.

On the recent feast day of St. John Vianney, I was enlightened to learn that, as a priest, this saint was in such great demand for confession, he only received two to three hours’ sleep each night and was often tormented by evil spirits in those precious recuperative hours.  Learning this made his quote even more meaningful to me.

I realized that, in even the most extreme case, we all can find recourse in the adoration of our Lord.

You can find peace in his presence wherever you are, night or day.