Late fruit

SUMMARY: The author reflects on the stories of his father and a friend, both of whom professed atheism in their youth but returned to religious beliefs and practices in their old age. The author acknowledges that their return to faith may have been due to unresolved internal conflicts, but believes that there may have also been a genuine spiritual need that was suppressed. He encourages readers not to wait until old age to seek a relationship with God, and to pray for atheists and renegade believers who may be struggling with their faith.

The stories I told in previous meditations of my elderly and sick father praying every night, and of Joseph, also in the same situation, repeating Psalm 23 have common elements. They both believed in God in their childhood and youth and then boasted of being unbelievers.

They professed to be atheists in the most productive, important and meaningful time of their lives. They rejected all religious sentiment and if someone had told them then that in the end they were going to experience these manifestations of religiosity, they might have been offended. They felt strong, owners of themselves, promoting life projects to which they passionately dedicated all their strength and abilities.