The unexpected

The Touch of Grace…

Recall an experience of bumping into someone that you know, in a place and at a time that you normally wouldn’t expect to see them? Initially, you might be surprised for good or less, or perhaps it might take a few moments to fully recognize the person. Maybe some memories of them come to mind.

Next, imagine that you kept encountering that same person over the course of several weeks. What would you think? What would you feel?

Now envision being one of Jesus’ disciples and having the experience of Jesus’ appearing to you, here and there, in the time between his Resurrection and Ascension. How would you react or respond after the profound experience of his crucifixion, his Resurrection, and being in the environment of belief and disbelief created by it all?

Would you be devoted to trying to see a pattern to Jesus’ appearances to try to predict when you might see him next? Would you commit yourself to trying to figure out the reasons why he was appearing? How hard would you work to come to some sort of knowledge about these occurrences? In what ways would you characterize your approach?

Focusing more closely on Jesus and his third appearance at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21), how determined would your mind be, and how open would your heart be, to the presence of Jesus who is in the form of the person on the shore, unknown and at a distance? How about to yourself or the person on the shore, thought of as being known? Would you cast the net again? What would you discover?

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea. – Jn 21:3-7

In what ways do you allow Jesus to be present to you in the unexpected? In what ways do you invite Jesus to help you to be present, to hold situations up to the light, to receive God’s wisdom so that you can embody the thoughts and feelings needed not only to embrace the moment, but also to receive and recognize the grace it holds, and how to share it?

Sometimes, there are so many questions, and it can seem like so much work. Yet, as April turns to May and the Feast of St. Joseph The Worker arrives, so also does the opportunity to experience not only the light of longer days, but also renewal through the touch of Grace—peace, light, hope, and inspiration—that continues to blossom with the Easter season, and beyond.

How does grace touch and move your heart? And how is it reflected in your work?

To the Extreme…

Coming on the heels of much milder temperatures, colder ones that are typical for the time of year, in this part of the world, seem so extreme and unnatural.  Like stepping into a long blast of Arctic air, shocking to the bone, is how the expected can feel when it comes dressed in unexpected ways. It makes one take a step back, and perhaps reassess before continuing on, maybe different or more awake than before.

To the person entrenched in, or enslaved by (whether knowingly or not), everyday life, was that what it was like when the prophets of the Old Testament… John the Baptist… Jesus came onto the scene?

In each situation and with every experience, back then, and hear and now, today, it is fair to state that in the end, none are left unchanged. In each moment of every day, all testify to something or someone in one way or another.

So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary’s hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime–the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment.

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. – Psalm 40

A Time to Wait…

A few days ago, I found myself at the end of a rather long, slow moving line. Although I had anticipated this situation upon embarking to renew my driver’s license, I thought that perhaps the wait would be less since it was mid-morning and mid-week, but I was wrong. After wondering if I had made a mistake not showing up first thing in the morning and then whether I should go elsewhere or try another day, I decided not only to wait, but also to try to make the best of it. Turns out I was in good company.

While each of us in line could account for having paperwork in order (or at least to the best of one’s understanding) and thought we were ready to go, none of us could have accounted for the temporary halt in the functioning of the computer system or the various other issues that came into play, causing a delay for all who were trying to complete a transaction at that time on that day. It did not matter which side of the counter any of us were on, we were all waiting. We were also at a prolonged standstill for some time, except of course for those who turned around immediately upon seeing the length of the line or who left after little to no forward progress. In addition, we were all complete strangers, minus one employee and the person trying to return to her with additional paperwork left at home a day earlier. So, for the most part, we were all strangers, but we were together, and when one of us moved up a spot in the line, all of us moved up.

As the minutes… many minutes passed, for those of us who waited, eventually there was an end in sight, and along the way rewards of one kind or another. There were many conversations that sprung up, differing opinions aired regarding the need for such seemingly arduous procedures to prove one’s identity, laughs shared, and silent prayers during those silent moments when the stretch of time waiting seemed to lean toward being less bearable for all of us. However, one by one we made it through, progressing from chair to chair until finally, in due time, reaching the counter and processing the long-awaited transaction.

It is interesting how sometimes, maybe more often than we know, victory is in the waiting.

SunArising

Breaking Away…

Looking out the window, in the midst of being stuck on something for work, I wondered why the flow of cars had come to a stop. It was not even close to commuter traffic time. I stood up and went closer to the window to try to see what was happening outside. As I surveyed the street to the right and then back to the left, all at once the reasons for the holdup came into view.

The two beautiful horses that are normally fenced in across the street were leisurely jogging on the sidewalk, past the stopped cars on the road. I watched in awe as they calmly made their way down the street. Just as they passed my house, they started to turn left toward their home field, but then briefly paused and turned right, crossing the street at a wide opening between some cars, and taking a break in a next door neighbor’s front yard.

They seemed to be enjoying the air outside their usual stomping grounds. They stood there for a few moments, completely unaware of the angst of those trying to carefully restore them to those very grounds. They looked so very majestic and peaceful too.

While the horses breaking free and strolling around the neighborhood caused a bit of a stir, stopping traffic and leading officers to the scene, they were eventually led back to their enclosure. Everyone, horses, owners, officers, witnesses of the “jail” break, and passersby alike, continued on their way safe and sound. I went back to work, no longer stuck.

It is interesting how taking a little time to check things out, especially the unexpected, can bring with it an opportunity for great joy, an encounter or experience that can brighten an ordinary day, and perhaps even lead to insight and discovery of one kind or another. All of us, like the horses running down my street, need to step away or move into a different space at times, and take a breath of fresh air.

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Phoenix…

Oftentimes the passing of time seems so quick, fading or slipping away among the day to day pace of life. However, here and there, time also seems to slow, perhaps occasionally so much so that it seems to come to a halt, giving the impression or feeling of being on hold. A number of years ago, I was on a flight heading home, when an engine blew, and the plane seemed to suddenly dip or drop before steadying again.

With the smell of smoke, the loud noise of the engine blowing, and the brief plummet there were more than a few moments of uncertainty. Although all of these things happened rather quickly, as the pilot circled and navigated to land the plane safely at a nearby airport, time seemed to stand still as my heart continued to race from the fright of it all. I had never experienced anything like that in the few times I had previously been flying in an airplane.

Once off the plane and in the terminal, in the midst of the typical hustle and bustle of the airport, still somewhat in a state of shock, time no longer stood still. Within a fairly short amount of time, my fellow passengers and I were able to make arrangements that eventually got us back home. Some of us traveled together once more, while others remained, opting to take later flights. In a sense, we all began again, and while the time and place was different, as were we, the destination was the same.

Isn’t that how each New Year is? We strive to rise from the past, taking with us the wisdom of all that we have experienced and learned, and hold on by the grace of God, as we spring forth into the unknown.

Arise! Shine, for your light has come,
the glory of the LORD has dawned upon you. – Isaiah 60:1

SunRise2

Lady Luck…

As I proceeded toward the steps and the front door, I could see something… a bug, moving on the frame around the door. With each step, I could see it more clearly. I was thinking, “It couldn’t be, it’s too cold,” but as I got closer to the front door, I saw that in fact it was a ladybug. What a pleasant surprise, in stark contrast to the spotting of the brown stink bugs that are common this time of year.

As I watched the ladybug crawling around for a few moments, I could not help but smile. Although it was a small thing, on a rather chilly day, this friendlier, more palpable kind of bug brought a sense of wonder and joy to me as the weather progresses toward winter where I live.

What a great way to prepare to enter the house. What a great way to prepare to enter any place for that matter. To go forth thinking… feeling… remembering the truth of what it means to be begotten by God. That is blessed!

Gifts and blessings come in packages of all types and sizes. Look for and welcome the unexpected. Receive all that each moment brings. Strive to remain faithful regardless of circumstances. Trust that what God has in store is always the best.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever. – Psalm 16:11

LadyBug

More than Magical…

“We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” – Matthew 2:2

The magi came to offer gifts on bended knee. While Jesus was only an infant, surely there were many expectations that would come with the label, newborn king, and even more with that of Savior. When we jump forward three decades from the birth of Jesus, it is even clearer that many people were not expecting the Anointed One to do and say the things that Jesus was doing and saying. They were limited by their own expectations of what a king and savior should be. They were incapable of seeing the gift of Jesus’ life and his example in their very midst, all because he was not what they expected and he did not fit in with what they wanted or thought they needed despite the fact that he fit in with what God wanted. Many people simply could not see, and maybe some did not want to see.

We all have moments where reality seems to fall short of what we expect or hope for, or times when perhaps we can be held back by expectations, or lack thereof, whether our own or those of other people. That is why it is so important to check in and assess where one’s allegiance lies and where one’s focus is along the way.

The magi had a goal, to pay homage to the newborn king. They also had a focus point, to guide them to their goal. There was the star that they followed both a great many miles and very many days, and ultimately the story behind the star, the One who creates and re-creates the earth and sky, and all that resides in and among them.

In addition, the Magi were re-directed at the appropriate time. They were warned in a dream, so they changed course and took a different path home. Certainly, it was an unexpected turn, but still the message was received, taken to heart and, in the end, it was for the best.

Despite expectations that may be self-imposed or put in place by others, seek to listen to and honor the One who truly knows best… the One who not only sees all things, but also bears light on all things. Those who trust in God can expect strength for the journey wherever it may lead, and guidance in all things, great and small.

MoreThanMagical

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

– Matthew 2:1-12

Life Interrupted…

Earlier in the week, I was running late on the way to an appointment. I was feeling pressured as well as surprised by the amount of traffic on the local roads. As I drove, I could not help but think that if only there had been one less interruption earlier in the day I would not be in this position. However, the fact of the matter was that there had not been, and I was on the brink of being late… something I prefer not to be. As I arrived at my destination and put the car into park, I looked up to see a beautiful tree across the street; somewhat interrupted by power lines and signs, but still a pleasant sight.

Trying as it may be, isn’t that the way life is at times? Interrupted or laden with interference. It is like tuning the radio to a high definition station that is playing a favorite song only to have the signal repeatedly cut out as you drive along. Or possibly stronger, like losing a Wi-Fi connection in the middle of transferring a file. Yet, maybe even more impactful, like losing power altogether.

We all experience unplanned and unexpected interruptions or times when we may set out on one path only to end up on another. Times when we simply cannot get “from here to there” in the allotted time, or at all. So what is the point of all this interference? Perhaps it is to resist letting the perspective that whatever I may have been held back from was more important, or to always seek to remember the sacredness of moments spent with, or on behalf of, another. Still, more than anything, perhaps the point is to recognize it for what it is—more often than not, a gift—to see the beauty in each moment, even those that are interrupted or unexpected, and to ask for the grace to receive it with joy.

LifeInterrupted