Together

More Than Pieces…

Pieces, everything comes in pieces.
Our coming and our going,
Who we are and what we do,
Hours, minutes, seconds of each day.
Sometimes, taken as a whole,
Might we miss or gloss over gold,
The little things as not worth the time of day?
Though precious is each moment,
Taken alone and on its own,
Might we miss or gloss over gold,
The broader view as just another day?
Pieces, broken down and shared,
Everything is pieces,
Of a picture big and small,
Glossy gold and full of glimpses,
Captured best holding one another,
Drawing strength and beauty altogether,
Being grateful for it all.

“Everything that is in the heavens, on earth, and under the earth is penetrated with connectedness, penetrated with relatedness.” – Hildegard Von Bingen

An Advent Prayer: Lord, help me to hold the pieces of my life together, big and small, easy and challenging and all that falls between, with great love and care, trusting that it is really You, the King of Glory (Ps 24:10b), who holds them all… who holds us all. And help me to continue to look to you, that you may grant me the grace to notice and appreciate the beauty and goodness of all creation, and the heart and soul of those I encounter each day.

Coming Up Hearts…

Over the past few days, gusts of wind have relieved the trees of so many of their leaves. Yet there remains a branch, looking more like a vine, swaying in the wind, holding tight onto its leaves. While the branch seems unremarkable, lacking in the kind of color that captures one’s eye, the leaves are yellow, bringing brightness and light to an otherwise dreary backdrop.

As the wind carries on, and various other leaves fall from the trees, blown every which way, the branch and its yellow leaves remain together. No matter how hard the wind seems to try to strip them away, or apart from each other, through periods of rain and strong winds, it is not happening. They seem determined to stick together as they weather the storm, perhaps just as they did before it arrived. It is as if this branch and its heart-shaped leaves are thoroughly convinced and committed to one another, regardless of all that is, and has been, swirling around them, knowing that, come what may, Love that is true always prevails.

Hanging

Before the Lord the whole universe is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O Lord and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!

– Wisdom 11:22-12:2

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

Seek Face…

In times when violence and injustice seem so prevalent, one can become disheartened, disappointed, and/or a number of other words that could aptly describe the different levels and ways that the human spirit can be affected. Disturbing news comes at us and is thrown in our faces over and over through various forms of media. Amongst all the mayhem that seems to abound, it can be challenging to see or to be aware that God is continually sowing, and bringing to life, seeds of love, hope, and faith.

When Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus up the mountain (Mk 9:2-10), they had no idea what was in store for them. They did not know what they would encounter as they journeyed or when they reached their destination, or what would happen afterward. They did, however, have faith… a faith that led them to recognize and to walk with the Lord. In doing so, they were not alone. God also gave them each other to lean on and to help along the way. Similarly, God gives us each other.

Together there is so much we can overcome and achieve. Together, the face of God shines more brightly and can be seen in and through each of us. To seek God’s face is to seek the best in each and every face… in each and every situation… to trust that God is with us as we walk up the mountain and back down, or through the valley, into the woods, and out the other side.

“Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me.” – Cf. Psalm 27 (26):8-9