The angel departed...

"Then the angel departed from her..."
Luke 1:38

And there we have it. Today's Gospel ends with one of the most powerful verses in scripture, I think. Gabriel visits Mary, announcing that she has found favor with God. She is to be the mother of the Savior, the Messiah foretold to the Jewish people for centuries, the fulfillment of God's promise. She responds with both innocence and wisdom: "How can this be?" "Be it done unto me according to your word." And, then, the angel departed from her. It reminds me of watching "The Wizard of Oz" as a little girl and being so frustrated when Glenda, the Good Witch, comes and greets Dorothy. She tells Dorothy how she can go to Oz to see the Great Wizard, but then Glenda floats away in a big bubble, leaving Dorothy, on her own, to start a seemingly perilous journey to Oz. Really? Why couldn't Glenda hang out with Dorothy a little longer? Why couldn't Gabriel stay with Mary from that moment all through labor and delivery? Well, in Gabriel's defense, he was just the messenger. God was with Mary through it all, and certainly, the Christ was with Mary all through it all. But it just seems we need a more tangible, physical presence, especially when the going gets rough. And that's where Elizabeth and Zechariah and Joseph and all the people we don't hear  as much about come into the story. The innkeeper, the stable boy, the helpers who never even get a mention in the story--it is through them that God works just like in our lives. It is through God's people that God works--miracles. On this side of the Gospel, God was so present in all who were praying and there to help ease Denise's passing yesterday. Because that is where God always is--present in the presence of God's people. Thank you for your prayers and much love, heidi

The trickiest time of the year...

"There is a light in us that only darkness itself can illuminate. It is the glowing calm that comes over us when we finally surrender to the ultimate truth of creation: that there is a God and we are not it..." 
Sr. Joan Chittister, as quoted in Richard Rohr Daily Meditation, 12/4/19

I got in and turned on my car. The familiar strains of "It's the most wonderful time of the year," poured forth. Twenty minutes earlier I would have joined in with the radio. But, after hearing terribly difficult news, the song was unbearable. I'd just learned that Chris' wife Denise's cancer had returned with a vengeance and nothing more could be done. Just like that. It's not the most wonderful time of the year anymore. We often hear about the holidays being difficult for people, but the emphasis still seems to be on the charity shown, the hope shared, the new dawn rising. But what if the new dawn doesn't feel like it's rising? What then? I think, at these times, we're called to look harder for God, who is always with us. God comforts us through our gathering with each other. God reaches us through strangers who treat us with kindness. Ever present and eager to touch us tenderly, God sends others who give us the hugs God wants us to feel. Let's be mindful of those who struggle this time of year. Pain, loss and suffering can be magnified when others are merry and we all need to try to be aware and understanding.  Also, as Sr. Joan says in this quote above, we may find in ourselves a light that we never recognized before the darkness approached. That light is God always residing within us. And finally, let us look deep and wide to see God present in the people and community surrounding us as they lift us up. Oh, and thank you for praying for Chris and Denise and all who are traveling to be with them.  Love, heidi