April 10, 2024
Lent and Easter arrived early this year, and so this “liminal” in-between, threshold season came at a time of transition for us at Holy Family as well. The sequence between Christmas and Lent was compressed and, in some ways, seemed hurried. I was grateful for spiritual disciplines and restorative niches not necessarily dependent upon the liturgical calendar, as these can nurture and sustain us no matter what the lunar cycle (on which the Easter schedule depends) may tell us!*
Truth told however, I felt a bit disoriented myself, juggling a busy clinical practice, family and teaching commitments, and turning my attention to serving Holy Family as part-time, interim priest in charge. And so, when I arrived at Grandview Nursing facility in Jasper last Wednesday, it seemed as though only a few days ago we were there for the wonderful Christmas sing-along and gift distribution we offered last December.
And what a joyful day that was! Thanks to the hard work of the choir and outreach committee—and others like me who tagged along—we sang Christmas carols, provided cookies, punch, and assorted other goodies, and distributed gift bags to each resident. As I made my way down the halls to take gifts to those room-bound souls unable to sing with us in the cafeteria, I was so very grateful for the privilege of being among those representing Holy Family as the Body of Christ in the community. Some of the residents in those halls were asleep, and it gave me a grin to think that when they awoke,
April3, 2024
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” ~Meister Eckhart
Grace and peace to each of you, in this Eastertide season, and a deep bow of gratitude to each of you for a wonderful Holy Week! Easter Sunday was simply magnificent. Thank you, Holy Family, for the grace and hospitality extended by everyone!
Over the past 8-10 days, I’ve enjoyed a kind of “second autumn” while running on the local trails. The lovely Beech groves deep in the forests of our neighborhood, especially on longer runs where I reach the spot pictured below, are an opportunity to pause, and pay attention. And this in turn is an occasion to attempt what I’ve learned from many on from my journey in Christian centering prayer and Buddhist mindfulness practice: show up; pay attention; speak my truth (and this can be a deepened, inner self-awareness); and let go of attachment to things I cannot control. The last step, as we know, can be in relation to an infinite variety of issues, including addictive behavior of various kinds, and is at the heart of any 12-step journey. It is at the heart of the Serenity Prayer.
Trail running in the woods near our mountain home continues to teach me to let go of attachment to things I cannot control, and this has in turn had application in many areas of life.