Eucharist

 This morning, I met with a small group who live and work in a community dedicated to caring for those with dementia. After the worship service, I began, as I have done for 14 years and 11 months, to gather the song sheets after the service, and to thank those who had been with us. I paused in front of a woman who was in a gurney. During our service, she did not move, nor did she open her eyes. As I stood before her, I placed my hand above her head and quietly said a blessing. She still did not stir. Yet, afterwards, as I was trying to corral our song sheets into a large envelope, a caregiver came to take her to another location. As they moved past me, the resident opened her surprisingly bright brown eyes. She smiled a beautiful smile, and then said, "Thank you."  Her light filled the room and in that moment, I knew only love. I smiled in return, and voiced my own thanks. We then waved good-bye to one another.   

Thus ended my time as a paid staff member of SpiritCare. I do have one more community to visit today, but it is one of the local communities that I will continue to visit as a volunteer. I have been blessed to serve in the eternal presence that is God. The time has been filled, and will continue to be filled,  with laughter and tears and many amens. When I first began with SpiritCare, I told a colleague that I had been kidnapped by Jesus. Today, I was reminded he is still having a say.  

Thank you, Jesus.  

   

      image: August lily, Oakland, CA

Sighting

 I so appreciate receiving this quote from Father Laurence Freeman this morning. I am reminded that when something is not fathomable, that is the time not just to shrug our shoulders and say, "Oh, well," or even immediately attack with intellectual zeal. Rather, that is the time to first bow to the Spirit in awe. 

 

"As we look into the depths of our own soul and see the wonder that is there, the wonder of God as the ground of our being, we experience mystery... Mystery is a real thing; it is not an airy-fairy thing. It is a real encounter with the living God. And reverence is that sense of wonder and respect that we have for the deep laws of nature and the deep laws of the spirit that we can't fully understand. They are mysterious, but we know that we are intertwined with them. We know we are living these deep mysteries, these laws of the spirit."   

 

 

image: San Leandro, September, 2022