Lenten Meditation: Where Was God's Light Shining in 2020?
Thinking back through a very strange, challenging year, I saw God's Light shining through the fog of the pandemic....
Through email, messaging, WhatsApp, telephone... on Sundays when the Peace was shared with fellow parishioners, no matter where we were physically located.
From the eyes (above his mask) of Euclides as he applied the ubiquitous hand sanitizer and welcomed Dafney and her daughter to the Somos Amigos clinic (staffed by local doctors instead of the usual U.S. doctors) in April, July, and October in the mountains of the Dominican Republic.
From the eyes (above their masks) and service of god daughter Daniella and her sister Carlianne who delivered our groceries (every item on my list!) for several months.
Through the eyes (above those ever-present masks) and service of Jan and her crew who raised the canopies for summer outdoor worship and carefully stored them after the service.
Through the voices of Fr. Manny, Deacon Denise, Jan, Rebecca, Adam, Janelle, John and Bunmi, and Kathy as they led us in Morning and Evening Prayer (livestreamed, Facebook and/or YouTube).
In the sights and sounds of the chirps, flights, and intense personal interactions of the wrens visible through our kitchen window all year long.
In the sharing of time with my brother as we walked (with masks), looked through family photo albums, and obsessed over putting together 350 and 550-piece puzzles.
Through the voice of my 9-year-old granddaughter, Cara, as we tackled the vocabulary and story preparing for her Zoom Spanish lesson with Sara.
Through our fervent prayers beseeching God's Perpetual Light to shine upon those who died, including Harry, June, Brady, Winnie, Ezra, Doug, Don, Paul, Reginald, and to comfort their families.
In our smiles as Ed and I watched the fresh baked bread emerged from the oven “looking like it should” and our laughter when a “failed” loaf was appreciated by the birds gathered in the yard.
And in the expectation that In the years to come God's Light will shine through the memories of work, worship, fellowship, study, challenges, sorrows, and joys shared with fellow parishioners at Christ Church for more than 45 years and His Light will cleanse, heal, celebrate and use these memories to further the spread of God's Light.
~Mary