Lo, I am about to create new heavensand a new earth;No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,or the sound of crying;
Doesn't this sound wonderful! Isaiah certainly gives us cause for hope, even when things seem really bleak -- whether it be climate change, destroying our physical earth or the unmasking of blatant racism in our nation. I'm afraid if we wait around for this new world to magically appear we are probably missing the point.
Sr. Julia Upton, RSM states in her reflection in This Day that Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment reminds us that "the human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together" AND it is our obligation to care for the most vulnerable. We are challenged to become partners in creating a world in which there is no more weeping or crying.
Last night at our couples pot luck we had hoped to attract couples who might be interested in making the Weekend. We wanted to provide an opportunity for our Encounter community to help to invite them onto the Weekend. One couple looking for a ministry, a more active role in the church did show up. We were blessed by the presence of 2 other couples who were looking for support, community and the gift of acceptance and belonging. I don't know that they have the skill set to be able to fully receive the gift of the Weekend, but we were elevated in their presence, their humility, honesty, their desire to be loved and accepted, and their heartfelt prayer at the end of the evening. They were some of the most vulnerable among us and we were the recipients of the greatest gift of the evening. Fr. Lucas recognized it and practically begged us to continue reaching out. It was work and I felt stressed and worried about the success of the evening. At the end of the night I saw us as the workers in the vineyard, working alongside the Master for the entire day for equal pay. If this is what it takes to create a new heaven and earth, to see with new eyes, I think we are in.
Your post fills my heart with hope and joy. Building the kingdom is never easy. I think often when planning events or dreaming about the church I often find myself thinking about numbers. I think people often fall into the trap of seeing success through the number of people that attend rather than the quality of the attendance. What's important is that connections were made. While the immense amount of work that went into inviting people and preparing the meal might feel unjustified for four families, what matters is that you created a beginning and an opportunity for couples to connect. I think its those kids of connections that make the world that Isaiah and the Isrealites envisioned.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of each MEW we sing a song. "A new world somewhere" It essentially says I'm in the promised land when I'm holding the hand of my beloved. So this intense love relationship can give us a glimpse of the promised land. This is more true if we help call that out of each other. Even the deeply wounded and broken can bring life out of us and to help us see the miracle of bringing the sick back to health or the lonely into a community. It's late more later. Dad
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