Dear Family,
I’m writing on Tuesday the 26th from the banks of Lake Sebastian. So far, the ducks have not appeared, but any moment I expect to see them swimming across the pond (aka the flooded green field.)
Boy, is there a lot of water. After the rainfall last night, I can understand why folk should always heed rising water warnings. I’ve never had pooling water in my backyard before. I guess this is one way of celebrating the Easter Vigil ceremony with the blessing of the baptismal waters.
We said our first Mass together this morning (Tuesday) as I emailed you. Thanks to those of you who emailed back.
I doubt we will forget this Easter season for a long time. Getting back into the sanctuary with all of you on Pentecost strikes me as very significant.
I’ve been wondering just what we would take away from the experience of COVID-19. For one thing, to use an overworked phrase, life during COVID-19 will be a “new normal.”
It seems to me like months ago when I wrote last week’s Twitch for the Ascension of the Lord. I mentioned some of the things I experienced like being in a rut and I couldn’t see over the edge it was so deep. I also mentioned distractions during the rosary.
I’m slightly embarrassed to say it, but I think the Ascension Twitch was really good. It’s worth going back to reread.
Now I’m asking myself, “What is the feast of the Holy Spirit’s firing down on the Apostles mean in our present situation?”
Well, for one thing, “We’re Baa-aack!” I hope we will be brought to a place where everything else takes second seat to how we know Jesus Christ.
COVID-19, Lake Sebastian, hiding the hymnals, measuring the Sanctuary for new projection spaces, wiping and cleaning, masking, ... all of it means nothing, if it isn’t teaching each of us new ways of reaching out and touching the Lord, especially when everything in our day-to-day experience is screaming “DON’T TOUCH!”
Did you ever think we’d come to a point when you couldn’t shake a hand or hug a friend? Simple things we took for granted stand out in bright relief and we find ourselves sort of wandering in a fog (as Annie said to me recently.)
The good thing that can come out of this is asking the Spirit to help us see the new ways the Lord is coming toward us as we seek new ways to come close to each other... again, maybe for the first time.
Reach out and catch a whiff of the Spirit...
In Jesus,
