Boy am I glad March’s theme was Letting Go and April’s is Trust. I like to send my email subscribers a newsletter at the end of the month, but it just didn’t happen-for the second month in a row…. Not what I want for my subscribers. I like to keep my promises, but it is my reality, right now. I was waiting for the final touches to a big announcement to share with them, but was having technical issues. (I’ll share more next week!!!) And while it’s still not “perfect,” I’m trusting it will all be OK.
I’m also trusting it will all be OK as we move forward with a new, albeit temporary normal that we’re having to adjust to. One of the biggest things I miss is going to mass and receiving the Eucharist. Yes, I’m coming at this from my Catholic perspective, I think anyone who regularly worships with others can relate.
Virtual Church
Our first week of ‘virtual church’, I sat with my husband and watched his almost live-streamed church service from American Lutheran Church in Grundy Center. Going to different churches, we don’t formally worship together very often and I enjoyed our time and the message Pastor Luther shared about the blind man. How we are sometimes blind to all the different ways God is present in our lives. It was a beautiful service, but I missed the mass.
Last week, we decided to go back to ‘normal’ and ‘go to church’ in our own churches. There were a number of Catholic masses to choose from. I settled on Spires of Faith where our former priest, Fr. Quint is pastor. While he wasn’t the main celebrant, it was comforting to hear his familiar voice as he canted the responsorial psalm and led the hymns.
I knew it was the right choice when the celebrant started talking about trusting in the Lord. He invited us to use this time of being physically “exiled from the altar”, from the Eucharist, to let go of everything else and place our trust in God. “Entrusting he will transform whatever we’re afraid of into new life.”
Like, WOW! The perfect segway from letting go to trust!
But there’s more.
When we came to the Eucharistic prayer, when the bread & wine are transformed into Jesus’ very body & blood, the tears welled up as I was overcome with emotion. They continued to roll down my cheeks through communion and I realized just how much I miss this form of worship. I miss coming together as a community to worship in solidarity. I miss the personal connection I feel with our Triune God when I enter a church, participate and receive Holy Communion.
Part of it is the comfort of familiar ritual. Part of it is belonging to a community. Part of it is how all of it calls me to personally connect with God and others.
Placing our Trust in God
And now I’m being asked, we’re all being asked, to do so in different ways. We’re asked to let go of only one way to worship and reconnect with God in a very personal way. We’re asked to love one another in a way that has traditionally been a form of punnishment, by physically distancing ourselves. We’re asked to place our trust in God.
Trust that he will provide. He always does. Always. He’ll give us the solutions we seek and open doors we thought were locked for good. We just need to believe it. Claim it for ourselves. We still have to do our part by taking action when he inspires us to. But he will lead us safely if we ask him to. And right now that involves all of us staying home as much as possible & washing our hands-a lot.
Do I miss my church family? Visiting our daughter? Meeting clients & friends over coffee? Sure I do. But I also choose to see the positive in all this. I’m choosing to do my part to keep me & everyone else safe & heathy.
Trusting God’s Guidance
I’m choosing to take this time to strengthen my personal relationship with God. Notice how he’s popping up to say, “Hi!” Listening to what he’s calling me to do. Learning to trust he’s safely guiding me as I navigate these these unchartered waters.
I’ll find other ways to celebrate Holy Week. I’ll watch mass & Good Friday services from my office. Maybe I’ll watch The 10 Commandments again. (Remember when that was on every Easter Sunday night?) Who knows, I may even cook a Passover Meal….My Favorite Handyman could smoke some lamb….YUM!
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