- for the mother of one of my former youth students. She collapsed outside her home two days ago in the severe winter temperatures and wasn't found for quite some time. She's in a coma in a local hospital.
- for her two sons - one of whom is one of my former youth students.
- for a family I love.
- for dear friends scattered around the country.
- for the ability to surrender and be at peace.
- a line from Joan of Arcadia, where God is speaking to her, "Here's the thing you need to learn from the martyrs, Joan, they did it the hard way. That's what I'm asking of you."
- for health and strength restored.
- for freedom from the dark places.
- for willingness to walk voluntarily in the dark places as necessary - but to walk free instead of bound.
- for warmth - Be not afraid of winter - Seasons change. God never does.
- for safety in travels.
- for wisdom to move forward.
- for growing joy.
- for the coming of the light.
- with lit candles, and a favorite white scarf wrapped around my neck.
- with all the little reminders of place and people and hearts.
- for the things that seem in perpetual limbo
- and for the relationships that are so unclear.
- for the ability to deeply forgive.
- for the change of spaces necessary to be at peace.
But sometimes, I wonder, if peace is not something that we don't expect.
I'm thinking a lot about Mary this year. The mother of Christ. I read a cycle of poems about her life by Ranier Maria Rilke yesterday. Just a short little book, but beautiful.
And I wonder if peace isn't the thing that came with some combination of "You are highly favored, the Lord is with you," and "Mary treasured all these things and stored them in her heart," and "As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."
Maybe peace comes even there, especially there, in the moments when the things most treasured within us have been pierced and bleed.
Come, Lord of Peace, today. Bring light.
0 comments:
Post a Comment