We made it through the Easter weekend and what a wonderful experience it was!! Now we, once again, turn our attention to living out the reality of the resurrection in our lives. This will take many forms as we move forward. Some things will be routine but perhaps, if we are open to Spirit, there may also be some surprises for us along the way.
To Offer a Moment of Insight and Peace
Yesterday I had the privilege of presiding at a couple of funerals. For me this is always an opportunity to witness to the good news of the gospel, to bring a moment of comfort to people who are traveling a very difficult road and offer a moment of insight and peace. If I am able to do that for at least one person then I feel I have done what I am called to do. In many cases, at such events, people take a moment after the funeral to say a word of thanks and some convey that they feel I have done a good job. Then there are those occasions where something that I have said or done really touches someone in a very profound way and I am again humbled that my words can have such an impact. The afternoon funeral yesterday was one such occasion.
We are all Children of the Universe
During the service I told the story of Jesus blessing the children and saying that we all need to become as little children to enter the Kingdom. I reflected on this in light of the woman we were celebrating. She was indeed one who blessed the children in her path but who was at heart a child herself and embraced all the wonder that that brings with it.
After the service a member of the family approached me. She was close to tears as she began to talk about what she heard and how much that meant to her. She started with the fact that she considers herself Spiritual but not religious. Then she shared that my words spoke to her and that she had never heard the gospel shared in that way. What resonated with her was that we are all children of the Universe and that when we embrace the child part of us we are open to so much more. To hear that this was an important part of the ministry of Jesus opened for her a window.
Living out the Reality of the Resurrection
We talked for a little while longer, hugged and then parted ways. Now the chance that I will ever see this woman again is very slim but this was a holy moment for both of us, for different reasons. We connected and then moved on. For me this is one of the ways that we live out the reality of the resurrection! What this will mean for her as she continues her journey, I do not know, but perhaps there was a crack through which the light will continue to shine. Perhaps she will seek to hear the good news in a new way. Perhaps, if even only for a brief moment, she will know the presence of the holy and be changed.
Resurrection is about new life and growth!
It is about impossibilities that become possible!
It is about insight and wonder!
It is about a light that illuminates the path!
and so much more.
My prayer is that, having been again to the tomb and found it empty, we might be empowered to make it real every day!
Blessings
Valerie
© 2018 Rev. Valerie Peyton Kingsbury. All rights reserved.