Goodness gracious! This Lent has flown! I was struck by a thread woven throughout these readings and the Psalm for today -- one of communication. It seems the Israelites have grown, too, through these Lenten readings. If anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together in the first reading is such a contrast to Judas betrayal in the Gospel. Coming together is being open, it is an invitation to dialogue to solve disputes. Earlier in the reading we see a transformation, a gentleness -- an open ear, a back to support and a face to reflect God's glory and to melt the hardest of hearts. This is what your daddy and I strive for in our dialogue. It is what we attempt to teach couples on the Weekend. If we could all practice this in our everyday lives, our world would be at peace.
The Psalm is poignant and points a finger at my own situation with my brother and to a lesser extent my sisters. I feel tremendous sadness. Creating an outcast or being that outcast, a stranger to each other is not what God wants for us as family. He would much prefer that we sit at the dining room table as was described in yesterday and continued in today's Gospel. He wants only the best for us which is open and trusting relationships that listen to each other, support each other, heal woundedness and grow to even greater wholeness -- or holiness! Chugwater and Big Horn Summits are good, but they are only a beginning. As your daddy would say, we "need to keep the ball in the air!" I regret that as a child I was not taught open communication, our feelings were not validated. I look at my parent's background and I understand. I also know that we are adults, we've grown, we've changed and things could be different. Perhaps we, too, can follow suite and have our own Summit!
I had no idea where these readings would lead this morning. I am grateful I took time to reflect. MJ called us she was sick and up vomiting during the night. It is probably not a good day to travel. Please keep her in your prayers as we attempt to figure out what we can do with her ticket and her/and our disappointment.
Love,
MF
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