June 23rd

When I was young, the dramatic aspects of Gospel stories captured my imagination.  I envisioned a gloriously shining angel with an incredible wingspan appearing out of nowhere to a very young Mary; star-gazing magi in exotic clothing dismounting dusty camels after entering the gates of Jerusalem; an enormous boulder rolling sideways to reveal a recently crucified Jesus standing upright.  These miraculous events spoke of supernatural powers, of God doing extraordinary things.
        I am older now and find I am drawn to the less dramatic, more homespun stories in the Gospels.  For example, Jesus’ parables resonate with me now because they are rooted in experiences I have encountered in my own life or in the lives of people I know.  They are stories of a parent’s love for a wayward child and for a self-righteous child, or a person’s care for a needy neighbor, of a manager who wants to pay all workers a living wage.  The stories of Jesus’ less miraculous actions also feel closer to life as I live it.  His willingness to touch a leper offers me a more plausible guide in life than his ability to walk on water.
        Our tradition wisely suggests the divine is present in both the extraordinary and the very ordinary events of our lives.  For me, at this point in time, sensing and seeking to follow grace in the small, tender details of being a loving parent, a caring neighbor, a person willing to pay others a living wage seems more do-able.  Perhaps that is how I am called to incarnate the Spirit poured out on all of us.