God, Fr. Dexter, Fr. Phan, the sacristans, Eucharistic ministers, musicians, dacons, all the people who enabled us to celebrate mass outside this spring, summer and autumn. I loved sitting on that squat western wall, warmed by the sun, watching Prudence make her welcoming rounds. The experience brought to mind the words of Thomas Aquinas, “Sacred writings are bound in two volumes - that of creation and that of Holy Scripture.”
Inside Christ the King’s sanctuary, there are many reminders of Holy Scripture; outside, on Christ the King’s playing field, the birds themselves joined in our songs. It seems particularly “right and just” that at this time in history we would be moved to celebrate Eucharist in the open air; for it seems to me our understandings of ourselves, neighbors, world, God are becoming more spacious. We are awakening to the largess of the kingdom of God. Of course, I have no proof of that - yet I can tell you that I felt my gaze widening, my heart opening, while praying with you amidst nature. Perhaps I was receiving the grace to see the goodness beyond the walls of my own tradition, to feel God’s presence diffuse in the entire cosmos.
By way of gratitude for your gathering with me those beautiful Sundays, I offer you this Apache blessing:
May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries,
May the breeze blow new strength into your being,
May you walk gently through the world.
and know its beauty all the days of your life.