“Either we-who-believe start showing people how to see everything differently, or we stop yelling at them for not seeing what we have never shown them.
The truth of the real presence is the whole truth about humanity and divinity.”
THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS. A perfect articulation of what I have been perceiving and lamenting for years in my diocese.
"And when bodies and blood are gone? Still presence." (Just one phrase among many within your beautiful essay that spoke to me.) So, so moving - I felt the Holy Spirit moving between you and us readers - thank you for writing and reaching out through the "internets" : ) to everyone.
I feel like shouting Amen, Amen to this! It’s so good, and totally what I get frustrated about too. There needs to be an openness to the spirit, to seeing the divine everywhere, and how much more encouraging could the homilies be if this goodness was recognised as the priest looks out at the congregation. I’m with you, and forwarding to local pastors!!! X
This made my heart swell, and there’s much I could say of real theological heft. But perhaps most delightfully, your first lines, speaking of God’s could’ves reminded me of something my 5 year old said (whined) this week: “Why didn’t God make it so that the [MN] State Fair is every day?!?”
As always, beautifully written and expressed. Elegant. Deep. Allll the good superlatives. But thank you. Thank you for sharing what you did and are experiencing in your suffering. It’s so personal and yet so important for all of us. Thank you.
“how ordinary and remarkable our communication can become with the communion of those who have stepped before us into the sacred time and place where we ourselves shall one day step.” I have felt this communion more in the last two years with my little Granny than since her death from this life over into the arms of Jesus thirty years ago. And oh how that communion with her has given me a new transformation of looking at the every day holiness that surrounds me on this earth.
Laura! I have absolute chills reading this. The idea of presence without a body flesh and blood and the way I have experienced that both with family members who have died and memories that I have of them but also in my work as an archivist and historian and that feeling of the presence of former bodies, former hands, former pens, still lingers in old homes, old buildings, in the papers of the archives. But you connecting it to the presence of God - I never thought of it in such a way. You are a blessing for us all.
“Someday I will try to tell you how real they have become to me, how our ancestors are thick around us, how any veil between here and there is thinned as mist, how ordinary and remarkable our communication can become with the communion of those who have stepped before us into the sacred time and place where we ourselves shall one day step.”
“Either we-who-believe start showing people how to see everything differently, or we stop yelling at them for not seeing what we have never shown them.
The truth of the real presence is the whole truth about humanity and divinity.”
THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS. A perfect articulation of what I have been perceiving and lamenting for years in my diocese.
Thank you! Right there with you.
"And when bodies and blood are gone? Still presence." (Just one phrase among many within your beautiful essay that spoke to me.) So, so moving - I felt the Holy Spirit moving between you and us readers - thank you for writing and reaching out through the "internets" : ) to everyone.
May we all live that and so live!
Your last line - fist pumping Amen over here! Thank you for reading & sharing this.
I got chills reading this: "how any veil between here and there is thinned as mist..."
Always so grateful for your wisdom and insights, Laura.
So grateful for you, Megan.
I feel like shouting Amen, Amen to this! It’s so good, and totally what I get frustrated about too. There needs to be an openness to the spirit, to seeing the divine everywhere, and how much more encouraging could the homilies be if this goodness was recognised as the priest looks out at the congregation. I’m with you, and forwarding to local pastors!!! X
Amen, amen! And thank you for sharing.
There are hardly words to describe the beauty of these reflections. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Elise!
Beautiful, Laura. Thank you. Please know that this stranger on the internet continues to keep you in my prayers.
I am so grateful for your prayers, Catherine!
“our ancestors are thick around us, how any veil between here and there is thinned as mist,” I experience this so strongly. Beautiful essay.
I adore hearing how others experience this, too, Peg. It is so deep & true - a whole dimension of life that opens up to us!
This made my heart swell, and there’s much I could say of real theological heft. But perhaps most delightfully, your first lines, speaking of God’s could’ves reminded me of something my 5 year old said (whined) this week: “Why didn’t God make it so that the [MN] State Fair is every day?!?”
Your 5 year-old is wise & I share this same question!
So beautifully true, those who have gone before us are always close if we only choose how and learn how to sense their love and presence.
Amen!
As always, beautifully written and expressed. Elegant. Deep. Allll the good superlatives. But thank you. Thank you for sharing what you did and are experiencing in your suffering. It’s so personal and yet so important for all of us. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this, Ginger! Grateful for your words.
Laura!!! The way I whimpered reading this… holy Toledo. So, so good. You are my favorite.
Thank you so much, Morgan!
“how ordinary and remarkable our communication can become with the communion of those who have stepped before us into the sacred time and place where we ourselves shall one day step.” I have felt this communion more in the last two years with my little Granny than since her death from this life over into the arms of Jesus thirty years ago. And oh how that communion with her has given me a new transformation of looking at the every day holiness that surrounds me on this earth.
Gayle, you say this so beautifully! Thank you for sharing your Granny with us. What a holy communion.
Beautifully expressed. May His presence be ever so real to you, His comfort deep.
Laura! I have absolute chills reading this. The idea of presence without a body flesh and blood and the way I have experienced that both with family members who have died and memories that I have of them but also in my work as an archivist and historian and that feeling of the presence of former bodies, former hands, former pens, still lingers in old homes, old buildings, in the papers of the archives. But you connecting it to the presence of God - I never thought of it in such a way. You are a blessing for us all.
“Someday I will try to tell you how real they have become to me, how our ancestors are thick around us, how any veil between here and there is thinned as mist, how ordinary and remarkable our communication can become with the communion of those who have stepped before us into the sacred time and place where we ourselves shall one day step.”
Please, please do 🙏🙏🙏…