Thursday, September 20, 2012

Today’s text

Mark 9:35-38

So he [Jesus] sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.' He then took a little child whom he set among them and embraced, and he said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.'

Reflection

A person sits down in the chair opposite me in my office. It is morning or evening, perhaps mid-day; it doesn’t matter. Each time is the same.
Their eyes may be moist or veiled by troubles they have yet to name. Sometimes they are full of joy at unexpected blessing or in expectation for life to begin with the young man or woman beside them.

Each time is the same even though their stories and emotions couldn’t be more different.
Each time I am invited to welcome them and enter to their story, however joy-filled or wracked with suffering I can do nothing about.

Each time I am invited to shut off the anxious, internal chatter in my mind and step into their world, hoping that somewhere in the process words, wisdom and grace will appear that will lighten their load or give reason and insight to help light their way.

Each time I wait for the Spirit to stir some clarity and blessing from the morass of my mind where I know I have very little in the way of wisdom or insight, although I do have a bit of grace to share.

Each time I am invited to welcome the child that sits before me.

No, they are not all children. Children seldom make it to my office for these kinds of conversations.

Yet they are children, as are all of us. They come with their humanity in their hands, leading with needs and wounds they can’t heal.

And I get to welcome them, enter their stories and embrace their humanity, which makes me one of the privileged.

Jesus placed a child before his friends and said, “Welcome this child, and you welcome me; you welcome the One Love who sent me.”

I know this is true. Our consciousness is transformed as we welcome the humanity of another.

Entering the world of another human being as needy as we are, we feel and know the open heart of Divine Love opening up in ourselves. Just so, we welcome the One who welcomes us and all, knowing a grace that goes beyond any we, ourselves, can give.

So take your time this day, and take care with each soul. Each person, each meeting, each need is the door through which we enter the Presence of the Heart who is our truest home.

Pr. David L. Miller