Gratitude

It may seem a bit unusual to use a quotation from the Buddha to illustrate the quality of gratitude during Christians' Holy Week. But all of the world's great religions -- and even those who practice no religion -- wouldn't survive without giving gratitude a central place. Without it, we can't begin to practice humility, and without humility, we can't begin to recognize the work and daily presence of God. Practicing gratitude daily, even hourly, will open our hearts and minds and often heal our many heartaches.


At the beginning of Lent, while at my Methodist Church, we were invited to pick up an ordinary stone from a pile of them in front of the sanctuary. While we couldn't see what had been written on the bottom of each one, we were also invited to use comtemplative prayer, centered on the word written on whatever stone we chose. Mine said, "forgiveness," and I thought, "Wow. God really knows what I need." Holding a grudge is a lot like carrying a large stone or an albatross around our necks. So I've carried that small forgiveness stone through my court hearing and all of the other flotsam and jetsam I've been wading through. 

Now I'm mentally carrying another smooth stone called "blessings," and it is a constant reminder to practice gratitude -- for getting Zach into safe harbor, for not being homeless, for my family, for my dear friends, for my church and church family, for the strangers who have befriended me and lightened my load, and mostly for God's grace and the way She has been at work in my life. 

This week began with a walk in Cathedral Park on Sunday morning, where I stood in a "cloister" of hemlocks and observed the beauty of the earth; then on Monday attended a reverent and inspiring funeral service for Mary Ellen's father at the Catholic Church in Athens, where memories are in every brick in that town and around every corner; spent some time with Rita and Don who always take me in so lovingly; last night attended a Baptist Church dinner at the invitation of my new neighbor downstairs and was surprised to find a re-creation of a Jewish Seder for Passover; and now am leaving for Shepherdstown where I will go to Maundy Thursday services at my beloved church there tonight; then attend an interdenominational Good Friday service tomorrow; hopefully see Beth the next day; and rejoice on Easter morning with both a sunrise and mid-morning service at New Street Methodist, among my dear friends there.


Gratitude comes easily for me this week. And those of you who read this are a big part of what I have to be grateful for. Happy Easter -- a time for new life and for resurrection. May your hearts be glad and rejoice with mine.