So, if you’ve been following my Twitter or Facebook updates, you know I’ve been running from one thing to the next the past several weeks, the latest of which was the big Silver Jubilee celebration at the mothership in Baden, PA on Saturday. There is a lot to blog about, but for now, let me just share with you one aspect of my experience of the day. As I was praying about and planning the liturgy for that day, I was very aware that I wanted this celebration to be a gift for our community and all the friends and family in attendance; I didn’t want it to be about me. Of course, that couldn’t be completely avoided, but all in all, it really seemed to me like it was a grand celebration of God’s great faithfulness to all of creation.
And as I was reflecting this morning about my wanting this celebration to be my gift to those in attendance, I was also very aware of how in so many ways that others were doing their part to make their participation in the celebration a gift to me. Special kudos go to the singers and musicians who worked very hard to learn some new, and in at least one case, challenging music. Also to my brother Kevin, who brought his DJ/karaoke gear to provide entertainment and music for dancing at the party after the liturgy. I could go on and on…the kitchen staff, the motherhouse administration and staff handling arrangements, from decorations in the gym, to flowers in chapel, to printing the programs, to God knows what else…
The kind of mutuality I experienced in this celebration seems to me to be what the reign of God is all about. I am grateful for the presence of all those who were able to be there that day, as well as the prayers of all those who couldn’t be there in person, but whose presence was no less real. Many reminded me that a jubilee celebration is meant to be a year-long event, so in a sense, the party is just beginning.
I’m taking today off work (well, mostly, anyway…), just to rest and savor the blessings of these days. I’m around for 2.5 weeks before my next trip…maybe I’ll manage to figure out where things like band-aids, cold medicine, etc are packed from the move before I take off again.
