This morning modern technology gave me the gift of two devotionals that resonated in my soul. One was Dean Kate Moorehead from St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville. The other was from Rev. Shannon Kershner, Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Both captured the truth of our lives – we were not created to be alone. These times are clearly showing us that I believe.
Dean Moorehead reminded us of our beginnings, beginnings in the wisdom of God’s desire for companionship. She pointed to the Resurrected Christ’s appearances to the disciples as a group. Her focus was that we reflect God most clearly when we are gathered, when we are together in love.
Rev. Kershner asked the question, “What if one of the decisions we made as a result of the coronavirus pandemic was to purposefully rebuild the “we” culture?”
Her meditation began with words from the hymn, “In Christ There is No East or West”. In Christ now meet both east and west; in him meet south and north…All Christly souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.”
Joy comes when we gather together for worship, service/mission, study and fellowship in Christ Love. Challenge comes when we remember those once active among us who for a variety of reasons are now sidelined. As we find ourselves in isolation with family or alone, let us remember the “we” in our DNA as Pastor Kershner reminds us. As we hopefully move out of isolation when it is safe, let us use our call to be energized, creative and imaginative to change our strong Western culture drive to be “I” to become a culture of “we.”
Let us pray together: Eternal God, God of grace and love, in this time of global isolation, illness and death help us to reconnect with the “we-ness” of our lives as you created us. Open our hearts and minds to the many ways we come together in your love. Help us to see the paths you are always creating for us to support each other, to embrace our dependence on creation’s health and wholeness, and to find joy on the journey. Amen.
Written by Rev Carol DiGiusto
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