Always we begin again

Passing under a growing crescent moon in the still-light sky of the early summer on my way home from the cathedral this evening I began to feel again a sense of openness that I lost in the past week or two. Between work imbalances and perhaps prematurely thinking that I was getting close to what the future might look like, the spaciousness that was a lenten gift this year closed in a bit. Returning to the daily office yesterday, checking in with the benedictines in my small group, an education commission meeting, and a wonderful benediction written by John O'Donohue "For New Beginnings" to send us off into that still-lit evening brought it back. I knew it was there around the corner waiting for me to catch up to where it had run off.

There is yet another month on this journey of transformation that I sensed and began to sketch out last fall. There are a number of key elements and events that will close this arc and begin the next: a book reading and signing for Marcus' novel, a retreat on the coast to complete a series of classes, the Episcopal Village conference, and events to highlight and fundraise for Trinity's Center for Spiritual Development.

By that time we will have reached the solstice of summer and whole new vistas will open up. One of the gifts of Marcus' novel is a character's use of "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim." It arrived yesterday and looks to be a lovely reconnection to creation in the context of daily and occasional prayer; perfect for a benedictine who also happens to be a druid.

May there be space in the souls of all of us for the spirit to move and breathe. God within, God without; the light of Christ's Peace all around.