Lovely Ones,
We often hear that we are living in “unprecedented times.” As we look back to history, it turns out that unprecedented times are not all that uncommon. We are always experiencing things never done or never known before. Creativity, innovation, experimentation, and introspection are just some of the things born of chaos and turmoil.
Today I was thinking of the U2 song “Beautiful Day”. If you’ve not heard it, I invite you to listen to it on our YouTube channel. According to Bono, “Beautiful Day” is about “a man who has lost everything but finds joy in what he still has.” Blender interpreted the song and the line “It’s a beautiful day” as “a vision of abandoning material things and finding grace in the world itself”.
This week we continue with Beguiled by Beauty: Awakening to Beauty, Falling in Love with the World by examining Psalm 147:1-11, a Psalm of Praise. “Alleluia! How good it is to praise our God! How pleasant and how fitting to sing God’s praise!” In the midst of unprecedented times, can we stop and take in the beauty of what God is doing in the world with and through us?
I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 am on 1130 Balclutha, Zoom, or Livestream as we examine the resilience we find in beauty. Remember to spend some time “warmed” by sitting/walking in the sun or sitting/lying while wrapped and cradled in a soft blanket – allowing your mind to slow, your heart to open, your eyes to drink in your surroundings. Share the beauty!
Love,
Rev. Michael Cronin
P.S. Don’t forget to bring back your slips with “What pain or suffering has led you to beauty and gratitude?”
