My Sacred Space for Today

There is a web site run by an Irish order of Catholic religious called Sacred Space. I do not always go there on a daily basis, but I found myself clicking the favorites tab on my browser this morning. Today is my sixteenth wedding anniversary and my wife Joyce is resigning her position at a job she has worked for ten years. Now, this does not seem like a major issue since people change jobs all the time for various reasons. The fact that it is our anniversary and that Joyce is making a lateral move mainly because of the pettiness of coworkers and the dysfunctional work environment in which she has had to contend with the past year or so. The root of my uneasiness comes in light of my own struggles with being unemployed yet deeply blessed by the spirit of volunteerism and the cause of raising children.

And so, today, I am asked to consider where things stand between God and me? Where do I see myself in relation to his example of being non-judgmental? What are the things I am grateful for? Are there things that I regret and need forgiveness for? These weigh heavy on my mind as the autumn breeze blows and the turning of leaves remind me that change is inevitable. As I contemplate these questions, the realization of God’s presence fills me with gratitude for so many incredible realities from this past week.

I am grateful for the heart of volunteers who graciously, and perhaps with some reservation, step forward to be counted among the few who are called “leaders.” I am grateful for the love of parents who know full well that their children require structure and an environment where they can grow to be productive, healthy and responsible human beings. I am grateful for the day with its partly cloudy skies and the rain that must eventually fall, the sun that lights the way and the moon which stands as a reminder of God’s vigilance throughout the night. I am grateful for the reader, like you and the creator of all things upon whose shoulders the fate of our children rests; a God who loves us in spite of ourselves. Amen.