*Tear Drops..., Paul D. Sorenson, Flickr
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God has no religion.
*Mahatma Gandhi
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There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much.
*Mother Teresa
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Juanita is a delightful, young African American woman from the state of New York. I met her in the hospital at Augusta, GA. She has a beautiful smile, enjoys gleeful laughter, and shares her enthusiastic faith in God, even while her younger sister is seriously ill with cancer and lying in a nearby hospital room.
My brother Mike introduced me to Juanita. I sat in the chair beside her, in the waiting room. As she told of her family crisis and spoke of her joy in Christ, I sensed a need to pray with her. So, before leaving the waiting room, I smiled and asked that we pray, the three of us. I reached out my hands, and Mike and Juanita joined me in a circle of prayer. I prayed; then, Juanita prayed.
Through the following days, I would meet Juanita in the waiting room or hallway. I, also, met her mother, who did not have the joyful spirit of the daughter. Rather, the mother spoke of her pain at the younger daughter’s illness, and her behavior was one of weariness and worry. Also, I sensed under Juanita's smile was a heart hurting deeply for her younger sister.
The last time I saw Juanita, before my leaving the hospital, was in the hall outside the waiting room. I smiled in response to her usual smile. However, this time, I reached out and hugged her close. Hugging her, I spoke to her, as she rested her head against me. “I know you have strong faith, but I know you hurt, also… It hurts, doesn’t it?” In holding her and speaking her pain for her, I felt her resting and knowing she was safe. I, too, felt a rush of compassion move through me. And, when letting go of Juanita and looking at her in the eyes, I saw this time, not only the joy of a smile, I saw fresh tears.
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Meeting this sister-in-Life and sharing in her pain, even as she had offered my family encouragement in the days before - for my mother was hospitalized with terminal cancer -, helped me realize more fully the joy of what Jesus speaks to us:
37Then these righteous ones will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?" 40And the King will tell them, "I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"
*Matthew 25, NLT
Whom did I offer solace to in that hallway? Was it a young lady named Juanita? Was it Christ? Was it both? And, how could I offer compassion to another who is one with me and not, then, be giving myself compassion at the same time? This is all a Mystery, but known in experience as truly as the feeling of touching your own face right now.
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*Hugs, Ray Morris, Flickr
* * * CLOSING BLESSING * * *
Grace and Peace to All
The Sacred in Me bows to the Sacred in You
*You are welcome to contact Brian at briankwilcox@yahoo.com .
The presentations at this site cover a long time period. Each one represents part of an on-going Pilgrimage, and the writer's ideas, practices, and experience have changed over time. This change is the quality of any living Journey. Please read with this in mind, allowing the inner Teacher to speak to you as you need at this particular time in your own living Journey. Thanks!
