Good morning…
From a centered place of comfort, before any family members stir awake, I revisit three cell phone photos and a soulful prayer. Connecting these diverse dots from this unique week, I capture a glimpse of God’s love growing among us.
The first photo, a hammock resting on an autumn afternoon, breathes peace within our soul. We are prompted to slow down, to sit a while, to join the joy of nature as seasons quietly change, inside and around us. Outside in the unprotected elements, our senses tune themselves to the wider ever-presence of God.
I remember back to another photo I had taken just ten minutes before, a photo snapped inside the warm comforting walls of the Ignatius House Retreat Center.
As I have grown quiet, still, reflective this Thanksgiving week, my heart expands to include the marginalized among us. For years, as a family, we have packaged and served food for the homeless through Hosea Feed the Hungry in downtown Atlanta on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, I notice that God has invited me outside the holiday box. My loving connections through PAWkids in the Grove Park neighborhood of our city are developing organically, thick and authentic. A marvelous, mutually beneficial gift is being unwrapped by God. With these friendships in mind, around our Thanksgiving table this year my prayerful thoughts will include the children we tutor on Mondays, the men and women from our Tuesday therapeutic community group, and the people who will join us around the open table as we begin a therapeutic community group for women on Wednesday mornings.
Our ministry with the marginalized reminds me of the prayer my spiritual director slowly spoke over me before our hour together came to a close.
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Day 7 – Excerpt from Daily Prayers by Brian D. McLaren
Jesus of the table,
You gathered unexpected people around
hearths of hospitality.
You stretched out your hand
for grapes and bread, for wine and welcome.
May we populate our tables
with all kinds of people.
Because at the table
our hearts can be glad
for a while.
Amen.
******
After this he (Matthew) went out and saw a man named Levi at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” And he did—walked away from everything and went with him.
Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with misfits and ‘sinners’?”
Jesus heard about it and spoke up, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out” (Luke 5:28-32, MSG).
This Thanksgiving morn, do you also hear the same invitation from Jesus?
“Come along with me.”
Living Lord, please continue to increase our desire to walk away from everything that divides us from your expanding love. Thank you for welcoming us to your table with all kinds of people, as together we build a sturdy bridge with those whose lives are being changed, inside and out. Relaxing together at Christ’s welcoming table, may our hearts be glad for a while.
…Sue…
