Great Joy -- Sunday afternoon (wide OTA)
Father Sam Panda stood in the courtyard of the church, rapt in prayer and praise.
Praise for the safe arrival of his youngest sister, and the comfort she was already bringing to her little family.
Praise for the Feast of Saint Francis and the multitude of little joys the ceremony of blessing the animals brought with it. Some children who did not have pets, were looking on with envious hearts at the luckier children with their dogs, cats, fish, rodents, and birds...when one of them spotted a caterpillar on the walkway at great risk of being trampled. They adopted it, named it Larry and brought it up to be blessed. It was an ineffable moment -- every person in the congregation felt the presence of God -- His love mirrored in the children's typically childish action, and no one objected to the blessing of it.
After a time he drew in a breath, and let the moment go. One could not stay on the mountaintop. One had to climb back down and go back to work. He prayed one last prayer, that he might find a way to share the joy he had felt with those around him.
Praise for the safe arrival of his youngest sister, and the comfort she was already bringing to her little family.
Praise for the Feast of Saint Francis and the multitude of little joys the ceremony of blessing the animals brought with it. Some children who did not have pets, were looking on with envious hearts at the luckier children with their dogs, cats, fish, rodents, and birds...when one of them spotted a caterpillar on the walkway at great risk of being trampled. They adopted it, named it Larry and brought it up to be blessed. It was an ineffable moment -- every person in the congregation felt the presence of God -- His love mirrored in the children's typically childish action, and no one objected to the blessing of it.
After a time he drew in a breath, and let the moment go. One could not stay on the mountaintop. One had to climb back down and go back to work. He prayed one last prayer, that he might find a way to share the joy he had felt with those around him.