Dear Friends,
This past Monday, I was outside while the children from Our Lady of Grace School were at recess. While some played a loose version of soccer, many more were engaged in sweeping, raking, and shovelling up the masses of fallen pine needles in our parking lot and depositing them on the grassy area near the playhouse. Their goal was to create a “giant pile that we can jump into”! You have never seen such industry, such concentrated effort – and all in the name of fun.
A few others were skipping and singing some of the old songs to accompany that. One child was at the edge of the cemetery and gently touching each headstone. I told her I do that too. She led me over to the columbarium and asked me what it was. She nodded seriously at my brief explanation but stayed there for a bit. When Dr Barry rang the bell to bring them in again, my fellow cemetery devotee put her little hand on the cool granite of the columbarium, patted it, and whispered, “Goodbye, everyone in there. I’ll be back later,” before happily hopping back to class.
This autumn season, we have been walking through the stories of what it is to be a neighbour, what it is to love our neighbour. How wondrous it is to have this school, Dr Barry, and the teachers, but mostly the children, as our neighbours. In a world that is full of screens and disconnect and all manners of treachery, they reminded me that day of the great gift that is play; that a moment with one can remind you that the veil betwixt this world and the next is gossamer thin; and that even a church parking lot can become a sacred place.
With so much love and thanks for you all, in this season and always.
Rev. Dr. Kelly Burke
We…Give thanks to Your Name forever… Psalm 44:8b (CEB)
