Gratefulness: A Window of Light in the Darkness by Sr. Ann Hayden

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Gratefulness: A Window of Light in the Darkness
Thanksgiving and Advent Reflection 2019
by Ann Hayden, MM

Window of Light
It was a time of religious upheaval and
When the angry, ugly mob withdrew
Crystal beauty lay in a shattered heap on the floor
In calm of darkest night, the pieces were collected in courage
In love, they were washed of anger, and sorted one by one
In patience, they were prayerfully placed for sacred purpose
Shattered shards were transformed into window to let in the light
To shine in glorious colors of hope for the courageous;
To glow as soft colors of peace for the patient;
To shine like a healing wash over the broken,
over the damaged, and even
over the ugly mob.

There is so much to be grateful for in life these days. The approach of Thanksgiving Day here in the Rio Grande Valley has called forth efforts for inter-religious prayer services and dialogue sessions; and has inspired the efforts of community organizations, faith congregations, supermarkets, and others to donate food for local food banks and for distribution directly to the poor in marginalized areas. Gratefulness is indeed a call to count our blessings and to help others encounter in a very concrete way the blessings of God’s care and concern.

In spite of the apparent non-stop nature of worldwide military and economic warfare that continues to
drive people from their homes making them flee far from their cultural and familial support systems; and that continue to trigger the collapse and poisoning of bioregions around the world, there are, here in the Valley, small, bright efforts to support dialogue, to welcome the stranger, to feed the hungry, to protect the environmental, and to grow among us a sense of mutual understanding of common concerns, of friendship, and of gratefulness for our common blessings.

As we express gratefulness to God, our hope is to restore a sense of justice, a real peace and human
solidarity on the earth of our common origins. As people of faith, we are called to stand together with
open eyes, hearts, and ears attuned to the truth of our brotherhood and sisterhood as children of the one God of all names who offers each of us a full measure of Light, Love, Mercy and Fullness of Life. We can build together a window on the world that no longer reflects the stains of violence. We can build a window of clarity, crystal clear and acting as a prism for God’s own light among us. God’s light, shining through that prism, shows us who we can become when united in the purpose of peace. It reveals to us who we are as gift to one another. We are the gift of colors, faith, cultures and traditions – different yet equally important – to the wholeness of humanity, standing together as the people of earth in the Light of God.

Dear family and friends, thank you for loving me and being, for me, God’s Light. My love, peace
and prayers are with you always in deep gratefulness. Love, Ann

Reflection, Art and Poem by Ann Hayden, MM

Comments

  1. All Faiths UnitedDecember 9, 2019 at 7:11 AM

    Thank you so very much, Sr. Ann, for sharing your art and beautiful writing about this special season. Gratefulness and hope, while vitally important to the Christian faith also transcend the boundaries of and are elements of all faiths. We are one people!

    ReplyDelete

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