“Always kiss me goodnight,” I would say to my husband in the early years of our marriage and, honestly, in some of the later years, too! This has been one of my mantras, as has “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” from Ephesians 4:26.
Perhaps because my mother died when she was 52 and I was 27, I feel a certain urgency about making sure that my relationships with my family and friends are in order before going to sleep, or before any separation such as a trip, or even a simple workday. I know that life can change in an instant. I will do everything I can to make sure that I will not be left with regrets, should the unexpected happen.
Life revolves around relationships.
I find many blessings in the relationships I have at The Church of St. Michael & St. George.
In 1984, my priest in Nashville often repeated this advice: “Make your church your primary community.” It was a nice thought, but we had lots of friends from many different congregations and traditions. However, over the years I found wisdom in his words. As we prepared to move from Nashville, we realized that however unintentionally, we had done exactly what he had been preaching; we had made our church community our primary community. Fortunately, we have found the same at our church here in St. Louis. I think my priest would be happy.
During these strange times of quarantine and separation, we might all consider what are our primary communities. The one relationship that is ALWAYS available, ALWAYS ready to accept and welcome us with open arms, is Jesus. No matter the circumstance. Nicki Gillis introduced me to the life changing painting, The Light of the World, by William Holman Hunt that hangs in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Jesus is standing in front of a door without a doorknob, preparing to knock on an overgrown and long-unopened door, and all we have to do is to let him in.
