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Wow, Saints! What a night! The waiting, the phone calls, the messages; the hope, the disbelief, the grumbling, the joy… and, above all, a much-needed breath of hope.
Tuesday, sometime between dinner and midnight, we all became experts in political science. What an intense election!
I've always been fascinated by how deeply US political decisions affect life in Latin America. Tuesday, I received messages from friends and colleagues from Patagonia to the Mexican border, and even from a friend in the Caribbean, asking for my thoughts on what was happening here.
In terms of drama, these elections gave Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance a run for its money! And I'm sure we'll be talking about them for the rest of the week.
Behind all that excitement lie deeply personal hopes: that our families will be safe, that our work will provide a decent living, that our children will inherit a future with dignity, and that everyone will have a place to belong.
But elections are curious things. They can leave some of us celebrating, others disappointed, and many wondering what comes next. Even when the results give us reason to hope, they don't settle the questions that brought us to the ballot box in the first place.
Will our families be safer? Will struggling neighbours find relief? Will those who have been pushed aside finally be heard? And how much of the future we long for depends on what happens in government, and how much on what we are willing to do ourselves?
I've been thinking about these questions quite a bit, and I hope we can explore some of them together on Sunday. After all, elections may change who holds public office, but they don't relieve the rest of us of our responsibility for the world we share.
And now, a little family news…
Jessica has come down with COVID and needs some proper rest and recovery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, and let's give her one of the most precious gifts we can offer someone who is unwell: the freedom to rest without worrying about work, messages or responsibilities.
Jessica gives so much of herself to this community. For now, let's make sure she knows that everything can wait, that she's surrounded by love, and that her only assignment is to get better!
So, Saints, whether you're celebrating, reflecting or simply catching your breath after an eventful week, take good care of yourselves and one another.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. And Jessica, if you're reading this, close your laptop and get some rest!
Rev. Álvaro.
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