Speaking of Spirit

The date of 9/11 is one that lives in infamy. The pain of that day is still palpable for us. However, what I would like to share today is the memory of the days after. I vividly remember hearing about the attack to the towers. I was in the basement of the doctor's office where I worked as a wellness practitioner for York Hospital. My daughter called hysterical. I did what I could do to calm her. After I hung up, I began to feel fear like I have never known before or since. However, there were patients waiting for me and I couldn't abandon them. I left the office praying for a sign that all would be well. As I crossed the parking lot, I saw one of the bushes that days before was a mass of twigs, in bloom.  Puzzled, I took a closer look. The bush was covered in Monarch butterflies. Instantly, I felt peace pour through me.  As the day wore on and the during the days immediately following, I saw and heard about so many acts of compassion and kindness that my heart overflowed. In t...

Taking time away from all that life sends us is difficult. I always find myself putting "down-time" off because something more needs to be accomplished or finished. However, in my later years, I have discovered that this precious time away from work is a great gift.    Over the past two months, I have spent more time in the garden, time with family, and time just sitting in order to connect with Spirit. What I found is that I am calmer, more able to grasp what is important and much happier. Being able to stand in my garden, and really notice the beauty of the flowers, the wonder of how from a tiny seed food to nourish us is grown and the connections to all life has filled me such joy.   Likewise, time with my family after one of the longest times away from them goes beyond words. We held each other longer, listened more carefully, laughed, and sang louder. My cup definitely ran over! As summer winds down, as the days shorten, and as the world begins its next phase of seas...

Today, as we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we were surprised by a call from the grandchildren. They wanted to ask us questions about what it was like to have lived during the same time as the Rev. Dr. King. I'll be honest, it was an emotional conversation for both Roger and me. Our perspectives were completely different since I was, in the 60's, a child in the projects of South Boston and Roger was a preacher's son in the South. Answering the children's questions not only reminded both of us of why we are, who we are today, but also brought us great hope. One of the most poignant questions came from our oldest granddaughter, who asked what we remembered of the day Rev. Dr. King was assassinated. I, very emotionally, told her that I remembered feeling like the Light had gone out in the entire world. However, I was also reminded of my mother telling me that the Light had simply passed to others to finish the work.  As a young activist, I dreamed of seeing what Mart...

“Maybe you have to know the darkness  before you can appreciate the light.”  ~ Madeline L’Engle ~ This is a time of great anticipation in many faith paths around the world. In the northern hemisphere, it is a time where the darkness of winter descends on the Earth. The longest night of the year comes at the end of December. Therefore, it is no wonder that Light, in the form of fires that warm and candles that brighten are an intricate part of so many celebrations. During the earliest times of humanity, Solstice Yule fires brought light and warmth to the cold winter nights. Judaism celebrated the Miracle of the Lights with the lighting of the menorah. Christians used a circle of candles to observe the time before the birth of Jesus, who is called the Light of the World. The African diaspora, primarily in the US, remember their ancestors at this time of year with the lighting of seven candles. Each candle is a reminder of a specific virtue or trait.  ...

 Mother and Child (c) 2018 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas "Unto us a child is born." - Isaiah 9:6 Years ago, in the church of my childhood, I first heard these words said during Midnight Mass. I wondered at the time why the Babe was being born "to us." But, as is the habit with children, I didn't ponder the point for long. In fact, I didn't think about it again, until the following year, when the grand announcement was once again given.   So, why does the prophet use these exact words? A half-century later, I believe it is because in cultures around the world, the birth of a child is not simply celebrated by family, but also by the community. A baby is evidence that life continues. Regardless of what horrors the child might be born into, the child's birth brings hope that Love will triumph.   A child is born someplace in the world every quarter of a second - that's four babies per second! Humanity, despite all the pain and suff...

Photo Credit: Office Publisher Clipart Several years ago, I heard the term Blue Christmas Service for the first time. I was not aware of this term or tradition. I looked up the term and found this explanation:  " Blue Christmas, also called the Longest Night in the Western Christian tradition, is a day in the Advent season marking the longest night of the year. On this day, some churches hold a church service that honors people who have lost loved ones in that year. The Holy Eucharist is traditionally a part of the service of worship on this day. Some churches hold a service of worship on the longest night of the year, which falls on or about December 21st, the Winter Solstice. There is an interesting convergence for this day as it is also the traditional feast day for Saint Thomas the Apostle. This linkage invites making some connections between Thomas's struggle to believe the tale of Jesus' resurrection, the long nights just before Christmas, and the strugg...