God Plays No Favorites

 If there are a “chosen few” / then I am not one of them,
if an “elect,” well then / I have not been elected.
I am one who is knocking / at the door. I am one whose foot
is on the bottom rung.
But I know that Heaven’s / bottom rung is Heaven
though the ladder is standing / on the earth where I work
by day and at night sleep / with my head upon a stone.
    — “(2006) I.” Wendell Berry

If there is one thing that this seemingly never-ending pandemic has taught me, it is humility. I do not have all the answers. My decisions are often flawed. I am dependent on others. I am not invincible. And there is a grace in acknowledging this humility. Beyond the inconvenience, frustrations, and grief of this time, there are opportunities to live more deeply into our interdependence—to celebrate how connected we are—whether our connections are in person, online, or in spirit.  

As Wendell Berry suggests in his poem above, God plays no favorites. We are all on this journey together—standing on the earth. And even Heaven’s bottom rung is still Heaven.  Beauty abounds, even when it is difficult to see. Opportunities are present, even when they take more intentional looking. Inspiration is possible, even when we feel drained and empty.

And it is in this spirit that we enter the liturgical season of Lent. Humbly. Openly. Trusting that what we need most will present itself. And knowing, always, that we are not alone.

See you in church,
Christy