Centering Oneself On the Water

Sarah getting ready for a trip on " Good Trouble" Photo by Brian . 

I confessed to my priest not long ago that I'm really struggling with feeling the presence of God in this Covid-ridden existence.  Intellectually, I know God is with me--- that God loves humanity so much that God became human in the Person of Jesus Christ. 

However, " head knowledge" of a loving God is moot when someone cannot feel God's Presence in their life. Things got so bad that I confessed to my priest that I really did not want any part of online church that week-- I was feeling disconnected from everyone in my life { save for Brian} and therefore could not see God in faces of people I love. She { my priest} reminded me that the purpose of prayer is not magic, it is something that we faithful people do because God desires connection with us. 

In these pandemic times, I find that I feel a real connection with The Divine when I am outdoors-- and especially when I am kayaking. I find that the rhythm of paddling on the water and the peaceful sounds of the shoreline birds " centers" me in a way that cannot be replicated online-- or even in a traditional in-person worship service.{ Of course , I love in-person worship-- and am so grateful that there is an option for me to worship " in the flesh" with my people. }

 This is where I come close to meeting The Divine: Hollowed Ground. 

Our favorite oak tree: "Tree Of Life", as seen from my kayak . To me, this is a " thin place"  Photo by The Pensacola Hippie. 

Brian and I are at the park early--when most people are just eating their breakfast. Not only do we feel safe from strangers in these COVID times during our early-morning outings, we appreciate the quiet park. Here and then I can engage all of my senses and experience LIFE fully. God shows God' saSelf  freely here-- and no threat of disease keeps me from appreciating all that God Is. I feel God while on the water because I can literally sense God with all five senses. 

Maybe it is due to my Celtic Druid ancestry, but Nature has always been where I felt closest to God. Perhaps that is prat of why I felt drawn to The Episcopal Church: our liturgical practices and worship are to be experienced with our whole selves. 

 We sit , stand & kneel { usually} at prescribed times during the liturgy. 

We see the altar, each other, and the beauty of our worship space. 

We listen to the lessons, music, and sermon. 

In non-COVID times, it is customary for us to exchange handshakes and hugs during the Peace. We cannot touch each other, but we can look into people's eyes and sense the love there 

During non-pandemic times, we arrive at the altar for Communion and smell the wine before we taste the consecrated elements. The priest still presses the Bread into our hands as we safely come to the rail.

We participate in our worship rituals with our full selves because that is how God designed us to live. 

The calm waters on which I kayak calls me back to that full personhood-- for a little while I  forget that I am-- at best-- existing in a dystopian time in human history . I feel God very near-- because I feel fully human.  I think back to the narrative in Genesis where the water is called forth  and that living things: according to science and our faith tradition first emerged from water. 

I feel at home. 

The glory of God is the human being fully alive.” 
~ St. Irenaeus of Lyon (AD 202) His feast Day was 31 July...

Amen.

Sarah

3 August 2020