In a moment we can change a sad day into a joyful one.
In a moment we can share our love for a dear one.
In a moment with just a glance we can invite or exclude.
In a moment our world can change.
In a moment we can transform the world.
One Thursday evening, I was talking with a couple that I will marry in May. There was joy in the anticipation of their wedding day. We talked about who would stand where and all of the details of the ceremony. The groom decided that he would like to walk his mother down the aisle before the wedding. There was great joy in that discussion. A few hours later, he received a call. His mother was on the air- plane bound for Buffalo, and she had been killed in the crash. In a moment, his world was turned upside down.
In a moment, we meet a stranger in a grocery store. Who knows where they have been, or what they have experienced in their life? Who knows if they are hurting and need the comfort of God’s love? Do we get frustrated as they move a bit too slowly emptying their cart, or do we smile and share God’s love? In a moment, we encounter a coworker who has discovered they have a serious illness. They feel lost and afraid, yet how could they share that with someone at work? Do we get angry because they seem distracted and not engaged in the meeting, or do we pause and listen?
In a moment, a neighbor is faced with the reality of losing their home. They feel shame, despair, and hopeless. Do we give them a hard time for filling up the trash dumpster or do we try to help them pick up the pieces?
There are so many moments in life where a simple action on our part is the difference between life and death in someone’s life. The odd thing is that we rarely know about these moments. The season of Lent is a moment in which we are invited to take time to pause and reflect upon our life. Ita moment to prayerfully listen to God and evaluate our habits to see if they lead us towards life. Ita moment that we might be in tune with the Holy Spirit so we can be used as God’s hands to those around us who are hurting.
May this Lenten season be one of holy moments in which we encounter God.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Kathleen
