“The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.”
—Goethe
Over the last few weeks we have traveled almost coast to coast across the United States. We have seen spectacular mountains, crossed wide rivers, and explored a variety of cities. We have marveled at many aspects of creation and worshiped the One who created it all. But, for me, one of the most special aspects of our travels has been the people we have met.
Today we worshiped at Redeemer Anglican Church in Greensboro, North Carolina and participated in the consecration of St. Phocas Oratory.
We gathered with other members of my Benedictine order and their families as well as many parishioners from Redeemer Anglican for this special time of dedication, celebration, and thanksgiving.
I always enjoy worshiping with different communities. It gives me a deeper appreciation for the breadth of the body of Christ and for the range of expressions of adoration. Redeemer is becoming a special place for me as well because it is where the physical facilities for our dispersed order will be housed. The St. Phocas Oratory is just the first step in a much larger plan.
Most of the faces at Redeemer are still new to me. But by the end of the morning I felt that I had several new friends. I look forward to continuing to communicate with a few of them on a regular basis. And time with my Benedictine family is always special. We do connect via technology a few times each month. But relaxed, in person contact is rare and thus greatly treasured.
After a wonderful nap this afternoon, we finished off the day with dinner at a fabulous burger place in the company of another younger couple from Redeemer. One of the beautiful aspects of being a follower of Christ is that wherever we go, we have family. Dinner with Benjamin and Leah felt like dinner with family.
So was Goethe right? It seems to me that he may have been. The world is a beautiful place, a magnificent gift. And we are privileged to inhabit it. But the people… They may be the greatest gift of all, even the ones we find most challenging. It has been said, “One can acquire everything in solitude except character.” It is true that too much solitude can make one a bit self-centered, with tendencies toward intolerance. Incredible as they are, the mountains and rivers do not teach me to love, to give, to have compassion. I cannot have a relationship with a waterfall or a rainbow.
It was good to be with others today, to worship together, to celebrate together, to share our thoughts, our concerns, and our dreams. It was good to be in community with the people of God.
“The Lord God also said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone…’”
—Genesis 2:18
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”
—Psalm 133:1
