Bless you Almut. It sounds like you were a light to those around you in the ER. So good to hear that you came through this and are back home. I heard a speaker on Zoom today who told of the healing value of community when there is suffering. Maybe community will "keep us" during these dark times. 'Giving thanks for being a part of this community that you have gathered, Almut.
Thank you, Almut--Diana's post (and Nadia's) resonated with me, too. I have been taking photos each day, embracing gratitude. I hope you are feeling better with each new ay. As Parker Palmer would say, "I am holding you in the light."
Dear Almut, what a scary experience but I'm so glad you are home and recovering. Describing those wonderful people who took care of your body and spirit, the image that came to mind was God's angels attending to you. I know there are times I've sent up prayers for support...and then there they are...God's angels. Maybe it's complete care, or a word, or a touch or acknowledgment. Those angels saw you through and me, too.
We are in a dark time, a very dark time. When I receive ashes and I am told ashes to ashes, it brings tears to my eyes. The ashes strip me of my amour, my self importance and humbles me. As it should. But then, comes communion in the same service, the reminder of the light and hope to come with the spring. The dark of this time and in our lives will turn to the light.
"...the tomb will become the womb birthing new beginnings..." I've never thought in these terms. I now have something new to reflect on in the 40 days of Lent. Thank you for that blessing.
oh, dear almut, i am praying for you and for a full recovery. that must have been truly frightening. your doctors and nurses sound amazing though and really helped you out. actually, i am SO ready for lent because, in my heart, i have been praying for all the suffering in the world and in our country for months now. thankfully, my church gives me so many ways to express that. i am grateful for the sacraments, especially reconciliation right now. it gives me the space to gather myself in a healing environment. and the eucharist brings me strength. so i am blessed to walk and pray with everyone here who is struggling. that is also a gift.
Thank you Almut. I started this day hearing Diana’s words. Your Blessing is comforting. It has been a good day. I pray you recover quickly an stay out of the hospital. ❤️
My goodness, life interrupts, shocks, and surprises. I am so sorry and I do hope you will remain well now. I send blessings for healing you and our world. I am unable to even ponder lent's
meaning for me this year. I will attend to this, maybe. I am tired of naming myself as wounded.
yes, This Lenten journey is hard. I think all we can do is hold the sorrows of this word together and each other. And to remind us of our joys on the way.
An emergency can be so frightening and humbling. Glad to hear you are home and on the mend. I wanted to go to Ash Wednesday Mass but am dealing with a strained tendon/sprained ankle situation and felt like I was coming unglued yesterday. Humbling to say the least. So I did not get ashes… your question—Who needs to go into the desert for forty days when the world is already burning? Exactly. We are living, breathing all the suffering and joy as it rolls our way on a minute by minute basis. I am touched by the moments with nurses and doctors you had—and they had with you. Together. 🙏🏼
we certainly don't need to go to the desert as we are already in it. lent for me this year is BEING in the desert, praying, fasting, almsgiving. not running away from the pain and suffering but embracing it with gentleness and love. we walk together.
Thank you, Jodi, for your moving words. “Coming unglued” is probably what happened to me also. But then, wearing the cross on our forehead, really truly wearing it, can we even do it without becoming unglued? So after learning that my heart looked just fine in medical terms I started wondering. And I still do. Much healing to you ankle. And your Lenten journey.
a broken heart can manifest in many ways, some actually physical. when i was first diagnosed with heart disease, i immediately thought of my heart as broken and then i asked God to break it open even more - to prayer, to compassion, to love. and you know what? that's exactly what has happened so i feel truly blessed by my 'broken' heart.
I went into Ash Wednesday in a somber mood. The priest at the church that I attend regularly during the week changed, the times of Mass from morning to evening. I'm old and the area that I live in is not safe to walk in, so I had to find somewhere else to go to Mass. I was so disappointed 😞 and hurt by it, but perhaps the Lord is asking me to make a sacrifice by finding another church to attend. It is much further for me to walk to, but at least I can still walk there.
i'm sorry to hear this. our own parish, in fact our entire diocese, is undergoing some drastic changes due to the shortage of priests and decreasing attendance. we are all trying to remain hopeful but also know that we may have to accept changes that are difficult. i'll be praying that you can find a new parish or perhaps get a ride to your current church.
I am sorry to hear this, Cornelia. Our places of worship and belonging are so important. Have you tried to reach out to the church secretary may be? There are often people to give a ride to church goers.
I wasn't in the mood for ashes either. Ash Wednesday was my brother's birthday. He would have been 55. He was buried on what happened to be Ash Wednesday. When I go to church, I feel alone, alienated, a lone journey that I feel better just staying home without feeling the weight on the church bearing down on me.
I am sorry to hear this, Mary. And for the loss of your brother. Holding grief is what Ash Wednesday asks us to do, I guess. So let’s hold it together here.
Bless you Almut. It sounds like you were a light to those around you in the ER. So good to hear that you came through this and are back home. I heard a speaker on Zoom today who told of the healing value of community when there is suffering. Maybe community will "keep us" during these dark times. 'Giving thanks for being a part of this community that you have gathered, Almut.
Thank you, Almut--Diana's post (and Nadia's) resonated with me, too. I have been taking photos each day, embracing gratitude. I hope you are feeling better with each new ay. As Parker Palmer would say, "I am holding you in the light."
Thank you so very much, Karen 🙏
I'm back with a correction... "As Philip Gulley would say..." Although I imagine Parker would do the same.
Sehr berührt hat mich:
dass das Grab zum Schoß wird, der neue Anfänge hervorbringt.
Das nährt die Hoffnung in unserem Dasein, meine ich.
Herzlich Grüße aus Deutschland und gute Besserung von Bernd Herbek
I was deeply moved by the fact that the grave becomes
that the tomb will become the womb birthing new beginnings.
I believe this nourishes hope in our lives. Warmest regards from Germany and best wishes for a speedy recovery from Bernd Herbek
Dear Almut, what a scary experience but I'm so glad you are home and recovering. Describing those wonderful people who took care of your body and spirit, the image that came to mind was God's angels attending to you. I know there are times I've sent up prayers for support...and then there they are...God's angels. Maybe it's complete care, or a word, or a touch or acknowledgment. Those angels saw you through and me, too.
We are in a dark time, a very dark time. When I receive ashes and I am told ashes to ashes, it brings tears to my eyes. The ashes strip me of my amour, my self importance and humbles me. As it should. But then, comes communion in the same service, the reminder of the light and hope to come with the spring. The dark of this time and in our lives will turn to the light.
Thank you for your kind words, Kathleen. I love your way of seeing Ash Wednesday.
Hope, Our hope is in Him, redeemer, healer, saviour, overcomer...🕊💜
"...the tomb will become the womb birthing new beginnings..." I've never thought in these terms. I now have something new to reflect on in the 40 days of Lent. Thank you for that blessing.
oh, dear almut, i am praying for you and for a full recovery. that must have been truly frightening. your doctors and nurses sound amazing though and really helped you out. actually, i am SO ready for lent because, in my heart, i have been praying for all the suffering in the world and in our country for months now. thankfully, my church gives me so many ways to express that. i am grateful for the sacraments, especially reconciliation right now. it gives me the space to gather myself in a healing environment. and the eucharist brings me strength. so i am blessed to walk and pray with everyone here who is struggling. that is also a gift.
Thank you Almut. I started this day hearing Diana’s words. Your Blessing is comforting. It has been a good day. I pray you recover quickly an stay out of the hospital. ❤️
May the ashes not crush you….May the spark beneath the snow remain. What I needed to hear. Thank you. Blessings to you and rapid recovery.
God bless you while you are mending.
My goodness, life interrupts, shocks, and surprises. I am so sorry and I do hope you will remain well now. I send blessings for healing you and our world. I am unable to even ponder lent's
meaning for me this year. I will attend to this, maybe. I am tired of naming myself as wounded.
.
holding you in prayer, lorraine.
yes, This Lenten journey is hard. I think all we can do is hold the sorrows of this word together and each other. And to remind us of our joys on the way.
An emergency can be so frightening and humbling. Glad to hear you are home and on the mend. I wanted to go to Ash Wednesday Mass but am dealing with a strained tendon/sprained ankle situation and felt like I was coming unglued yesterday. Humbling to say the least. So I did not get ashes… your question—Who needs to go into the desert for forty days when the world is already burning? Exactly. We are living, breathing all the suffering and joy as it rolls our way on a minute by minute basis. I am touched by the moments with nurses and doctors you had—and they had with you. Together. 🙏🏼
we certainly don't need to go to the desert as we are already in it. lent for me this year is BEING in the desert, praying, fasting, almsgiving. not running away from the pain and suffering but embracing it with gentleness and love. we walk together.
Thank you, Jodi, for your moving words. “Coming unglued” is probably what happened to me also. But then, wearing the cross on our forehead, really truly wearing it, can we even do it without becoming unglued? So after learning that my heart looked just fine in medical terms I started wondering. And I still do. Much healing to you ankle. And your Lenten journey.
a broken heart can manifest in many ways, some actually physical. when i was first diagnosed with heart disease, i immediately thought of my heart as broken and then i asked God to break it open even more - to prayer, to compassion, to love. and you know what? that's exactly what has happened so i feel truly blessed by my 'broken' heart.
Thank you for your words. We are so fragile…
I went into Ash Wednesday in a somber mood. The priest at the church that I attend regularly during the week changed, the times of Mass from morning to evening. I'm old and the area that I live in is not safe to walk in, so I had to find somewhere else to go to Mass. I was so disappointed 😞 and hurt by it, but perhaps the Lord is asking me to make a sacrifice by finding another church to attend. It is much further for me to walk to, but at least I can still walk there.
i'm sorry to hear this. our own parish, in fact our entire diocese, is undergoing some drastic changes due to the shortage of priests and decreasing attendance. we are all trying to remain hopeful but also know that we may have to accept changes that are difficult. i'll be praying that you can find a new parish or perhaps get a ride to your current church.
I am sorry to hear this, Cornelia. Our places of worship and belonging are so important. Have you tried to reach out to the church secretary may be? There are often people to give a ride to church goers.
I wasn't in the mood for ashes either. Ash Wednesday was my brother's birthday. He would have been 55. He was buried on what happened to be Ash Wednesday. When I go to church, I feel alone, alienated, a lone journey that I feel better just staying home without feeling the weight on the church bearing down on me.
holding you gently in prayer.
I am sorry to hear this, Mary. And for the loss of your brother. Holding grief is what Ash Wednesday asks us to do, I guess. So let’s hold it together here.