Shelley the dog greets me this morning,

unaware of what just happened.

What happened?

Was that a ballot box surprise?

Did democracy fail us?

Anger and rebellion rule the day.

 

We gather now, disappointed pilgrims,

plunged into this unexpected hour,

our nation’s gethsemane moment.

 

In the face of this loss,

this time of disappointment,

this moment of darkness,

we hear a mysterious call for hope,

we search for the light,

we remember friends.

 

In the midst of goodness and apparent evil,

we find our loving God,

here with us on this Wednesday morning.

 

I learned a lesson from Alinsky long ago:

there is a positive in every negative.

Out of inevitable darkness, a future dawn is born.

 

We search for wisdom on this day

as we ponder Sr. Barbara’s words:

“The source of everything,

which becomes fully visible

in the human presence of Jesus,

is visible to us through the empowering spirit.”

 

(originally published November 9, 2016)