The Wednesday, March 1st
Luke 11:29-32
Signs. Signs. Signs. Today Luke reminds us of Jonah as a sign to the Ninevites and Jesus a sign which the current crowds seemed to be missing.
Today, it’s me, you, who are still looking for signs. But I think I put on a more sophisticated approach to asking for and ignoring signs than those in that scriptural crowd. You see, I do recite the Creed with the Congregation. I am part of the faithful crowd. I am a believer. And yet, there is oftentimes, that request for a sign.
So why am I pulled into Luke’s words so intensely. Perhaps it’s because I hear in it a resounding reminder to pause; to pause and consciously own God’s creative being in me, in you, and in all creation. It means saying a conscious good morning to the sun and to the trees and to the birds as I walk out the door. Throughout my day it means recognizing and identifying with people I am with, with people who pass by, and in the sharing to be a blessing to them and perhaps more importantly, accepting their blessing to me. It means in my connectedness, sending out blessings to family and friends who may be apart from me, to peoples that I do not know but are suffering from abuse, poverty, or, violence in all its forms. I don’t always do well in being present. The beauty of it all is that I can try again.
My, your, signs come in so many forms: So many invitations to own, to celebrate, to maintain, to grow, to mourn connectivity. Everyday encounters, expected and unexpected signs, dreams, signs we create, the news on TV.
Pausing, recognizing, owning is what is difficult. And so I hear in Luke a call to practice seeing through my signs. Why is something that sounds so simple, so difficult?
Today, I do not want to miss the signs that are mine. Today, I hope to accept the challenge of not only seeing signs but also of being the sign.
Katie Keller