I'm Weary.

I’m weary. I imagine most of you are as well. Not only has the pandemic now entered it’s seventh month, it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. In fact, the experts are warning of a possible resurgence once the weather gets cold. There are so many things we can't do! We can't worship together in person. We can't go into public without a mask. We can't go to the movies. We can't gather for parties or sporting events. We can't get together with our friends or give hugs. We can't visit people in the hospital or nursing facilities. So much "can't"...it makes my head and my heart hurt!

October 4th is the day set aside to commemorate St. Francis of Assisi. Francis is known for his love of creation and animals. We normally would be having our annual pet blessing a week from Sunday, but we can’t this year because of the pandemic. Yet, one more thing that has changed…one more thing we can’t do. Then I remembered the prayer attributed to St. Francis. According to this prayer, St. Francis says there are a lot of things we CAN do! I hope you find encouragement and comfort from his words:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offence, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.
O Master, let me not seek as much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that one receives,
it is in self-forgetting that one finds,
it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

"See" you Sunday!

Pastor Lu