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Buenos días hermanas y hermanos;

The other night I walked out into the wild meadow under the glow of a full moon. It was a true blue moon. I was followed by Rowan and Emily, our beautiful barn cats. The night was so still that I could hear them purring as they bounded along dashing in and out of the high grasses and bushes, never straying too far from me.

The moon was bright enough to cast deep and mysterious shadows all over the wild meadow. There is something ethereal about moon shadows. They have a spiritual quality that is magical. Rowan and Emily's shadows followed them , stride for stride. But I was half expecting their shadows to suddenly bound off in the opposite direction, running with reckless abandon. They seemed to have a life of their own. I get that same feeling when a large bird flies overhead during a sunny day. Their shadow is always visible before they are spotted in the air. It gives the impression of two birds flying at the same time. There is a disconnect because in flight there is a great distance between the bird and its shadow. The connection is almost spiritual. 

I stopped to pray by a cluster of sumac trees just to the right of the beaten path that is visible in the picture I included. 

The nightsounds were intoxicating. 

Tree frogs, toads and frogs, signalling the return of warmer weather. 

The presence of amphibians is a sign of a healthy ecosystem . 

Although most of the birds had retired for the night, there were many who were making their presence known. Morning Doves cooing softly in the catalpa tree, Kildeer chirping away at the edge of the wild meadow, working diligently to find the perfect nesting place. The haunting call of screech owls that is the stuff of children's nightmares. and far in the distance, coyotes could be heard . 

I prayed for our little reflection group. 

For anyone going through trials and tribulations.  

I prayed for our broken world, for the marginalized and the oppressed. For those suffering with addiction and mental health issues. 

And as I prayed , the spirits of the wild meadow embraced me in a peace that I am unable to articulate. 

I felt suspended. 

I was reminded of free divers who plunge to great depths unaided by oxygen tanks. I have seen videos where they make their way back to the surface very slowly, never panicking. And when they break the surface, they draw in long breaths of fresh air that are restorative and healing. And afterwards they float on their backs , enjoying a thin place, a sacred place. Praying in the wild meadow felt like breaking the surface of the water and drawing in a long breath of fresh air. I had spent too much time in the past week worrying about the things that I cannot change. The news has a way of doing this to us. We are constantly bombarded by bad news, tragedies, and heartbreak. In the wild meadow, the trees reached out and grounded me. I closed my eyes and imagined my feet growing roots, roots that could spread out and connect with the sumacs, the white pines, the Kentucky coffee trees, the catalpas, the sassafras, and so many others. 

By the time I finished praying, I had shed all of my worries and anxieties and I felt much better. 

I walked back to the house, giving thanks for another opportunity to pray in God's outdoor cathedral. 

My hope is that you find the time to go outside tonight and commune with the spirits of nature. And please do not think that you do not have the time to do so. That is just an excuse. Find the time and draw in a deep breath of fresh night air . It will make all the difference in the world. 

Let us pray

Dear God, creator of heaven and earth. 

We ask for your forgiveness for the way we have treated Mother Earth.

Give us wisdom and strength to be better stewards of creation. 

We ask your forgiveness for the way we have treated ourselves and others. 

Give us wisdom and strength to be kinder, more compassionate and to extend our circle of friendship and care to the marginalized and to those in need. 

Give us clarity to see the extraordinary in the ordinary and to see beauty in the most unexpected places. 

Guide us through the remainder of this day, and may we never lose our sense of wonder and awe. 

This we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen

Paz 

Que Diosito me los colme de bendiciones y alegria siempre 

Con mucho amor 

Padre Juan