Just a word before we go...Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time...October 9, 2022

“Your faith has saved you.”  These words of Jesus in our Gospel today were spoken to the one leper who returned to thank Jesus and praise God for his being made whole.  The other nine followed Jesus’ direction to show themselves to the priests.  We can imagine that they were grateful when they realized they had been healed, but perhaps not transformed, as was the tenth, who as a Samaritan knew he wouldn’t have been welcome at the temple. When he realized on his way home that he had been healed, his wonder at that miracle caused him to return to Jesus in thanksgiving.  His faith had saved him.

The idea of thanksgiving arising from a sense of wonder puts me in mind of the late Abraham Joshua Heschel, who soon before he died remarked that he had witnessed many miracles in his lifetime.  That witness influenced his prayer life, in which he never asked for success, but, and I quote, “I asked for wonder.  And (God) gave it to me.”  And for that he was grateful.

The Heschel story and that of the Samaritan leper brought home to me so many little miracles that have occurred in this parish; the latest of which is the realization of the dream of the labyrinth, morphing from Liz Short Ramsey’s presentation of her Columbia master’s project to Fr. John, so many years ago, to the actualization of the creation that now welcomes us as we enter the parish grounds.  The transformation from neglected convent to patch of lawn to labyrinth was circuitous and not always a given, but exemplifies the slow work of God, who in bringing people and circumstances together produces miracles, miracles that evoke wonder; wonder that elicits thanksgiving.  

So today, I am happy and full of wonder that the benches have arrived, and thanks to Liz and Kevin Ramsey, are now situated in the labyrinth. The faith of so many in this parish, who contributed to the project and waited patiently for its realization, has been rewarded.

I invite you to experience the wonder of gazing upon and walking the labyrinth in the days to come.  Sit a while on one of the benches and let yourself be immersed in the beauty and the peace that surrounds you.  Notice the cross that formerly rested on top of the front porch  of the convent, and is now at the center of the labyrinth. May this miracle of sorts strengthen your faith and cause you to be filled with the joy of that Samaritan leper and of Rabbi Heschel, and may you respond with heartfelt thanksgiving to our gracious God.