Fearless Faith

Most mornings a small parade takes place at our place. It consists of a string of cats, two dogs, and a 36-year-old mare who gives the eager impression of wanting to help with the morning chores. The specter of alfalfa cubes is what really drives her, and of course they all get something out of it, but we would never let on that we suspect. The attention they receive can be as powerful a draw as their feed buckets and pans. Our appearance each morning is their assurance that all is well in the world.

We curried the mare while she ate as two of the cats supervised the whole process by sitting impossibly serene on nearby fence posts. Full and sated in their own right, we became their entertainment in the moment, something we freely provided. In their own way they were helping out, contributing to the activity at hand and letting us know they were content with it all. We forget at times to pay attention to the benefits of such moments. Events of recent weeks and days have made us more appreciative of tasks at hand and the mundane rituals of everyday life. Being thankful in the moment is a wonderful skill to hone, one that pays dividends no matter what or where the markets might head.

Out of the morass of current events springs the relentless human spirit, a gift of The Divine. While many headlines brought increasingly concerning news the last few days, there were also reports of heroism and courage in the face of impossibility, self-sacrifice of the highest order, and hints of an eternal optimism that continually seeks our presence. Inspired innovation began making itself known as more and more people stepped forward to contribute solutions over critique and expectation over despair.

There is long way to go, but our paths have plenty of room for hope at every turn. It is our duty, our obligation, our responsibility to contribute in ways large and small. In so doing we discover purpose, and in purpose we begin to define a legacy of compassionate caring that is emblematic of the lessons of the parables and the Sermon on the Mount.

The Beatitudes of Jesus might well fit with today’s crises as we find ourselves crying out. Blessed be the caregivers, the innocents, the researchers. Blessed are the tireless workers and those placing their own lives in the hands of others. Blessed are the blameless and those who refuse to blame. Blessed be the triage units making impossible decisions of life and death. Blessed are friends who patiently shelter in place for the good of neighbor and community. Blessed are those with a life-giving sense of humor in the darkest moments of our days, a welcome respite from what many must face. Blessed are family members of extraordinary courage and faith, for they shall establish a firm path for those who must follow.

Helpin’ out is not a mandate but a privilege, an opportunity to respond in compassionate ways to a too-often dispassionate world. We have it in us from the earliest of days, kindheartedness distilled from family and faith, even if it is merely sitting on a fence post supervising the action. We welcome the company for there is value in such moments.