“God loves us, all of us.   Evil will not prevail.  We are all in the hands of God.  Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.”   These words, recognizable to many now, were part of Pope Leo XIV’s first words to the waiting throng in St. Peter’s Square.  They strike me as words needing to be remembered and internalized by all of us in these challenging times. Indeed, they need to be “In our minds, on our lips and in our hearts,” as the prayer before the proclamation of the Gospel says.  

The road to that internalization is a familiar one to most of us. It’s the way of silence; it’s the way of the breath; it’s the way of suspending, at least for the moment, our fear, our lack of belief; it’s the way of self-forgiveness when anger in the face of injustice is inappropriately expressed; ultimately it’s the way of surrender—of ourselves, our world and our country into the mystery of the Divine.  It’s also the petition signed; the telephone call made; the rally attended; the protection of the frightened; the loving outreach to the one who thinks differently; it’s the clear statement in every way possible of “Not in my name.”  Ultimately, It’s the way of contemplative practice both on and off the cushion.  

Dear friends let us continue to walk softly, to love tenderly, and practice strongly alone and with others in these challenging times.   May the words of our new Pope be in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts.    “God loves us, all of us.   Evil will not prevail.  We are all in the hands of God.  Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.”  

Blessings,

Margaret and Nancy