God is winking!

I had lunch today with an old friend, whom I haven't seen in quite some time. We have taken different paths over the past two years, but through "wink of God" events, as she would say, we have landed again here together, reconnected, and - hopefully - find ourselves rekindling a friendship that has in the past offered much life, much understanding, much joy, healthy accompaniment and great grace. I am grateful for the mysterious ways in which God works, for the stirrings of the Holy Spirit in unexpected manners, and for the presence of the Blessed Mother, being sure her children are cared for and have the opportunity to find comfort and genuine companionship in one another.

It is perhaps providential that as we caught up on the past almost two years, we spoke much of the continued transitions in life - we filled each other in on life events (mostly the big, and some of the small), and it seemed that falling back into deep conversation was easy and fairly effortless. There are some friendships, some people, who just "get it" - the "it" being any number of things - in this case, for me, I cherish those people in my life for whom the "it" includes so much... the soul and heart's journey (in all its hardship and glory), the challenge and privilege to attempt each day to live a life of justice through faith; health and wellness, the search for inclusion in a world of many silos, working for peace, living and working for the common good, the crossing of cultural, linguistic, religious, racial and socioeconomic barriers; the gift and challenge of seeing beauty, of following one's heart when it might not lead down the most common road, the constant search for a community that is life-giving and energizing (not to be confused with easy or always enjoyable). These transitions that we shared with one another were fitting, and as we experienced the start of yet another presumable transition in our friendship again today, I couldn't help but feel at peace at the parallel: as we in our liturgical year enter into a time of transition this Sunday, trying to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the birth of Christ - the incarnation of God on earth, the changes all around me seem to be graced with a sense of "this feels right."

Ultimately, what we shared today, breaking bread and asking for God's presence within and among us, was an exchange of love. A love that is real, that is tangible, that is incarnate; a love that strives to live up to the example of Mary - carrying the Christ child within her for nine months, through (what we can imagine must have been) difficulty and anguish along the journey (how many times could there have been no room at any inn?!), perhaps through frustration, misunderstanding and/or bafflement at how she could have been asked to consume this role; a love that moves gracefully through transition, through times of doubt, uncertainty and questioning; a love that trusts unconditionally that God is indeed good, and therefore if we are truly following God's call, having discerned and prayed, reflected and trusted, having surrendered ourselves to only needing God's love and grace for survival, then we cannot be on the wrong path.

When these "wink of God" moments occur... those moments when you know full well that whatever is taking place cannot possibly be of anything other than the Divine (for no human could arrange or maneuver for events to happen as they are, in these cases), we must wholeheartedly embrace Mary's "yes." Perhaps we are at times overwhelmed, or our human side is screaming of uncertainty, but even then - even if in only a barely audible whisper - we must say "yes," and trust that there is something far beyond our comprehension that God is in the works of creating. I don't know, but I would like to think that the time before Gabriel appeared, and the time leading up to Jesus' birth, and the time before Christ's death on the cross... I like to think that in that journey, Mary must have experienced some winks of God. There must have been something telling her that this was right... despite her questioning and uncertainty, things must have somehow "fallen into place" - there must have been some "signs" - however you want to name them, God must have been sending some winks her way, encouraging her despite her doubt, perhaps despite her discomfort, despite the wonder and lack of foreseeable future. God somehow communicated that, while not easy, she was on the right track, and it was all leading to Love.

Dorothy Day, who left our world 22 years ago yesterday, and is considered to be one of the greatest modern-day prophets (and a remarkable woman whom I personally think was absolutely brilliant) gave us the following: “True love is delicate and kind, full of gentle perception and understanding, full of beauty and grace, full of joy unutterable. There should be some flavor of this in all our love for others... With such a love one would see all things new; we would begin to see people as they really are, as God sees them.”

I think this true love is really what we are preparing to embrace again this Christmas. As we begin this Sunday with the first of Advent, let us pay attention to the winks of God in our lives - the small (or maybe at times not so small) moments of grace when we know we are on the right track, joining with those who "get it," moving towards Love. And as we ready ourselves for that transition - to experience Love anew, to see things new and see people as they really are, with the eyes of God - may we be filled with gratitude for Mary's "yes," joy for the moments of Grace/winks of God in our lives, and hope for the incarnation.