Kindness (Come and See!)

Welcome to Word for the Week, the series in which I:

share my experience of hearing God’s Word in Mass last weekend,
explore what I believe the Lord is calling me to do about that Word, and
ask how this Word might impact your life, as well.

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Not this Sunday but last, our family celebrated Mass in Hayward, California! There’s a big smile on my face as I type this paragraph. It was incredible to be back at All Saints, our family’s home for two years. During the time of my role as Artist in Residence at All Saints, we made friends who became like family.

Everything about All Saints is beautiful to me! Outside the church, the air smells of fresh roses from the parish flower beds. The exterior is towering, clean, and crowned with a blue dome. Inside, the people come from what seems like every nation. Last Sunday, the homily was heartfelt and applicable, the songs were inviting, and there was even a special guest speaker from the Holy Land.

The word that stood out to me was, “kindness,” from the psalm response (“Lord, let us see your kindness.”) 

Over the past week, Jesus invited me to look and to see His kindness all around me: in our California friends, in a lengthy road trip with hilarious children, and in our own beautiful home. During an afternoon workout on a stationary bike last week, I read a collection of short stories by Madeleine L’Engle. One of the characters (“Matilda”) grabbed my attention.

In one scene, written from the perspective of Matilda’s brother, the narrator says, “(Matilda) flung herself into my arms and simultaneously managed to hold me.”

As I repeatedly pushed down on the bike pedals, I thought, “I relate with this character! She knows how to accept an embrace while still being strong for the other person.” In the next pages, another description of Matilda made me pause again. “(Matilda) was never one for letting anyone in. Generous to a fault about everyone else, but too proud ever to let us be generous in return.” That one stuck out more.

“Does this also describe me?” I asked, as I shifted my weight from side to side on the stationary bike. “Do I give generously to others but refuse to accept their generosity?” The bike sent cool air back up at me via the front tire. “Do I give hugs but then refuse an embrace when it’s for my own comfort?”

Kindness: the word for the week came to the rescue! It dawned on me, as I reflected on our California road trip and on the Word of the Lord, that Jesus is asking me to accept His kindness unconditionally. 

The story of Jesus calling out to Peter and Andrew to follow Him comes to mind. When they asked where Jesus lived, Jesus’ response was, “Come and see.”

Perhaps that’s what Jesus is saying to each of us today. Maybe sometimes we simply need to see and recognize His kindness first, to respond openly. Where is His kindness in your life right now? Come and see! Look around. (I’m telling this to myself right now.)

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