The Alpha and the Omega -- Originally posted June 2007

I must celebrate with all of you the amazement that a single day can provide.

In a single day, in a 4 hour span of time, I was blessed with a glimpse of eternity. In that short period I attended 2 miracles:

First, I was present at the funeral mass for a dear friend, Sister Regina. As the voices of the community were raised in response to words of celebration, promise, and the final committal into the eternal presence of the Lord, my voice seemed so small -- so minute -- and yet very, very much in harmony with the hosts of heaven. Time as I often experience it stood still. God's love enfolded all of us. The room sparkled and pulsed with God's presence as our prayers rose upward, just as the incense was rising, permeating the space. Stillness and peace prevailed. The room was full--spilling over and sparkling with the presence of the Lord, enfolding everybody in unspeakable love, promise and hope fulfilled.

Then, minutes later, I visited the newest born of our community. Caroline Mujic was born even in the same hour that I was attending Sister Regina's funeral mass. As I held Caroline and spoke directly to her, whispering my words of welcome, I was aware once again of stillness and peace. This was the peace of a sleeping infant who had just begun to breathe air. This was the peace of hearing the voices of the new father and mother, Tony and Julie, expressing the wordless amazement and unbounded joy of that moment when their doctor said: "Caroline is here!" As in the chapel where I stood just hours ago, this room, too, was sparkling with the presence of the Lord, enfolding everybody who entered it in unspeakable love, promise, and hope fulfilled.

Although I know that God, the Alpha and the Omega, is meandering through my days EVERY DAY, I am in awe of the graced moments when every heartbeat, every thought, every feeling, every breath invites me into His presence with such pure and untainted clarity.

Peace be with you, Regina... Peace be with you, Caroline.... Same words, same love....the beginning and the end.... all at once, all the time. What a beautiful mystery!