Kindred in Christ,

Above is a picture of one of our prayer stations, and an icon we have used during this Advent season in worship. The creator of this icon is Kelly Latimore, and it is titled, “Mary: Love Forever Being Born.”

As we continue to embrace the holy dark and expansive spaces in our lives, I invite you to read and meditate on the following poem by Sr. Ilia Delio, which inspired the creation of this icon:

“What do the stars say?

The light that meets our eyes after millions of years summons us to look beyond.

The dark that hovers over us is filled with light.

That underneath the appearance of the stable heavens is the bubbling energy of the universe.

We are forming, forming, forming and nothing can stop us.

There is a palpable power of attraction, pulling us toward we-no-not-where.

Love alone is the guide of the universe and the whole universe is in the human heart.

Tend to the heart and the power of love will name itself as God.”

Love. The universe is being born over and over. Dying and expanding. In life there is inevitably death. Yet, in death there is always new life.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz