Grace Cathedral

It seems to me like the beginning of March was a lifetime ago. Rhythms have changed, priorities are shifting and many are adjusting to carrying on amidst an undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty. Crisis has a way of crystalizing moments and revealing just how relative time can feel. We live in time, and also beyond time.

It’s time for a virtual spiritual retreat.

In the New Testament there are 2 different words used to express time, chronos and kairos. Chronos describes the chronological sense of time, the minutes, days and years in which we live. Kairos describes the quality of time, the moments in which we experience life. I think of kairos as experiences that transcend chronos — falling in love, the birth of a child, finding clarity around your vocation.

I have also been struck these past few weeks by humankind’s resilience. We have an amazing ability to respond to challenge and adapt. I was chatting with a neighbor earlier in the week, from a safe and spacious six feet away. She works in healthcare. I asked if she thought we were doing enough to help flatten the curve. She said, “I think we are doing the best we can.” In some of my moments of frustration her words have helped me shift my perspective. We are doing the best we can. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue making brave choices, like those working in healthcare and those making sure we have access to food and other essential services, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t continue to seek justice, but we can treat ourselves and each other with a sense of grace and understanding.

Tomorrow morning, the Rev. Canon Dr. Ellen Clark-King, the Rev. Kristin Saylor and myself are offering a virtual spiritual retreat. Long ago our plan was to gather together at the cathedral for a time of Lenten reflection, but we’re adapting. We will share some ideas of how to practice spirituality in the age of coronavirus, including a guided meditation, some breathing practices and a prayer walk, which may be experienced outside or inside your own home. Our hope is to create some space to experience a sense of grace, a sense of holiness, and perhaps even to enter that time that is beyond time. Please join us for Spiritual Sanctuary. Register here so we can send you the link.

grace + peace,

The Rev. Heather Erickson
Director of Senior Ministry and Outreach