A Family Gathering and Abiding Love

For health and strength and daily food

We praise your name, O God

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

I Corinthians 13:12-13 NRSVue

I'm home from an early morning walk at a conservation area where I was the only person on the trails. Trilliums everywhere, ferns unfurling, an eagle on its nest, turtles a'swimmin'. I revelled in the solitude but I preferred the happy hubbub of the weekend.

On Saturday we had the first complete gathering of our immediate family since before the pandemic began in March of 2020. We certainly have tried along the way but various illnesses, including COVID19, thwarted our best laid plans. We wondered if we would be forced to cancel this event because of various coughs and colds in the lead-up, but everyone recovered in time.

This was also the first time ever that all 12 of us have been together -- two grandparents, three adult children and partners, four grandchildren. Our youngest grandchild was born two months after the pandemic commenced so he's had very little contact with aunts and uncles and cousins. 

The weather was ideal so we spent a lot of time outside, but we gathered around our indoor table twice, blessed the food in sung graces (even a round), and gave thanks for the gift of family. 

The World Health Organization says that the declared COVID emergency has ended, although the pandemic still exists. We do hear regularly of people we know catching the virus, sometimes for a second or third time. so it hasn't gone away. It tends not to be lethal anymore, and that's a relief. 

Most of us had our lives dramatically changed by the pandemic. Far too many people died, families couldn't mourn losses or celebrate important occasions. We're told that an alarming number of young people are dealing with mental health issues as a result and I have to wonder if the rise of violent behaviour in public places isn't related to the isolation and uncertainty experienced for so long. 

I'm grateful to God that we were able to be together and that for some of us the family time spilled over into Sunday. We don't take this for granted as aging grandparents I hope we never will.

 Not everything has changed. Faith, hope and love abide.