In a perfectly wonderful confluence of events, the Jewish New Year started Wednesday night and today is the Feast of the Archangels in the Roman Catholic Church.
When I taught in the Jewish school, I had students named Gabe, Gabriella, Michael and Rafi.
The Lakeview Cemetery images above are of Michael the Archangel (two details) and, I presume, due to the trumpet, Gabriel.
Since this whole cancer thing began, I have had emails and calls from Jesuit friends telling me that they are praying for me when they celebrate Mass, and a FB message from my friend Carol that she remembered me in her Rosh Hashanah mishebeirach (healing) prayer. (You should see the photo of her beautiful dinner table.)
Last night I went to the session/council meeting of my new church and came home assured of many Presby-Methodist prayers (and feeling like a pastor!).
And I know that there are other Jewish-Catholic-Protestant-of-all-flavors prayers floating around out there, because people keep writing and telling me so.
There was also Rosh Hashanah chicken soup on my back porch when I got home awhile ago. And Ignatian tea and jam and chocolate in the mail.
Thank you all so very much. You make cancer a small thing and friendship a great one.
This Roman Catholic, who rarely enters the walls of the church building itself yet still holds some deep faith, thinks of you and prays for you quite a bit... usually while walking in the woods. Hope that helps too! Yeah, friendship trumps cancer - any day.
ReplyDeleteJust the other day, while talking to FB friends I became aware, once again, of all my friends who have faced breast cancer and treatment while pastoring a congregation....I mostly think that this is the new reality of women as pastors..but every one of those women is still patoring today, and well enough that I almost forget that they ever had cancer. My prayers for you continue.
ReplyDeleteand on a kind of related note, Canadian Thanksgiving is on the observed day of Columbus. Peace and Hope
ReplyDelete