Living In "And" Times

Making the sign of the cross is a standard element of Catholic prayer, but after 50+ years of participating in this ritual, it only recently occurred to me that the key word we say is not Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but “and”! Every time we make the sign of the cross, we acknowledge that God dwells within a relationship of the Father AND the Son AND the Holy Spirit, AND we are invited to become one with them! If the essence of God is to be in relationship, then we are called to do the same, not just with God, but with all the people we encounter each day. After all, if God is connected to them and we are connected to God, then we are all connected to each other.

Being in relationship with others does not happen accidentally but requires intention. We need to choose to be open to those who cross our path each day. Rituals can help us be intentional about being in relationship, whether it is simply making the sign of the cross or participating in the sacraments.

Last night I had the privilege of participating in a ritual with the sisters of St. Mechtild Hall, who welcomed me and Sister Barbara Conroy to their living group. We came together to share a meal, bless our new rooms, and create a flower arrangement to represent our new life together. As part of our ritual, we prayed, “O God, may you who exist in a perpetual, loving relationship with the Son and Spirit guide us in our lives together. May we treat each other with respect, kindness, and patience and truly live as people of peace. May the spirit of pardon and forgiveness reside with us, and may mirth and laughter, playfulness and prayer, compassion and love be permanent guests in our home.”

Appropriately, we ended our ritual in the name of the Father AND the Son AND the Holy Spirit, who are always inviting us to a deeper relationship with them and all those in the body of Christ.