I see you. To be seen for who you are. To have someone get you. With all your idiosyncrasies and contradictions. A gift for the giver and the receiver. Pure grace.

When describing the new feast to our Wednesday study group, someone asked what the appointed liturgical color would be. Oh, I said, wait for the sermon!

We are not meant to carry everything alone. When something goes wrong between us, we need community. Not an audience or a jury. Not an angry mob, but a loving community.

Loss is a universal human experience, yet its form takes different shapes throughout our lives. We may grieve the loss of a spouse or child or pet or a beloved one. It may be the loss of a dream or image of ourselves. Losses that result from illness and accidents and the unexpected twists and turns of living. And in these and others, it feels like we are losing everything that matters to us.