And Jesus came and said to them . . . “Remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.”
—Matthew 28: 18, 20
Jesus’ final message to his followers is one of both protection and power. He, and therefore the Divine Spirit, is with us always—not just when we are perfect, not just when we’ve got it all figured out. Always. When we completely ruin everything or fail miserably, the Spirit is with us. When we grieve, rejoice, or lose all hope, the Spirit is with us.
An oil painting hangs in St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh that is both startling and comforting in its revelation. Beside the organ there is an artist’s rendering of the cathedral with Holy Communion taking place at the main altar. In the foreground, behind the cathedral chairs, is a widow dressed in black, on her knees praying and overcome with grief, unable to join the others. Standing right behind her is the gossamer presence of Jesus, blessing and comforting her.
Knowing that we have a source of Divine Energy with us all day in every way can be comforting. It can also be empowering. Those who work on the front lines of this pandemic are not alone. Those who work for the marginalized are not alone. Those who pray for healing for themselves and others, are not alone, and the list goes on. When a breakthrough never seems to come and we are ready to give up, we are not alone. The Spirit is beside us, behind us, and over us, working along with us.
What might happen if you drew on this source of Divine Energy?
The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Geitz