Sabbath by the Sea
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Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
I'm writing to you from the Convent of St. Margaret in Duxbury, MA. This is a place that has been such a help to me on my own spiritual journey, and now I'm so delighted to share it with a group of women from St. Matt's (don't worry, if you didn't get to come this time - I think there will be another opportunity! I can already see the sparks of relationship between our women and the Sisters.). A group of us have been here for a few days to rest and be in community with the Sisters of the Society of St. Margaret, a group of women who live, work, and pray together. One of the ministries they share is that of hospitality - they welcome many guests who come here in search of retreat - in search of sabbath rest. And they do that very well - they've thought of everything and arranged a place that is lovely and comfortable - a place where you are well taken care of enough to take the risk of going out into the wilderness with God.
On our first night, as we settled in, our little group talked a little bit about the demands of modern life: the cell phones and devices that constantly demand our attention, the work that feels pressing, the needs of loved ones that are sometimes very immediate and urgent. Each one of us is pulled in so many directions. And in the midst of that, we sometimes lose touch with the deep well of faith that brought us this far. We sometimes need to take a few steps away from the rhythm of normal life to discover again the peace of God. I've always thought that this is what retreat is for - a chance to come back to center, to reconnect with God and with each other, a chance to claim again our spiritual selves.
The Gospels tell us that even Jesus took time away - he ventured off by himself to pray and to prepare. All of us need to find and make this time in our own lives. And this is just one among many ways to do it. How do you find moments of sabbath and moments of peace amidst the busy-ness?
You have all been in my prayers while we've been away. And I look forward to seeing you tomorrow for worship.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Tags: Welcome from the Rector