THE CHILD WITHIN THE SOUL

The leaves of the old maple blow around, while her small branches dance and wave in the wind. Meanwhile, the sun beats down from the deep blue sky above on this bright and beautiful summer afternoon. The grass in the parkway is now more of a tint of brown than it is green, as rain has been sparse. On the pavement of the street, an outline of the glorious old tree is drawn by her shadows. Occasionally, a bird flies up to sit in the shelter of her limbs. For a few moments, as I gaze calmly at the scene, my mind is transported back to a random day in my childhood as I played whiffle ball with friends under a similar old maple that was used as first base. The grass then was brown and worn because of us. A cloud in the sky or a bird in the tree was pause for exploration. Perhaps my only cares in the world were all connected to that yard, those friends, and a ballgame I might watch that evening on television. But nearly five decades and two generations have since passed, and my attention snaps back to the here and now, where life is ever so much more complicated.

I find it fascinating that the child in me still abides deep within my soul. This is a truth of life within God’s creation. I am raised to new life every day, and yet that life which has gone before me informs the new creation I have become today. Memories of days and loved ones gone by are held tight by my heart. Laughs and tears remain as scars and lines upon my face. A song or hymn can elicit a feeling hidden deep with my spirit, and almost move me to another time or place. I can watch my wife play with our granddaughter, and see in my mind’s eye my mom standing near them and observing with a loving smile. It occurs to me that the new creation I am on this day has never lost touch with all the new creations I have been in the past. God can make me both new and old at the same time, and this is ever so reassuring. For that which I have once been, has become a part of who I am today, even as God reshapes and prunes me. In this sense, I am no different from the old maple, whose branches and leaves are new this season, but whose limbs and trunk are of old. I need not understand, but rather am just reminded that God makes new of the old every day, while painstakingly and carefully taking the time to maintain the connection from the now to the past. The creation is not only relational within its own time, but also across all the ages and generations. The days far beyond my reach are never quite as far removed as I may think. And thus, on a wonderful summer day, while I work and live here, I also ever so briefly visit a time and place when I had nary a care in the world. Amen.

-Rev Jeffrey G Mikyska

STIRRING HEARTS AND OUTSTRETCHED HANDS

The leaves rustle on a Monday morning as the cool stiff breeze flows freely like a wave through the landscape. The ground is wet and covered by small branches or leaves tossed about by the storms of last night. There is a heaviness and quiet to the air, as if the little creatures of the area are slowly recovering from the ferocity of what rolled through just hours ago. In certain moments, God’s beautiful creation is subject to the chaos of the unpredictable world we live in. The trees seemingly understand that they have escaped, and still mourn their kind in towns not so far away who were not so lucky. Regardless of what has happened, the sun rises on this day the Lord has made, and healing to new life is the order of business.

On mornings such as this, God’s compassionate heart stirs. This is when the Master Potter begins to reshape and remold that which has been broken. These are the moments that a Divine Hand rests upon weary shoulders. God does not run away or hide, but rather approaches suffering with a Sacred Heart ready to pour love into a desolate place. It is the great promise of this imperfect life, that even as bad things sometimes happen, God is ever standing nearby ready to usher in a new day. Many years ago, I sat in a hospital bed absolutely miserable and in excruciating pain. What I remember so vividly was my mom sitting by the bedside holding my hand with love and reassurance. Recently, I sat holding the hand of an elderly parishioner in much the same way. No words need be spoken, just two souls sharing their fears and God’s Love. I often imagine God standing by our side, whether in hours of illness or in moments of devastation, reaching out to hold our hands in the exact same way. It is the way of the Lord, because God’s compassionate heart cannot help but to stir as tears roll down the faces of beloved children. And now, finally, the sun actually peeks through the clouds. A new day has dawned. Amen.

-Rev Jeffrey G Mikyska

THE MOVEMENT OF LIFE

On a July morning overlooking the city of Toronto, a cool breeze blows in off Lake Ontario. In an instant, the humidity lifts and the temperature drops several degrees to a comfortable level. Down below, the sounds of city life echo between the buildings, as sirens and horns and construction equipment mark the passage of each moment. In the distance, the waves on the lake glisten in the sun, and seagulls glide effortlessly upon the air currents flowing in and around the buildings. The air is cool and crisp, and the haze has dissipated in mere minutes. From this vantage point, out on a balcony more than fifty stories up, one can see for miles, even far beyond the city limits. It is amazing to experience the world from the perspective of looking down upon the hustle of life, far removed above it all. It is equally incredible to watch God’s creation change its atmosphere so quickly.

In some ways, a large city is an organism of its own, ebbing and flowing as one, even as millions go about their day independently. The idea that I could gaze from street to street as I pleased was quite remarkable. That morning will always hold a special place in my heart. I was with my family, and for a few fleeting moments I had somewhat of a God’s eye view. The concept of watching life race along from an outsider’s perspective is a little unnerving. But God never really watches as an outsider. Instead, God sees it all unfolding and interacts personally. In fact, I could almost sense the presence of God by my side, perhaps looking down from my vantage point in amusement. For my perspective is so infinitely small in comparison, even if it seemed so large to me then. And perhaps that is the whole point. My view of life is inherently limited by nature. Faith is trusting in that which one cannot see. I felt peace that morning, not because I was beyond the life below, but rather because I was exactly in the middle of that which God guides and participates within every moment of all the ages. I could literally see a day in the life of a major city unfolding, and I could feel the creation at work cleansing itself. It was one of the most beautiful mornings I have ever experienced. There are times even now when I can still close my eyes and imagine the sun sparkling and dancing on the waves of Lake Ontario. God was at work, a city was awaking, and the creation was stirring. The day the Lord has made. Thanks be to God. Amen.

-Rev Jeffrey G Mikyska

LIFE SIMPLY GOES ON

On a warm summer morning, two blue jays, one male and one female, perch side by side while sharing a meal on the deck. Their world is dry, and their tree is suffering. Some leaves have already begun to transform to yellow, and others have wilted and fallen to the ground. Still, the tree continues as best as she can to obediently march through her seasonal cycle, producing seeds and dropping them into the hands of the wind. In the distance, one can hear other songbirds warming their voices for this day. All the while, a squirrel watches intently from his own above tree limb. Amongst the stress of this drought, life simply goes on.

Life exists in cycles. There are moments of life-giving rain. There are days filled with storms and a flood of emotions. There are also times such as this, where all just seems to be mired in a drought and progressing toward a slow demise. But the gift of life isn’t necessarily tied to any level of abundance, but rather rests simply in life itself. For God ordained this life, called it into being, and set it on its way with some divine intention that need not be understood by anyone else. In both times of growth and times of drought, there is life. In both times of joy and times of sorrow, there is life. In both times of youthfulness and times of slowing down, there is life. And, as long as there is life, there is relationship with God. The blue jays may or may not be aware that their beloved tree is struggling, but their relationship to her is the same regardless. That fact stands as a reminder to me that on the absolute worst days of my life, God still stands by my side and walks in relationship down my path. There are many days in the future where I will laugh and love and feel great joy. There are also assuredly days to come where I will cry and feel broken. But life simply goes on, and God’s hand eternally rests upon my shoulders. Soon, the heavenly storehouses will open, a drenching rain will fall upon the parched land, and this old tree will feel renewal once again…because God the Creator cannot help but stay connected to the masterpiece we call life. Amen.

-Rev Jeffrey G Mikyska

DIVINE RELATIONSHIP

Two trees live within a few feet of each other upon a small slope. One has a thick trunk, wide limbs up top, and is covered in leaves. The other has a thinner trunk, wider limbs at the bottom, and is adorned by needles. Through the years, they have fought for space and sunlight, and the pine has learned to curve his shape and reach around his sister to seek the sun. As a result, her shape is much more aesthetically pleasing than his. Yet, the two together make for a wonderful scene. Their roots, buried beneath the ground, are so intertwined that one cannot fall without bringing the other down as well. In a sense, they hold one another steady upon the hill when the winds roar. They even share nutrients from one root system to the other, whether by intention or not. The truth is, that while they may compete with one another for this space, they also cannot live without each other in it.

God’s creation is made with divine relationship in mind. The web of life is so interconnected as to force relationship even when it is not wanted or recognized. Trees are a life force that produce the oxygen we need to live. Pollinators are a life force that are needed to produce the crops we depend upon for survival. Fungi and bacteria are life forces that, in some cases, produce nutrients we need to fight disease, or perhaps simply thrive. Even those brothers and sisters we never meet within our society and community provide services we may never survive without. The Great Architect has engineered us so that our roots intertwine, and that we hold one another steady whether by intention or by obligation. There was a picture taken in 1938 at Gettysburg. It includes the fifty surviving soldiers who had fought there some 75 years earlier during the American Civil War. They are each standing in line, wearing either blue or gray, and reaching across to shake hands. Where they once had fought to the death, they now stood in respect of the realization that they were of one community. Such is God’s heart. The creation is made with one idea at its core…that all life should be related to one another, and to their Creator. It is this divine relationship which defines the world we live in. Thanks be to God! Amen.

-Rev Jeffrey G Mikyska