Today was an interesting and restful day. Once again I ventured out onto the monastery grounds with my trusty little camera and found some beautiful and interesting views. It continually amazes me to find so many attractive combinations of plants, many which are thought of as weeds. Along with these plants there are often various kinds of stones or chunks of wood in various stages of decay and these can create beautiful miniature landscapes. I have been making photographic records of many of these in order to encourage others to take the time to learn to see these beautiful and unusual combinations of nature.
This evening we had a Vesper service by way of Zoom. I was going to join and had received the proper information but then when trying to sign in, got lost in the requirements for signing up. Also added to this is the fact that my computer has no speakers because I gave them to someone who needed them. Guess that it will be necessary to do a bit of web site research on the Zoom program to see what I can do, without ruining the set up that I presently have.
There were several calls today, one from a friend in Florida who wanted to commiserate, due to the death of a close friend who had the Corona Virus. A second call was from another friend calling to check up on how things are at the monastery and to find out if we are all right. These are just two examples of how the current concern over the Chinese virus has helped bring to the surface, the concern that people have for their friends and acquaintances, concern that many of these same people might not share under “normal” circumstances. It is comforting to know that there are still people who are thoughtful and able to feel compassion for the disadvantages or sufferings of others.
We are constantly reminded in the Bible how important it is to be as “Wise as a serpent and as gentle as a lamb.” This seems to call for our prayers to be aware of all manner of scams that seem to flourish in our modern world, but to still also not lose sight of true suffering and need, and this is no easy task. On that note let me sign off by passing along the traditional greeting of, “Christ is Risen”.