Today, I had an encounter with the Divine in the most unlikely of ways. Our church hosts many community parties and programs, and with them come tons of food left for us to eat. Because of the season, we have tons of leftovers in our fridge. The food seems to get better with each passing day, as tamales feel heaven-sent and desserts keep getting sweeter by the minute.

    Because the staff enjoys the leftovers, we gather to eat and share the good news of the day. We discuss our children, where we hope to spend Christmas, and funny things about our church. It makes my day to sit with the wonderful people who choose to work at St. Paul’s. For a brief time out of our day, there is no separation of who is in charge or who is subordinate to another.

    We gather around a table to share our lives. One table, where all may find a place and take part. I find these moments holy and set apart as we provide a space to share our hearts. I treasure our sacred time because I feel like Jesus comes to the table and sits with us. You can feel his incredible presence while we enjoy one another’s company.

    Today, while dining with some of my colleagues, a few parents came by to tell us how much they enjoy being at the church and how they experience hospitality here in a most incredible way. I thanked them, but as I sat with such positive words of affirmation, I felt God’s presence in the deepest resources of my soul. I knew the Holy One sat down at the table and was a fantastic part of our dialogue.

    I left lunch feeling like I had attended church 1,000 times and wanted to go back for several more hours. But time presses on, and we had to break our circle of promises and hope to return to work. We know we have discovered a calling to serve others, but we rejoice greatly when we realize we have sacred moments when our hearts speak to the Divine.

    I praise God for a holy Advent and wish everyone a happy holiday season. May we continue to walk on a path that yields to unexpected God sightings in our days. Let our days resound with festive carols and opportunities to share joy with a world that needs it. May we continue our journey to the manager.