And All Shall Be Well

"...All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" - St. Julian of Norwich

Every Sunday we conclude our service with a collective prayer which ends with the words, "all is well."

How is it that we can justify such an over arching statement of well being as a community affirmation? Are we ignorant, or in strict denial, of the human suffering in our midst?

Neither is true. We are not immune from the travails of the human life. Among us are many who have suffered loss, small and great. Some have lost small fortunes, others face life-threatening illness, and some of us grieve the death of loved ones.

How then, given our losses, can we express such a collective appraisal of well being? The answer is not in the circumstances of our lives, but in the context in which they arise.

We believe in a greater reality beyond form that holds us in its loving embrace. Beyond appearances of limitation and loss, we seek to know the infinite presence of Spirit within us and around us that remains undisturbed, and imperturbable through it all.

Rather than denying reality we are determined to see reality as it truly is-determined to awaken to God's irrefutable presence in the midst of our challenges rather than waiting for heaven in an afterlife. We do this with feet planted solidly on the ground of the present moment, standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow human beings, joined by our human vulnerability and spiritual strength. In this collective posture, we muster the resolve to look courageously into the face of our human dramas and affirm together:

The light of God surrounds us
The love of God enfolds us
The power of God protects us
And the presence of God watches over us
Wherever we are, God is
And all is well