One Sunday at St. Mary's

scribbled after the sermon

one cough
then another 
contagious communication
weight shifts
here, there 
stomachs rumble, gurgle
a sniff, a sneeze

all these utterances 
of vulnerable humanity 
everybody here together
susceptible to wounds
and weather 

everybody broken
everyone whole
all together woven
in the fabric of soul. 

While sorting and packing to move I found these words on a slip of scrap paper, having completely forgotten about writing them. The words came to me as they often do; a sudden little burst from my heart in response to something moving. Fr. Danny's sermons are consistently moving, inspiring reflection, growth, and transformation. Maybe it's my neuro-adventurous way of being, but I recall that on this particular Sunday I was especially tuned into the background music during the sermon. Thankfully not the intentional, emotionally manipulative sort, but the music of human bodies. The sounds we seek to restrain and muffle, but which sing out as they will, according to need. Our bodies are not ashamed of themselves and don't always cooperate with our self-conscious attempts at decorum. 
During the sermon, Fr. Danny spoke of Soul, not as an individual entity within us, but the Very Fabric of Spirit which gently binds Us and All Life together. As a person who lives with wonky physical connective tissue, the idea of Soul as spiritual connective tissue is compelling. It makes me realize that my spiritual connective tissue is also wonky, as chronic pain and energetic challenges cause me to tend toward isolation, and not show up nearly as often as I would like. While I sense profound Togetherness in my deepest heart, I find it much more difficult as an embodied practice. 
I am thankful to have found these words amongst the rubble, and for the message and living human hymn that inspired them!
Gratefully With You in Soul,
~Cheryl Anne