Hi everyone,

The picture you see above is a mosaic piece created by core member Tom Krysiak of our house.  He is an arist with a deep sense of God and a child like way of expressing that love.

I used this piece because it expresses for me the sense of our prayer here at L'Arche.  Our prayer on Friday night brings us together having lived joys and sorrows together, thus sharing a common path.

Tonight we had an open house as we do once a month here at the chapel.  Our prayer style tonight was Taize prayer which we have experienced back home. It is a style that blends in repetitive refrains, scripture, silence, prayers of petition.  The lights are lowered and candles are lit before a big picture of Christ.  It is a quiet meditative style of prayer.

We begin each Friday night with one of the core members standing up and welcoming everyone and especially people visiting for the first time.  Tonight we had people from all over the world visiting.  it was absolutely amazing to hear "Argentina, Korea, California, Toronto, New Brunswick. Then after the introductions, we are called to silence as a core member with another person are designated to go outside and ring the bell in the bell tower that begins our worship.  It is a wonderful moment, and a silence that is enshrouded in a holy anticipation.  Tonight it was Mike Ricci, core member from our house who is visually impaired, along with George our house support during the week.

Sitting next to me was John Bloss, who has stopped coming to Friday prayer because of an incident (we are not sure if someone laughed at him or something).  After about 5 weeks here I have ben able to convince him to start coming.  I am told this is a major event for John for him to get over.  Now along with a promise for coffee at Tim Horton's, he comes along and sits by me and makes sure I am next to him.

Well it wasn't long that ears started flowing down my cheeks as I heard John sing along with the familiar refrains he has heard for years here.  It was a word here or there, but it was John falling back into the rythum of prayer.  No one could understand how powerful those few simple words were to me and how it was such an amazing experience. John lives with multiple disabilities, but is a man with a smile that melts ice cubes in the winter.  There is a playfullness, but there is a deep sense of God within him, and a desire to be able to pray to the best of his abilities. This was a mini God moment that touched me and shows me how life at L'Arche Daybreak is a mutual one.  You give and you receive.  Being open is key to this.

Our gospel passage tonight was the famous story of the Sons of Zebedee who were seeking power at the right and left of Jesus.  It is the gospel this weekend.  Jesus responds by asking them if they can drink the cup from which he will drink.  They say yes more to get the place of power.  I was thinking of these lines and applied them to my journey at L'Arche.  In requesting to come here, I was going to drink of the cup of L'Arche, to be renewed, to seek healing and peace.  But upon being here, there was another dimension to my journey here. Was I really ready to drink from the cup of this community?  Could I really share in the life stories of the core members?  Could I enter into their profound brokenness, their fragile cups?  Could I open myself up to the support members who nuture and are nurtured?  Could I pour myself out and be renewed and refilled with God's spirit?  Could I allow others to drink from my brokenness, to sit and my right and my left and share their brokenness with me?

The more I say "yes", the deeper into the mystery of God's love I find myself.  There I feel the fragile painful stories, but also stories of great love and courage.  Together we are community and we move forward in trust.

It is through the stories of John, Kara, Mary Anne, Mike and Tom.  It is through the hugs from Gordie, the wild laughter from Linda, the piercing eyes of Michael, the gentle handshake and kissing of my hand by Hsi-Fu.  It is the request to be prayed for by Amanda, the "Hi Bubbles" from Dave Harmon.  It is the beautiful spirit of Tracey and the "Pat Quinn got Fired" from Brian.  It is all these wonderful children of God, in their brokenness, that speak to my fragile heart with love.

Our church communities could learn REALLY AND TRULY how to be church through contact with L'Arche Daybreak.  That is why I love Friday evening worship. It is a chance to entwine ourselves, the week, the lived journey with our God who has called us to this place.

Until next time.....

Jeff