I participated in a teleconference the other day with a variety of denominational and faith communities. On line was a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Jew and me a Christian. We are members of a task force that has been asked to consider needs and ways to address through finances and spiritual resources the various diseases, natural disasters and political issues attacking our world today. As you can well guess a difficult, painful and sometimes depressing challenge.

Many of you know one of my favorite teachers is Meister Eckhart and he stated (my translation) if he had to summarize the entire spiritual life into a single word or phrase it would be “Thank you.” When we are able to stand together as people of faith. When we pray, when we work when we place our resources back into the hands of God together nothing can stand in our way. We give thanks for the challenge for the opportunity to share our pilgrimage and in the process we say “thank you” as believing communities. Unfortunately that just doesn’t happen very often.

Take a moment this week to live outside your comfort zone. Share a meal, visit a worship service different than yours. Grab a hand and say, “Together lets do something that will change the path of another.”

Dear Savior, you came down into the mud, the dirt, the pain of this world to lift us up. So…grant us the courage, the strength, the wisdom to lift you up within and outside the community you have called us to serve. Thank you for the reality of resurrection because with that promise and that hope nothing can keep us from the path. Amen.