I'm packed and ready to board the daily flight out to the village of Pelican, about an hour away from my hometown of Juneau by floatplane, weather-permitting. And that's the operative word in Alaska, 'weather permitting'! Snow is predicted all day, which means low-clouds, reduced visability and maybe (probably?) no flight today to Pelican. But who knows? It could be sunny and clear an hour from now.
So perhaps we'll all have to wait, until next weekend, or the weekend after that. I try to go out to Pelican monthly to lead a Sunday service for the faithful in the village, which has about forty-five year round residents(the number fluctuates from year to year.) Its a mixed group that shows up on Sunday (weather permitting) made up of Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants and the occasional person of good will. I'm always grateful for the welcome and warm hospitality I receive whenever I'm there.
No one wants to wait or particularly likes to wait, but in the spiritual life I think that patiently waiting is a great virtue and essential to growing in holiness. Today is the feast day of St.Teresa of Jesus (aka of Avila), the great Carmelite reformer, mystic and Doctor of the Church. My understanding is she endured a long period of spiritual dryness that lasted for years, in which she experienced little, if any consolation in prayer. Yet this dynamic, passionate and quite active woman had the patience to wait out a long patch of spiritual rough weather. When the skies eventually cleared (God is faithful!), she soared!
Smiling at you
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