It has been laced with hatred, bigotry, homophobia, racism, sexism and so much more. It has been hard for me to come up for air on some days. Thankfully, I found myself working on a frontal for a church in Illinois with a Celtic knot as its central image.
As I sat at my machine for many days creating the knot seen on this frontal it was a sacred meditation. This particular knot is made of one single strand that is woven over and under, over and under, countless times. There is no beginning and no end, only an interconnectedness and beauty that comes from seeing the whole image before your eyes. As a great-granddaughter, a granddaughter and a daughter, it reminded me that I am inextricably connected to my past. As a mother and grandmother, it reminded me I am responsible to be fully present in the now. As a public health nurse, it reminded me that the many people I encounter in my work life who manage to fall through the cracks of care within this great nation of ours are an essential and beautiful part of the whole. As a woman of faith, it reminded me I need to stand firm for the Beatitudes that call us every day to always remember that:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
– Matthew 5:1-12