ask and you shall receive

Greetings from DC. I arrived safe and well rested from my red eye flight to beautiful spring weather.

Thanks to the wonders of technology/cell phones, I also had a phone call this afternoon asking me to speak at an interfaith peace prayer service in Portland next Sunday. They are asking 3 people to speak for 5 minutes each about peacemaking from their faith tradition. I'm the Catholic/Christian.

I've been lamenting of late to anyone who will listen that I find myself in an interesting position. I am exploring a religious vocation with a communinty whose charism matches the call I feel deep within to work for peace through justice. And yet I am so busy tying up loose ends and transitioning that I am doing less actual work for peace and justice than before. I still dabble here and have my hand there, but it's not the same in depth passionate involvement. I've taken it as a sign that I need to trust in the long haul ... this is just a period of transition.

But given that I have been sharing this lament with all who will listen and many who I'm sure are tired of it, how could I say no to this request? Even though it's next week and it's a stretch from my comfort zone and I have so much other stuff to do. But I think it's God both answering me and challenging me to grow.

Now I just have to figure out what brilliant things to say!!!