Today is the first day of fall – well, after 3:21 PM it will be. We tend to think of fall as an event spanning a passage of time, which it does, of course; however, the equinox itself only lasts the amount of time it takes the sun to cross the equator. Then we will be at the moment when we have more dark than light.
Our natural response is to hurry to finish all the stuff we need to do before the winter sets in. As I turn the blinds to let in more sunlight, I realize they need a good washing. Where did all that dust come from? The instinct is to move into rush mode to clean and put everything in order.
Stepping out onto the deck a leaf is falling. A simple leaf, falling so quietly and landing without a sound. It still feels as if it were on the tree but in time it will become stiff and crinkly and fall apart in my hand. May our hearts retain the softness of leaves before they fall as we enter this season today.
Prayer for the Day
Captives of time and space, we come to you, O God,
Longing for your creative breath of life in a time of change;
Imperfect and often dissatisfied, we hunger for a taste of your presence,
Parched by the desert of our hearts, we seek the well of life.
May we grow in humility and faith as we seek to live your Gospel,
By sharing your love with the world all around.
In the name of him who shares your love with all,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Autumn is a second sring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus, French philosopher (1913-1960)
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot, British writer, from her Collected Letters & Journals (1819-1880)
To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2