"The Power of Community" | The Rev. Luke de Volder | January 3, 2021

Second Sunday after Christmas (Epiphany Readings), Year B

Isaiah 60:1-6 | Ephesians 3:1-12 | Matthew 2:1-12 | Psalm 72:1-7,10-14

Happy New Year and Happy Epiphany today. I wish you all good things for the new year and all blessings that we missed in the past year. As the divine Christ on this epiphany days is wishing us all light and joy in our lives, let us continue to wish each other, in this stressful time, all blessings and strength for the new year.

Some of the Christmas cards this year came with a touch of humor as well. Like this card, stating: “This will have to do”, showing the whole family in masks. Our friends from Chicago gave 2020 the rating it deserves: 1 star, very bad, would not recommend. Or this card: ‘Well… that was crazy. Happy 2021 (finally)’.

Finally this year of tremendous loss, unreal craziness, and giant pressure is behind us.  

One thing we experienced during this time of hardship is how powerful and hope-giving the act of connecting can be, like the three magi coming to the Holy Family.  It was so heartwarming and moving to experience the outpouring of prayer and support during the time Tiffany, Audrey and I were down with Covid. We are so grateful that we are recovering at this moment, also thanks to you and everyone in our Trinity community praying for us. Also our Trinity staff and Heidi’s leadership has been such a comfort. When you are down and feeling weak, it is so uplifting to receive some words of prayers or hope or to find some food at the front door. 

When I was in the thick of my Covid-19 illness there were moments that were dark, foggy, with high fever, coughs, and exhaustion. I kept sleeping so much that I forgot to drink or take my meds. I am so so grateful for Tiffany’s care even though she herself was sick and tired. She took me to the hospital when I lacked the alertness of what I needed. Happily it was an X-ray that cleared me from any emergency stay at the Hospital.

But while any comfort of a book or a TV-show or a warm blanket was loosing its appeal, I started sensing a deeper connection holding me. It was the connection of prayer: being held in prayer felt like landing on a tapestry of hands holding each other in love. It was so strange to feel more comfort spiritually while as was feeling worse physically; to sense more light while my sight was troubled. But there it was the power of prayer and community of love holding me. And although suffering Covid has been really rough, I also feel so blessed to have experience this power of our community of prayer. 

If Epiphany has a message for our new year it is not necessarily that easier times are around the corner. Of course, we pray that 2021 will bring us well deserved reprieve, of course. But the light and joy that God is showing on this day, as a gift not just for some select group, but as a power of hope for every human being, is a gift to sustain us in every situation, especially when times are dark and challenging.

 It may take a journey to find this sense of hope, with sparse signs of direction, small like one tiny star among so many. But one way or another, God is giving us guidance. Most especially through each other: the power of a visit, a gift, a prayer. And that is my wish for our Trinity community: that we may continue to grow in the power of community. 

2020 has kept us apart with forced distancing. But throughout we have grown closer to the power of prayer. Having experienced this intensely during my Covid illness, I cannot help but call everyone on this journey toward this relational focussed community. It may not always be clear how to get there or what gift to bring. But the magi show that if we search and we show up and put our trust in God - the text mentioned three times they bring him homage - in Greek actually stating: they bow down in an attitude of worship - God is sending us signs and grace to build deeper connections at a time when it seems we are less connected. 

Thank you for being part of our Trinity community. Thank you for the love and care that we all are willing to share. And may this new year bring you all the gain and satisfaction and connection we had to miss in this passed year.