“Abide With Us” Means Building Deeper Relationships”

An excerpt: "We are called to “abide” with each other, and not just our family and friends and those who think and act and look like us. I believe that God becoming flesh and dwelling amongst humanity in significant ways, even when it wasn’t always fully understood and even when it engendered antipathy, misunderstanding, and violence, God still felt moved to abide with us and for us to abide with God – and each other. This momentous act puts relationship and relationship building at the center of what the Divine does and expects us to do the same."

Caution: Bringing Blessing May Cause Chaos

Yes, the blessings of God are abundant, far more abundant than we usually give God credit for, but they also bring complexity, challenges, and chaos into our lives.  But Mary doesn’t simply “get it,” she names it with exquisite clarity and painful honesty.  The question is therefore not whether or not an abundant life is also chaotic, but rather how we will understand and respond to that chaos.