Meditation on if

Meditation on “if”

One of the women said, “If the weather hadn’t caused UNO to be called off, we’d have had 150 people here.” But the weather did cause the school to be closed until noon, the time at which we were scheduled. Moreover, it’s dead week and students are focused on finals and papers and a change in their schedule. A change in schedule makes many of us forget what we’re doing. Signs were made, the podium and loudspeaker was up. It was on the schedule. Those who were there were ready. So we went ahead as soon as we could.

“If” is a big word.

If the weather had been better…

If it wasn’t dead week…

If people didn’t have to work…

But the facts are what they are. As they say, “It is what it is.” Just as we can’t take back last Wednesday (one week ago today), and the gruesomeness of the slayings, we can’t take back who we are and exchange it for someone else: a different size, different focus, different body type, different intelligence, a different (you fill in the blank here) ….)

No we can’t do that. So there we were with our candles and our prayers with those who were there. We read, we prayed, we reflected and we remembered. And though we weren’t 150, we made a difference:

We made a difference to those who walked by, saw the signs and almost joined us.

We made a difference in the atmosphere of campus, because people knew we were there in prayer.

Afterward, we made a difference in the offices where we work and with the people we meet.

We made a difference in the life of the community on campus and in Omaha and in the world.

Why? Because something holy happens when people gather to pray and to witness to God who is among us, whether in joy or tragedy. Gathering overcomes “if”s.

Matthew 18:20 (in the midst of conflict)
“For wherever two or three are gathered, there I am there among them.”