The side dishes were always homemade potato salad and a fruit jello mold. The abundant food however was really a side dish. The main course was laughing at my uncles' fishing escapades, hearing the news about the health of my grandmother's friends, and for several years the serious talk about my aunt's kidney disease. The picnic table became more than wood planks that we sat on and swatted mosquitoes while we ate. As we broke bread around the picnic table we entered into sacramental moments where Christ was present in the face of the babies, the teenagers, and the eldest of the family.
Sacramental moments are like ripples in the water that spread into a life of sacramental living.
These moments are drops in the water of our lives where we are given a glimpse of holiness. We see that God is indeed present and acting today in this world, in our own lives, in the midst of darkness that would deny God's life giving presence. Sacramental moments are like a fresh breeze. They take us by surprise and engulf our entire being in joy and peace. As you prepare to begin a fresh season of ministry with children, my prayer for you is that you are fed by Christ's presence in the sacramental moments of your life.