Quote for the Day - The Weight of a Snowflake

The Weight of a Snowflake (from Megan McKenna's Mary, Shadow of Grace)

Once upon a time there were two birds sitting on a branch of a tree. One was a dove and one was a titmouse (a small gray bird, sort of like a sparrow). They were sitting and talking about all the things that were going on in the world. They had heard stories from all over as they migrated and visited with other birds, and they were exchanging the news. Then, as was there habit, they begun to discuss philosophy and theology and politics. But after a while they became bored with that. 

Then it began to snow. It was the kind of snow that brought fat, fluffy flakes. The dove looked at the titmouse and asked; "Do you know how much a snowflake weighs?" 

The titmouse thought about it a while and said, "No, I never thought about it." 

"Well", said the dove, "I think it weighs nothing more than nothing. I mean, look at the snow floating down, these fat, soft, fluffy flakes." 

The titmouse thought about it some more and said, "If you think a snowflake weighs nothing more than nothing, I have a little story to tell you. Once when I was sitting on a branch, just like this one, I didn't have anything to do. It started to snow, so I began counting snow flakes, fat and fluffy ones just like these. I counted a lot, a couple of hundred, a couple of thousand. I got up to one million, eight hundred and forty-six thousand, six hundred and twenty-two snowflakes and then, one snow flake-which you say weighs nothing more than nothing - floated down, landed on my branch, and cracked it straight through. The branch went falling to the ground, and I had to fly off."

With that, the titmouse flew off and left the dove sitting alone on the branch.

The dove, who was always been associated with peace, sat there trying to figure out the story. Suddenly it dawned on her.

Of course. One snowflake, one person, when added to all the others, may be the one that makes all the difference in the world.

McKenna comments, 'What if we, who are nothing alone, are the difference between the way world is now and the coming of peace on earth? What if we are the difference between darkness pervading the world or light coming into the world?'

Today's Poverty

Part of my retreat is about preparing for Advent and Christmas.

Today I read some of Luke 1 and 2, followed by a portion of Mary, Shadow of Grace, by Megan McKenna. I have been pondering how I / the church should respond to the anticipated financial hardship of further welfare changes next financial year. Sadly I anticipate an increase in use of the foodbank.

McKenna tells a story of the birth of a child to El Salvador refugees. Suddenly I realise that the story of Mary in her hour of need is also the story of so many around us.

Strange things occur around the birth of Christ, things that become good news. But all focuses on the child. Mary stores these things in her heart. She is a 'believer, not a knower. She believes in her child.... She treasures words, events, moments in her life...Simple, ordinary occurrences are her path to knowledge. She experiences conversion, insight and ever-deepening awareness and love of God by the way God deals with her, in her present reality.' (McKenna, 63).

I must yet learn yet more of contemplation. This is what Luke puts here at the beginning of his gospel, where interestingly he is also paralleling Pentecost. We learn of each from the other, I believe. Contemplation is not something I have immediately associated with Acts 2. It is however strong in Acts 1, as the disciples 'waited'. Which brings me to my reflections on waiting on God here.