The Sacred & Secular

...As we listened to the words of the Lord's Supper coming over the loud speaker in Portuguese, we tried to guess where the service was up to. "Are they saying the creed?" "That must be the Lord's prayer!" But as we laughed and joked with strangers in the crowd, we became aware of a man standing quietly among us. With eyes closed and head bowed he spoke every word of the Mass, oblivious to the throng and the noise that surrounded him. It was a strangely beautiful moment, for as his lips moved with prayers so well-known they were a part of his being, we were drawn in as eavesdroppers of something sacred and holy. We felt for a moment that, despite all of the human commotion around us, we were on holy ground; God was present in our midst; incarnate in a pilgrim's prayers...
...Back home, our holiday seems a long time ago. September is in full flow as groups and activities begin again and the diary fills up with meetings. However the memory of that 'God moment' experienced amidst the hustle and bustle of life is very precious, because it reminds me that in the midst of all my business, despite all the hectic activity, God can still be realised. The sacred and the secular are one, for God is present in both; we just need to realise him...
For the full text of Helen's article, click here.