ADORATION

Wonder, adoration, love, honor, joy, peace, stillness, hope...

I just watched the close-ups of face after face during Pope Benedict XV1's Mass in Santiago, Cuba. Each face they showed, from the 100,000 people there, offered some variation on these wonderful feelings.The Pope's did also, to my astonishment.


All my understandings and grand standings about the pitfalls and horrors perpetrated by organized religions were momentarily forgotten. And for a moment, I got really sad that I had somewhat neglected the religious education of my children.


We certainly did have some awe inspiring moments with friends, with teachers, with nature, but I never did pass on that 'belief', that 'faith', that 'knowing' that believers get from their path. They never saw us sacrifice to get to Mecca, or connect with our history while lighting the Hanuka candles, or got to walk  in a May Day procession bringing flowers to the Virgin Mary.

Many of the 60'sgeneration thought we were too smart for that, too modern, too individual, too enlightened. But what I saw tonight looked pretty 'enlightened' in the true sense of the word. I have been lucky enough to see it before, but only lately have I begun to experience it. When I met the Dalai Lama, my face probably had that look. When I saw babies born as a midwife, I had that experience. I saw that look on the faces of devotees when Ajaib Singh came to New Hampshire. I saw lines of light from his heart to the hearts of those who adored him. Tonight, through the TV, I felt the wonder of it all.


I have felt the 'one world' experience before through TV, as when Princess Diana died. Perhaps I am more open. I have, after all, been practicing forgiveness. I have heard that one person who most needs forgiveness might be me.