My Dear Sisters and Brothers and Christ Church,
This weekend the McHale family will argue about Daylight Savings Time. On account of 19th century farm labor practices, we will lose one hour of sleep in the middle of the night, which means that Holly and I will wake up at the functional equivalent of 5:00 AM in order to tend to our early church services. While I'm not a morning person, I love Daylight Savings Time because it creates the illusion of longer days, with more light, more time to spend outside bicycling or walking or playing. It reminds me that there's more light in the Universe. As someone with a disposition towards depression, I crave light. I love light! I feel so much better when natural light is streaming through my window panes or reflecting off of my sunglasses. This is part of the reason I chose to make California my home, rather than Washington. I just feel so much better in sunlight. I used to think this sounded superficial, but I don't care anymore. As the light returns I feel more connected to the earth, to my moving body and to God. During these dark days of pandemic, war, high gas prices and the dustiness of Lent, I greet the lengthening light like a kiss from my mother, waking up her youngest child from a nap.
But Holly really resents the loss of sleep and uses it as an excuse to show up late to things for a week and a half.
As we make our way through Lent, may light penetrate the darkness of our collective hearts. May peace penetrate the horror of Ukraine, and may God's love shine on you like spring sunlight. God bless you all, my dear sisters and brothers.
-Stephen