To proclaim the Savior: Breaking through

While visiting Evanston, Ill., north of Chicago several years ago, we stopped at a
sculpture garden located in one of the parks. Most of the sculptures are quite large, and our family enjoyed seeing them from different angles.
We ran our hands over the different textures, and discussed what the artist may have had in mind when he or she created the piece.
My favorite was a life-sized bronze piece. It looked like a young person was running through a large window of solid bronze. Part of the body was in front of the window, part was behind, and part was trapped within the metal.
That image has stayed with me for many years. I think of it often, certainly during
challenging times, or during times of great change. I started to work on organizing some old pictures and came across a snapshot of the sculpture. I pulled it out and put it on our refrigerator.
I want to keep that image in my mind not only during times of change and challenge, but during the ordinary times as well. After all, most of life is ordinary times.
The Church’s liturgical season is named “Ordinary” because the Sundays are numbered, but I like to think of it as the routine times, not the seasons of festivals and feast days. And I like to keep that “breakthrough” image with me during the ordinary times, especially in connection to the work I do in ministry.
I never know when someone will experience that moment of insight, that moment when the Holy Spirit allows them to break through an obstacle or challenge that has kept them from knowing and loving more. The image of that sculpture of a person breaking through solid metal helps to keep me aware that this can happen anywhere, anytime, even in the most ordinary of circumstances. In fact, this possibility makes even the most ordinary events light up with infinite potential.
We are in the midst of a few weeks of ordinary time in our liturgical year. The Christmas is past, and Lent hasn’t started. Many ministries are moving forward at full speed. This is the time to watch, listen, and be ready for the gifts of grace breaking through into our ordinary moments.