Few of us, I imagine, would think of seeking the Christ as involving the following of a strange star to a distant land. Much less would we picture ourselves as camel-riding bearers of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But like the Magi of old, we have all at one time or another felt ourselves strangely called forth on a journey elsewhere. Like them, we too have encountered the shining light of God’s Eternal Word revealed in the face of the young Jew who gave himself up “for us and for our salvation” utterly in love. And like the three wise men, when all is said and done, we have to return to our ordinary lives, impelled to integrate the Christ we sought and were given into the texture of our daily lives – with all the dramas and dreams that so fill our minds. What a challenge this can be! As T. S. Eliot put it, after the epiphany of the Christ, we are “no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation/ With an alien people clutching their gods.” Although, to be fair, of course, we are in fact those same alien people, never quite ready to give up our gods of fear, self-importance, hatred, and selfishness.

Among the values the members of the Spiritual Life Committee share is a deep commitment to finding ways of weaving the luminous thread of the Eternal into the cloth of the ordinary and the everyday. Last fall we presented a series entitled “Anglican Spirituality in the Midst of Everyday Life.” Our fundamental aim was to help all of us develop a deeper level of mindfulness of God, so that we can be ever more open to God’s initiative, to be ever more compassionate toward our neighbors and ourselves and to all of God’s creation. We sought to ground the series in the context of Anglican spirituality, the idea being to point to certain elements in our Anglican heritage that help to focus us and to open us to God. In particular, we had in mind the three-fold structure of sacraments (Baptism and Eucharist), daily office (Morning and Evening Prayer), and personal prayer, as it is commended by the prayer book.

We try to host at least three retreats or quiet days each liturgical year, one in Advent, another in Lent, and one after Easter. At these events, we usually have three talks given by a special presenter, some time for quiet or for group discussion, a simple lunch, and celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We also sponsor what has now become an annual pilgrimage in April to the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

The Spiritual Life Committee is very concerned about ensuring that everyone feels welcome to participate in our offerings. We certainly do not consider ourselves ‘spiritually proficient’ (whatever that might mean) and we always extend a warm invitation to everyone who feels interested to come and join us as we seek the Christ together.