Daily Reflections

If you would like to receive these daily reflections (written by various parishioners) in your email box each day, contact darcy.wharton@rocklincatholic.org

Reflections for Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 2021
September 25, 2021 - Praying
Jane and I travelled to New York to take advantage of our son’s offer to stay in his vacant house while he was away for several weeks.  As the temperature in Northern CA plus the heavy smoke was oppressive, we decided to go and stay for several weeks.  Oh, what a difference.  Instead of 100+ degrees we enjoyed 95+ degrees and 90+ humidity in Catskill.  At least we couldn’t see what we were breathing in.  We watched not one minute of TV and instead read; Jane finished five books while there.  We went to mass at St. Patrick’s in nearby Athens where the congregation of perhaps 50 people were friendly and welcoming.  The priest, a widower and former Permanent Deacon, was very in touch with his parishioners and warned them of an impending storm resulting from hurricane Henri and their need to stay off the roads.  At the prayers of the faithful he petitioned God to send some of the expected rain to California, this without knowing we are Californians.  Our church, our concerns, are truly universal and it was a joy to participate 2500 miles from home.     
Deacon David

September 26, 2021 - Praying in an Airport
We recently travelled to New York and had to change planes in Charlotte, N.C.  It was 6 a.m. and we had to wait a couple of hours for our connecting flight.  We found seats near an east facing window and settled in.  A man, a Hasidic Jew by his dress and appearance, took a seat near us and proceeded to open his small suitcase and take out his prayer shawl, phylacteries, and prayer book.  He faced east and the rising sun and began to pray, audibly but not intrusively as he rocked back and forth.  I couldn’t help but watch him for the ten to fifteen minutes of his prayer.  When he finished I remarked to him that he was a good example to me and that he moved me to say my own morning prayers.  Oh, he asked, are you jewish?  I replied no, I’m Catholic at which he gave me a bit of a smile as if to say, oh, Catholics pray?  He then put his prayer clothing away and, trusting us, asked if we’d look after his suitcase while he used the facilities.  Later we saw him as we left the airport and again he greeted us in a friendly manner. Prayer created faith and trust in an airport that led to a moment of community. Let us pray.          
Deacon David

September 27, 2021 - Holding Hands
One of the things I’ve missed during the pandemic is holding hands as we pray the Our Father at Mass.  Years ago I saw an older couple exiting a meeting and they were holding hands as they went to their car and their love showed.  Jane and I have been holding hands for decades now, not just at Mass but as we walk in a mall or stroll on a street.  I’ve seen not only how important that is for us but also for parents guiding and protecting their children. Recently while presiding at a baptism one of the infants looked up at me as I was preparing to pour the holy water and reached up to grasp my little finger.  I don’t know who was the most joyful in that family group, but I was certainly smiling the most under my mask.  Can’t you just feel the love of God enveloping us as we pray with the congregation and when we receive the eucharist?  Soon, I hope and pray, we will again feel the warmth of holding hands as we pray and when we wish each other peace.        Deacon David

September 28, 2021 - Birth Announcement
Recently a staff member texted to advise of a new grandchild and included a picture of the newborn.  The baby is indeed cute, perhaps almost as cute as my own grandchildren, but today I am concerned for all newborns and young people.  I ask myself the question you may have also asked: What sort of world are they inheriting from the older generations?  I have been rightly called to task by some in the current generation for what my generation has done to make the earth less habitable than when we were born and I do regret my thoughtlessness and overuse of resources.  These are things that don’t get absolved in confession but require not just regret but positive action on my part.  I will drive less, as well as more slowly.  I will conserve water where I can:  I don’t need a green expanse of lawn, nor do I need to wash the car so often. God gave me this earth and the plants and animals to meet my needs but I wonder what God might say to me today about my consumption.  I pray for God’s help, especially for that new grandchild but also for all those who will be working to solve the problems I have contributed to.  Pray for them!      
Deacon David

September 29, 2021 - Good Neighbors
When we were making preparations to go away on vacation for three weeks we did the usual things like turning the water heater to the vacation mode, stopping mail delivery and, most importantly, notifying our next door neighbors of our prolonged absence with the request to keep an eye out for any unusual activity. Our vacation went well and there were no problems visible when we arrived home at midnight.  The next day our neighbor lady contacted us and reported that her only concern was with some men working in our yard who she didn’t recognize.  She walked to our yard and straightforwardly asked their reason for being there.  Their answer satisfied her, especially when she noticed that they had also put out the green waste and trash for pick up (and saw them the next day retrieving the containers and putting them in the backyard).  She was so impressed that she mentioned the possibility of engaging their services.  I think this is the sort of neighborliness God expects of us in relation to His creation, caring for one another regardless of gender, race or religion.   
Deacon David

September 30, 2021 - Waiting
Amongst my family and friends I am not known for being patient.  My children/adults can verify this.  I continue to struggle with being patient.   Recently a letter to the editor in the Auburn Journal complained about the traffic light timing in Auburn.  That letter could have been written by me.  There are times when I wait at a red light with absolutely no traffic on the cross street and it seems interminable.  On the other hand, there have been times in my life when waiting was inevitable such as when expectant fathers weren’t allowed in the delivery room as their wives were giving birth.  No good complaining then as the nurses and doctors didn’t want to contend with woozy spouses.  I’m thankful that has changed and I was allowed to be present at the births of three of our children.  I’ve heard it said that all good things come to those who wait.  Well, God waited for me to come around and acknowledge His existence.  It was a sort of birth perhaps and should have given me pause to deal with my own impatience.   God has granted me the time to get to Him at my own pace and I pray that I’ll do the same with those in my family and community.            
Deacon David

October 1, 2021 – Branding II
No, I’m not referring to the use of a red-hot iron to make a mark on flesh.  As I was looking through the latest Costco magazine they were extolling their own Kirkland brand as being superlative.  That got me to thinking about other “brands” that have become a part of our everyday vocabulary.  When I want a soft drink I’m apt to say I want a coke although Pepsi is my choice.  What sort of denims do I wear?  Levi’s of course.  You can come up with your own examples but I wonder about another brand that we share:  we are Catholics.  When I’m asked if I believe in God by one of the door-to-door missionaries of different beliefs I reply, of course, yes, I’m Catholic.  Catholic is just a way that I brand myself but also the way of life I embrace.  Catholic, I remind those who come to my door, means universal.  Then I get the opportunity to share my belief, my brand, along with letting them share theirs.  Lately there haven’t been too many prosthelizers at my door, perhaps because the word had gotten around that my brand is unshakable.   I hope so.  I pray that you’ll join me in making our brand heard, but more importantly lived, universally.         
Deacon David                  


 


Reflections for Sept. 20-26, 2021
Sept. 20, 2021-Eliminating Good Things
My husband and I were recently instructed to cut down several healthy trees in our backyard in Truckee to increase the defensible space around our home.   Although I completely understood the necessity of doing our part to decrease the possibility of fire, I was surprised at how difficult it was for me to cut down perfectly good trees.  I had to continually remind myself that it was for a greater purpose.
It seems like it’s the same thing in my life.  Sometimes it’s necessary for me to cut out good things to make room for the things that are more important.  In the early years of our marriage, we carefully watched our savings to make sure that we could plan for children. Now it means planning for retirement. This might mean cutting out some “good things” for a greater purpose.  I pray that I will remain open to the pruning required in my spiritual life as well.
Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 21, 2021-Doing the Hard Work
As I mentioned in yesterday’s reflection, my husband and I were tasked with cutting down trees and clearing bush.  It ended up being a full ten days of work and since I don’t normally work that hard physically, I found it quite tiring.  The only thing that kept me going was the idea that eventually the job would be over! 
As the task was coming to an end, I realized how grateful I was that my employment is not physically demanding.  At the same time, I became more aware of how many jobs in our society do require long hours of physical stamina: firefighters, construction workers, stock clerks, housecleaners, roofers, and more.  
I thank God daily for those that put in a (physically) hard day’s work.  My life is blessed because of their dedication.
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 22, 2021-Adaptation
I enjoy spending time reflecting in nature.  One of the things I’ve noticed is that trees have a unique way of adapting to their environment while growing.  I’ve seen trees whose roots were wrapped around a rock.  Other trees have grown with a curved trunk to avoid another tree or obstacle.  Some trees sprout up close to a water source while others find a way to survive in drought conditions.  Of course, this ability to adapt extends to all species, including humans. 
During the pandemic, I have learned that my own ability to adapt has been tested but ultimately strengthened.  I also look around at my friends and family and see how they have adapted to dramatic life changes, whether due to employment, health, relationships, or even aging.
Perhaps I can learn more from the adaptability I see in nature as I turn to God to increase my ability to adapt to the twists and turns of life.
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 23, 2021-Fire
Have we ever seen a year with so much fire surrounding us?  Perhaps we have, but it seems like it was so intense this year.  It also hit much closer to home for us emotionally.  First, our daughter and her husband were evacuated from Colfax.  They came to stay with us for a few days until the danger decreased.  Their home ended up being far enough away from danger, and we are grateful for that.  About a week later, my husband’s sister and brother-in-law were evacuated from their home which is close to South Lake Tahoe.  They ended up staying at our home in Truckee.  Their home was also spared.  Obviously, not everyone was so fortunate.
Throughout this fire season, I have seen incredible generosity pouring out from people.  Food, shelter, clothing, and more is being offered without hesitation.  Times like these warm my heart and melt the cynicism that can reside there at times.  I am reminded that people are inherently good (as God created them to be) and that God’s grace is shown through the generous hearts of those around us.  Where can I find that today?
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 24, 2021-Influencers
Is there someone you “follow” on Facebook or Instagram that you’ve never met in real life?  Over the years, I have followed a few such people and some of them have become “influencers”.  (If you’re not aware of this, there are people who agree to endorse products online simply due to the number of people who follow them on social media.  They are called “influencers”.)  Some of the people I have followed are now sounding like advertisers and they no longer seem as authentic as they once were and they have neglected the original reason they were online (like to share their craft projects, or their faith journeys.)
It makes we wonder what it would have been like if Jesus were walking the earth today.  Would He have followers on social media?  How many?  Would He have been considered an influencer even though He wasn’t advertising anything?  Would His message have caught my attention? 
Perhaps those of us on social media can show our friends the rewards of living as a follower of the best and most important influencer- Jesus Christ. 
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 25, 2021-The Messages We Receive
What was the childhood message you received?  Were you the “favorite child”, the “studious one”, the “athletic one”, the “lazy one” or the “selfish one”?  Did you only feel loved when you accomplished something?  There are likely other labels that you may have heard or internalized when you were growing up.
As an educator, I find these labels extremely unhelpful in a child’s development.  We all can remember what was said about us as children and teens, and unfortunately, we usually remember the more damaging messages.  If you were fortunate to hear good things, then your self-esteem probably didn’t suffer too much, but if you were labeled unfavorably, then that can remain with a person throughout life.  Only with a lot of inner psychological and spiritual work can someone overcome those messages.
In the spiritual life, I have discovered that it is important to pay more attention to the messages from God that I receive in prayer.  In Ignatian spirituality, this is called discernment of spirits.  If you are feeling unloved by God, or are feeling hopeless, this is a movement away from God.  If you are feeling hopeful and able to see the goodness in others, this is a movement toward God.
What a grace it is that the label God gives us is “beloved child of God”!
Darcy Wharton

Sept. 26, 2021- Powerful Stories
I recently heard a great analogy about marriage.  A man said that his father had told him that you need to think of marriage (or any friendship) like a bank account.  It was more important to focus on the deposits and not the withdrawals that are made to the account.  He suggested that both partners should focus on building up the account and then on days when difficulties arise, both could rely on the savings that have been contributed.  If partners only focus on withdrawing from the account, then after a while, the account will be empty.
Sometimes the simplest statements or stories carry the deepest meaning.  We are blessed to hear such stories each weekend at Mass.  For example, in this weekend’s gospel, Jesus mentions “cutting off feet or hands, or plucking out eyes” if they keep you from entering the kingdom.  If I had been in the crowd and heard Jesus speak these words, it certainly would have caught my attention and the words would stay with me for a long time. 
May I be attentive to the simple (and occasionally shocking) words of Jesus and may they penetrate my heart.
Darcy Wharton


Reflections for Sept. 13-19, 2021
Monday, September 13, 2021 – Snags and Tangles

In general, I find fishing to be a relaxing endeavor – there is a quiet stillness and focused concentration while standing amidst the beauty of God’s creation.  That is to say, until the entire time is spent getting snags and tangles out of the fishing line!  Now, don’t get me wrong, fishing with my girls, although it may not be the most peaceful, is a joy-filled experience.  However, frustration ensues when line after line gets tangled, and then just when we get one line untangled and reset, the other line snags…and on and on. 

It's true though that snags and tangles are bound to happen when you send fishing line soaring into a river with a rushing current, boulders and a bed of river rock.  The same is true with our own lives: there is a current moving us in life, and we dodge boulders, spin in rapids and stumble over rocks as we swim along. 

In Isaiah 43:2 we hear, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”  I don’t have to like the tangles, but maybe the peace comes from allowing my trust in God to soothe my worried heart.  Let me remember to turn to, lean on and trust in God’s abiding presence.

- Katie Maynard


Tuesday, September 14, 2021 – From the Ashes

This past summer I was hiking with family in an area which had been burned by fire in years past.  The absence of tree cover was noticeable as we were desperate to find shade on a hot day.  Ash, fallen trees and the most vibrant purple flowers lined the trail to what we would eventually discover was a stunning waterfall.
 
I’ve been thinking back on this hike recently as my friend lost her family cabin to the Caldor fire in the past month.  They lost everything except for the few items that they were able to grab, including the closet door on which the children and grandchildren’s heights were measured.  I was struck by the realization that amidst the smoldering foundation, all that remains are memories of a cabin built by a great-grandfather and animated by the love of a family.  One day flowers will bloom amidst the ashes, grass will grow and new memories will be created. 

It's a good reminder of the slow work of God – that when things crumble around me, God is lovingly working to restore and renew…purple flowers and all.

- Katie Maynard

Wednesday, September 15, 2021 – Scars

Recently my daughter Noelle bumped her chin and the impact left a mark.  She was very concerned as to whether or not she would end up with a scar. As I showed off some of the traces of my own past injuries, I realized that there are stories behind our scars.  These marks remind us of our mistakes, they remind us of the times we have been hurt, and yet they can also remind us of those times when a scar reflected something beautiful and miraculous, like childbirth or a transplant surgery. 

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows, and I am called to enter into Mary’s grief and pain as she witnessed the woundedness of her Son.  The wounds of Christ remind us of unimaginable suffering, but also of a miraculous resurrection.  So, let me not be afraid of my scars, but allow them to both speak of a history and to move me beyond.

“Let me mingle tears with you, mourning him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.  By the cross with you to stay, there with you to weep and pray, is all I ask of you to give” (Mass Sequence).

-Katie Maynard


Thursday, September 16, 2021 – Fans in the Stands

I love watching the Olympics. Every time they come around, I feel as though I can never get enough.  I get emotional at every medal ceremony, and I am inspired by the athletic excellence shown by these incredible athletes at the top of their game. 

These past summer games elicited all those feelings, although admittedly it felt very quiet not having fans in the stands.  It was a different experience for the viewer, but I cannot imagine the impact that the silence had on the athletes.  We heard stories of these athletes experiencing a different sort of stress, and we watched as they made extremely difficult decisions about their participation and how to protect their overall health and wellbeing.  There were many challenges at this year’s Olympic Games, but I imagine that not having their family or spectators to cheer them on must have added another layer of adversity to their experience. 

I think sometimes I forget how much I need someone in my corner to cheer me on…and it means so much more for that cheering to be “out loud” (whether with actions or words).  God’s cheers are booming and enthusiastic as he calls us by name and helps us know our worthiness and recognize our importance.  Let me not hold back in my encouragement of those around me.   And may I allow God to work through me so that my life may be an uplifting and inspiring prayer of praise and support.

-Katie Maynard


Friday, September 17, 2021 – Remembrance

This past summer we were in Montana for my grandmother’s memorial.  As we sifted through photo boxes and digital photo albums to create slideshows and collages, I was struck by the power of photos to build connection and a collective remembering.   Day-by-day, photos were added to the shared digital album across generations by my cousins, aunts and uncles.  The daily notifications on my phone of photos being added became an emotional and joyful encounter of my family members’ experiences of and with my grandmother.  Apart from the digital age, there were many photo boxes to sort through in order to find a photo of my grandmother that would sit at the front of the altar.  As soon as the chosen print was enlarged and made its way into the frame, my grandfather sat down next to the photo and tearfully gazed in my grandmother’s eyes.  He must have sat in that same spot for at least 30 minutes having a conversation with her in the quiet of his own heart. 

All of this made me think about the early Christians as they painted frescoes on the walls of the catacombs not only to remember the deceased, but also their communal faith.  As a people of faith and belonging, through digital/print photos, statues, frescos, and even a church directory, we remember and connect with one another. 

-Katie Maynard

Saturday, September 18, 2021 – Reflection

One morning as I was helping style my daughter’s hair, she realized for the first time that everything was flipped when looking in the mirror.  After a brief science lesson on how mirrors reflect light, she asked, “Well, can we ever really see ourselves as we are then?”  It made me think not as much about mirrors, but about how we see ourselves reflected in God’s love through others.

I suppose we can never really see ourselves as others do, but perhaps that’s not God’s desire anyway.  God longs for me to see myself as beloved, and when my belief in that truth gets twisted and flipped in reverse, I may need others to reflect back to me that I am created in God’s image just as I am….beloved.

-Katie Maynard


Sunday, September 19, 2021 – Harmony

Music has always been important to our family, particularly on my dad’s side and especially when that music was in prayer or praise to God.  Dinner table grace was sung, visiting family members joined the choir at church or played the bells, and the piano was often the centerpiece of family gatherings in Montana.  In the midst of the joyful noise, was always my grandmother harmonizing quietly in the background.  She rarely took the melody and there was an incredible humility in taking the alto part, knowing that it would enrich the sound but not be the focus of the song. 

In todays’ gospel I am called to this humility – that those who seek to be first will be last, and the last shall be first.  I am called to enrich the lives of others without being the center of all things…called to harmonize.

-Katie Maynard


Reflections for Sept. 6-12, 2021

September 6, 2021 - Make A Joyful Noise,
One Monday morning earlier this summer as David and I walked across the Church parking lot to Mass we saw and then heard a bunch of young people in the hall busy at something.  There was much hustle and bustle, loud talking and lots of laughing.  As we entered the Church we realized these were the young people getting ready for the first day of their parish Mission service to the community.  In years past, this service took place somewhere else, in an inner city somewhere, or on a reservation.  And I could understand the draw this kind of service would have for young people, a chance to experience something different, caravanning to a place far from home and staying  for a week or so at a time.  But this year that was not going to happen.  Because of Covid, these young people would meet in the parish hall every day, masked, and move out from there to do various kinds of service to our local community.  And still they were excited!   What an uplifting way to start the week, to experience the joy and excitement of young people whose willingness to serve had not been dampened by Covid.  And thank you for the joyful noise!
Jane Haproff

September 7, 2021 –  A Little Thing
David and I have been staying at our son's home in the Catskills overlooking the Hudson River on the edge of a forest the past several weeks.  Summertime in a country home means lots of bugs.  Countless numbers of little spiders spin webs in every little nook and cranny of the house.  One such spider spun a web in a corner of the kitchen. Each morning I would greet that little spider there in its web; I came to think of it as a sort of pet.  One morning the spider was not there; instead it was moving very close to me and where I was sitting.  Without a second thought I squashed it with a napkin.  I immediately felt bad, a feeling that stayed with me for several days.  Why?, I asked myself.  It was just a little tiny spider, a little thing that I could have treated differently but it was of no major consequence. That started me wondering how many other little things of "no consequence" I do. I was left with a sense of selfishness, that I easily pick and choose which life forms I value as well as how and when.  And I wonder how that selfishness spills over into the rest of my life; how many times do I tell myself "it was only a little thing"? 

Lord grant me the grace to find you in the little things.
Jane Haproff

September 8, 2021 - Disappointment
We came to stay at our son's house to take care of the pool, water the flowers, etc. while he was on vacation.  We would overlap for a week's visit when he returned.  While there we experienced torrential rains associated with first a potential tornado and then a hurricane both of which resulted in the pool becoming green and murky.  We did everything we knew to do but nothing helped.  The pool became more like a swamp.  In communications with our son we learned some of what we had done may have damaged the computerized pool filter.  He put us in touch with a pool person who would come in a few days.   We were very concerned that we might have broken the pool and disappointed this son; I worried we had let him down in trusting us with his house.  All I could focus on was this disappointment.  In prayer I realized that we had done everything in our power, the rest was in God's hands.  So I let go just a little.  I realized that this was about pride, not about breaking something.  I didn’t want to have made a mistake and disappoint my son in doing so…it was pride.  Then, I accepted my limitations and trusted his goodness to forgive.  There is a happy ending:  it was a small problem that was easily fixed...no disappointment involved.  But do you see a theme here:  a broken house, feeling helpless to fix it, wondering if I've disappointed the owner? And then remembering that after I've done what I can, the owner is loving and forgiving.
Jane Haproff

September 9, 2021 - Cicadas and Tree Frogs
Between the cicadas and bird calls in the daytime and the tree frogs at night here in the Hudson Valley there is noise in the background constantly. The noise of the tree frogs is difficult to describe. It's somewhere between a rasping and a clicking and while nice in its manifestation of the nature that is all around us, the noise of the tree frogs can get especially annoying.  Lying awake one night listening to what I considered the racket of the tree frogs I reflected on a phrase from a Eucharistic prayer "...all creation gives you thanks and praise".  And there it is....birds singing in all different kinds of voices; bugs chirping, rasping, clicking all day and night; trees stretching, raising their limbs in praise, flowers blowing in the breeze almost genuflecting.   All of nature doing what God asks of all of us:  to serve Him in whatever ways it is possible in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.  And those tree frogs are doing just that:  singing (if you can call it that) all night so that God is honored  by nature 24 hours a day.  I heard the tree frogs differently after that, and took inspiration from their non-stop honoring of God.  
Jane Haproff

September 10, 2021 – A Blue Heron
It was my birthday and being away from home, none of our children were around to do the usual kinds of celebrations such as having us over for dinner, etc.  Birthdays are not a big deal to me, but I did notice that this one was different.  David took me out for breakfast and on our way to town on a small country road a giant bird swooped down in front of the car and flew in front of us for about 1/4 of a mile.  We thought it was an eagle since we had seen one a earlier.  But as it turned to fly off, we saw the long legs and neck...it was a Blue Heron!  We were aghast at its beauty and gracefulness.  Later that same day I was out in the yard watering when it visited again.  This large, graceful, beautiful thing swooped down and flew at eye level the full distance of the yard and again, right in front of me.   Heidi had written a few weeks ago about small kindnesses that had blessed her birthday. To say I felt blessed doesn't quite capture what this was like though.  If this were medieval times I would say it was magical or an omen...it had that kind of other worldly feeling about it.  Instead I felt humbled and privileged as if God had shared some of nature’s praise with me.  I hung my head in awe!
Jane Haproff  

September 11, 2021 - Atom and Eve
My nine-year-old granddaughter’s paternal grandparents are Jewish. She is being raised aware of both Judaism and Catholicism.  On a recent trip to pick Grandpa David up from Church she said, "I don't get it!  Where did the idea of God come from anyway? I believe in science."  I gave her an anthropological explanation of how early humans had feared and worshiped the power of nature, calling pieces of it "god".  And then moved to the biblical story of creation.  When I got to Adam and Eve, she became very excited, "oh I get it!  Adam...." she said, "everything is made out of atoms".  I thought she had misunderstood what I was saying, and told her that it wasn't atoms, but Adam, the man's name.  Her reply was, “But if he was the first person then all humans come from him, just like atoms make up everything else, get it?" I nodded and moved on to the Fall, and original sin, when she interrupted again, "See", she said, "even evil came from him (and her)"   After I thought about it for a minute, I realized that this explanation fit her "scientific" worldview in a way that did not disturb the theological implications of the Scripture stories. After having had many such exchanges with my own children trying to explain, for example, the difference between the Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit, I had vowed never to discuss theology with children.  But I came away from this exchange, which took many other turns, feeling excited and hopeful at some of her insights.  Out of the mouths of babes...!
Jane Haproff

September 12, 2021 – Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord
Spending weeks in the Hudson Valley as well as having had the privilege of traveling to new and distant places in the past has provided me with the opportunity to see the goodness of the Lord in many ways.  Certainly nature shouts of the goodness of the Lord in its bounteous and visible beauty and grandeur.  I also see the goodness of the Lord in the kindness, love and concern of people, often of strangers.  But I never actually thought of eating as a way to experience tasting the goodness of the Lord. I thought of it as goodness and a gift, but not of tasting the Lord until I read about using that phrase as part of a prayer before meals.  And that has changed everything.   I can taste the goodness of the Lord in a nice meal, or a good cup of coffee, sharing a glass of wine with a friend...all of these things involving not just taste, but a sort of communal awareness of where it comes from, an experience of God present with us.  Of course, this awareness leads me to Eucharist.  For months we were denied the taste of God's presence in the Eucharist though we were aware of His presence with us in other ways.  Now as I gratefully receive the host I don't taste its physical form, I savor the taste of the goodness of the Lord and thirst for the day when we can once again taste that goodness when receiving the cup.  
Jane Haproff