They sat with rapt attention to his words. 

30Jan
I will dwell in your house for ever; I will take refuge under the cover of your wings.
- Psalm 61:4

While New Orleans and most of the country were experiencing freezing temperatures two weeks ago, we were returning from a week in Costa Rica. Our daughter and her family are living there for a year, and we were blessed to have the opportunity to spend a week with them and share some of their experiences.

Having never been to Costa Rica before, we weren’t sure what to expect. What we found is a country with much natural beauty, temperate year-round weather, roads that are many times unpaved, amazing adventures for the brave of heart, beautiful birds and exotic animals we’d not seen before, rain forests that almost seemed prehistoric, and kind welcoming people.

One of the memories I will always cherish is the Sunday Mass we attended. It was centered around a small shrine to Mary, yet all the seating was outside. Of course, the Mass was in Spanish, so we could only try to pick out a familiar word or two. However, the most beautiful part was when the priest came and sat down in front of the altar to deliver his sermon. All the children, and there were many of them, came from every direction and gathered around him. They sat with rapt attention to his words. His face held a warm, welcoming smile, which never left his face. Fortunately for us, midway through his sermon our daughter passed us her cellphone which had a translation app. It didn’t translate every word correctly, but we could generally follow his message. He spoke about how God loves his children and how He wishes for them to remember to pray to Him every day. He was almost asking them to “seek refuge under the cover of (God’s) wings.”

Musical Reflection - Eagles Wings Instrumental

Loving God, may we always feel your presence in our lives. May we live with kind hearts. May we welcome others to join hands as we experience the beauty of your creation. May we remember that in this world we are never alone, for You are with us always. Amen.
Psalms
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