Keeping Vigil
December 2016
People in our own city neighborhoods gather in vigil to pray for those who have died or are seriously wounded in random drive-by shootings; people keep vigil at the deathbed of someone they love, or they wait year after year after year for just immigration laws, an end to the death penalty, fair wages, equal treatment of men and women, in protest of gun-violence. People wait – they keep vigil because of something they value highly or something or someone they cherish. Anne Amati, OSF – April 4, 2016 presentation
Reflection: As Anne’s words indicate, vigiling occurs within a variety of circumstances. At some of these times vigiling may seem like a marathon of waiting, which suggests a long, passive, empty period of time. I easily grow impatient during these times, and so for me it raises a question: what is the quality of my waiting? Advent certainly calls us to the practice of sacred waiting such as practices of intent observation, persistent prayer and open hearted trust in God.
I recently kept vigil with my family at the hospice bedside of a dying uncle. His wife of 64 years, my aunt, had hardly left his side for months. Her vigil had been long and deep. As his death drew closer, family members gathered around. With the situation completely in God’s hands and not ours, we had little choice but to be patient, attentive and trusting as we waited for the moment of his transformation from this life to the next. How were we waiting? As people came and went, we told stories of my uncle. People whose paths had not crossed in years reconnected with each other to share common memories of my uncle and to catch up on their lives. The stories brought smiles, laughter and a holy presence of love into our vigiling. Other times were quiet, tearful and prayerful. One night was particularly long when we thought he was close to death. Exhausted and uncertain of what to do, some finally went home at 3 a.m. to get a little sleep and prepare to resume our holy waiting the next day. He went home to God the following evening, quiet, peaceful and holy surrounded by family waiting in grace filled vigil. (Pat Doody, osf)
Prayer and Reflection:
v Notice times when you must wait. How do you wait? What are your feelings and expectations? What is your way of “being” in times of waiting?
v How do you experience God in waiting and vigiling? What does God reveal to you in your times of waiting?