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Thin Places On Saturday, July 12, after a round of golf in Midland, Texas, I was reconnoitering the location of another course I was to play the following weekend. I found the Nueva Vista (New View) Golf Club all the way down Wadley Avenue where it dead-ends. I marked it on my GPS, and, as I headed out of the parking lot, noticed across from the entrance at this dead-end, what appeared at first to be a well or an empty fountain, about 9 ft across, built of stone, half round with a 7 ft. back wall. A cross had been built into the back and I noticed a sign to the right that read, “Park and Pray”. There were spaces in front so I parked.
I hung my head and began to weep and thank God for this holy place, for His people who had thought to build this thin place1 in the desert where Wadley Avenue ends, and for answering the prayers of His church. I prayed for all those who had come to this "prayer well" before me and for all those who would come after. After a few moments, I selected one of the nearby stones from one of the buckets thoughtfully placed there, washed it off with some water, and wrote this prayer on it… Repent me, O God, of the darkness in my soul. Free me from my sin. And let Your glory shine in your church. After a few more moments, I began to think of how we often forget who we are and what we are meant for. In this time out of town, free from my normal familial obligations and those of the local parish, I was pursuing a round of golf when God caught my heart and my eye. He brought me to a Holy place to pray, to touch heaven, and to be touched by heaven – this shrine in the desert. It occurred to me how all of us who call ourselves by the name of Christ, we who are sealed by His name and sanctified by His Holy Spirit, each of us ought to be “thin places” in the desert of humanity. Each of us ought to be a “thin place” where heaven touches earth where our brothers and sisters can come to receive the blessing of friendship, God’s love, mercy and grace. Where another can find a place in our heart, indeed in the very heart of God, to rest and whisper a prayer and hear our “amen” added to theirs. I thank Him for His church. I thank him for that moment in the desert. I thank Him that he is enlarging the place of our tents2 that we might have the ability to hold each other in our hearts as the Lord holds us in His and that He is faithful to see His church grow in love and unity until He comes again. Caritas Christi Urgetnos, Fr. Jim+ P.S. - The "Prayer Well" was built by our brothers and sisters at Stonegate Fellowship Church. 1 Christian Celts believed “thin places” to be places where the veil between heaven and earth was so thin that they actually touched; holy places where heaven touched earth and God could more easily be found. 2 Isaiah 54:2 |
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Last Update: Sunday, November 2, 2008 09:16
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As I got out and approached the
structure, I
noticed river stones of different sizes all around and two buckets on each side
filled with the same. Inside were many other stones with writing on
them - prayers, people’s names, questions, scriptures, etc…