This weekend, I was invited to a 4th of July picnic and fireworks with some special friends. There was one stunning moment that I shall never forget. Little Molly is the apple of the eye of her family. A little girl born with special needs, yet, despite her physical and mental limitations, she walks around with an infectious smile.One of her adopted aunts was playing bubbles with her. She was trying to get Molly to blow through the little tube to make bubbles. But the moment came when all the adult women of the family gathered in the living room for a magical moment. All the women started to dance with this “little one” singing at the top of their lungs the “hokey poky.”
Little Molly started to twirl around and around and mom and grand-mom and all her adopted aunts were raising their hands in the air smiling and singing getting Molly to smile and laugh. To some it might look pretty silly, but to me it was a precious moment like the seventy-two in the gospel bringing their neighbors a message about God’s infectious love for each of them, despite their limitations, theirs weaknesses and sins. It was a message of hope and pure joy.
Molly’s messengers were dancing and surrounded her with joy and laughter to make her feel like a special little girl despite the fact that the world may only see her physical and mental limitations. In the eyes of these special women, they were sending their precious Molly a message that she is indeed a "child of God.”
Somewhere, as we grow older we begin to accumulate lots of fears. Mostly about our survival. How will we retire on a dwindling pension, or make ends meet when unemployed, live on Medicare, or after college graduation find a job that will use our degree and training? Lots of stress that takes emotional energy and results in medical problems. We begin to despair, lose hope and the joy of life is taken away.
Molly's adopted aunts sang their hearts out to let this little girl know that she was perfect in their eyes. Can you believe that God sends us the same joyful message in our hearts that sings that no sin whatever is unforgivable and that every one of us can cheat death. What these messengers offered was liberation–-not from sin and death–-but from the fear of sin and death.
About nine o’clock grandma started handing out sparklers and lighted multi-colored wanes to all the kids. As the evening grew dark, the kids put the lighted wanes on their heads or around their necks and wrists. It looked like a court of princes and princesses. The kids were dressed up for a parade. Imagine a parade in heaven where you are a kid again, running around with a sparkle in your hand and a lighted wane on your head and all God’s children living in harmony and joy.
God prays for us as we reflect: “Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.” (Psalm 5:11).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are in need of your reassurance and liberation. Like Molly, may we find ourselves surrounded by our Lord’s joy and laughter who wants us to live without the fear of sin and death.
