Easter Sunday 2014

“I Saw God Today”
By Chaplain George M. Rossi BCC MA MDiv
Easter Sunday 2014

Just walked down the street to the coffee shop Had to take a break I'd been by her side for 18 hours straight Saw a flower growin' in the middle of the sidewalk Pushin' up through the concrete Like it was planted right there for me to see The flashin' lights The honkin' horns All seemed to fade away In the shadow of that hospital at 5:08 I saw God today
Above you will find the beginning lyrics of the country song, “I Saw God Today,” by singer and songwriter George Strait. This is one of my favorite songs. It talks about “spiritual eyesight” that lets hearers see God in ordinary life. Surely the high and holy days of religion such as Easter and Passover are anything but ordinary. Yet, Mr Strait talks about seeing the face of God as he peered into the new baby unit of the hospital where his baby girl had just been born. For me, it is a matter of “been there, cried those tears and got the hospital bill!” among other things. So, where do you see God? In the song George Strait says he sees God in the flower that is growing up through the concrete. In the hard times of life he still found time to experience God and know the beauty and love of God through nature and people--the flower in the concrete and the baby in the newborn nursery. Easter is a perplexing reality. Jesus is raised from the dead. If that is not radical then let me know what else qualifies! Just recently I did a wedding where the groom told me that his bride (second marriage) helped him to regain the ability to love again. What a powerful word he shared. I was deeply touched that he had been given the gift of love but even more importantly he had allowed himself to feel and experience it. I am not sure where you will experience and feel God in this time of religious holy days but I hope is often and meaningful. Let us open our eyes and see God. He may even be looking at us in the mirror. After all, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That is a sight to behold and reality to ponder for a lifetime.