Our Lady of the Angels

6 August 2006
In the Christian tradition we have many images of how important small things are - the mustard seed; the woman looking for the lost coin. The tiny church of Our Lady of the Angels aka Portiuncula, the Little Portion stands in this tradition. This ancient building, while sheltered by the large, ornate church gives it its meaning, its feeling and is its heart.

The Portiuncula is a symbol of our own inner depth. That core within us that gives us meaning and purpose, beauty and strength. It is the very heart-beat of spirit. It is more ancient than we are because it is the Spirit of God.

We need to give this inner core attention, shelter and nurture; repair and renovation if it is to continue to flourish and give life to the whole structure of our lives. No matter whether we see our lives as beautiful or ornate or in disrepair, the inner core remains. Sometimes, however, this Little Portion may seem lost and overlaid. We forget it is there. Sometimes we have never known it is there. We need to uncover the stones and rediscover what has always been there - God's life and love, waiting, longing and desiring our response.

So just as the large church shelters this Little Portion within it's structure to preserve and nurture it so it may continue to radiate it's power, so the little church transforms and gives meaning to the large church.

Similarly the core of our being, the Spirit living in us, is nurtured when we daily live in attentive love to our sisters and brothers whoever and whereever they may be; and the Spirit within us radiates into our lives and gives us strength, meaning, joy and the courage to care for our world, to make evident that which is real - that because of Creation and Incarnation we are sisters and brothers to all creation.