NCR reflects on, celebrates solar eclipse

NCR staff at the solar eclipse party Aug. 21. (NCR photo)

NCR staff at the solar eclipse party Aug. 21. (NCR photo)

by Annie Loendorf

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Editor’s Note: Kansas City, Missouri, where NCR headquarters are located, was very near the path of totality for the solar eclipse Aug. 21. To mark this historic (and really cool) event, we had a staff party with pizzas, moon pies, sun chips and Tang. Tomorrow we eat healthy, we promise. We then repaired to the parking lot with our special sun glasses for the viewing. We had heavy rain showers with thunder and lightning early in the day, but by 11:30 a.m., the sky had cleared enough for viewing.

Before we got the jollyment underway, we did pause for some spiritual reflection. Charity Sr. Anne Loendorf, who volunteers in our development office, wrote a reflection for us for the day. She followed that with a prayer for grace before meals that we prayed before beginning our celebration. Below is Sr. Annie’s reflection and her prayer.

Welcome to this sacred time in our history

Grand moment of MYSTERY -- AWE -- WONDER! This time of ECLIPSE!

This time of pausing ... of  being aware

Being deeply attentive...mindful of being an active participant

In God's Evolutionary journey

Beginning 13.8 billion yrs ago when this God of EVOLUTION

Spoke so simply  into the darkness & chaos ... LET THERE BE LIGHT! LIGHT ... most magnificent creation ... source of Fire

ILLUMINATING PRESENCE of the HOLY Of whom the Buddha says ... MAKE OF YOUR LIFE AND ENDURING LIGHT!

LIGHT of which our Jewish and Quaker brothers & sisters call a GOD SPARK LIGHT inhabiting our souls

And the story continues with the words of the ancient mystic Hafiz:

EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME

THE SUN NEVER SAYS TO THE EARTH

'YOU OWE ME'

Look what happens with a LOVE like that -- IT LIGHTS THE WHOLE WORLD!!

You and I have been living within this LOVE story all of our lives. ILIA DELIO calls it A QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT!

Today we are uniquely  entangled in this cosmic experience.

This blazing love force ... our SUN radiating 1 million times greater than the moon ... is already now  beginning to know this moon's intimate touch ... her shadow moving in over our earth ... creating dark places appearing in the sun until ALL LIGHT DISAPPEARS

BE STILL....LISTEN TO THE DARKNESS..


Prayer before meals

Let us know ourselves to be participating In this most HOLY EVOLUTIONARY story Of being energized

Befriended

Empowered

Affirmed in our call to be LIGHT as this most amazing

Precious FIRST GIFT of creation

SHINES UPON US A-NEW

WE come to our table of  COMMUNION on this most amazing day

... a day of nourishment into the depths of our persons, mind-body-spirit

We come with HUGE THANKFUL hearts

For the wonder of creation

  For its continual infusion into our everydailyness.

Blessed is the Source of all life

Well-spring of goodness, compassion, kindness

For it is from this creative power that

We derive food from the bounty of our earth

Food that sustains us that we might sustain others.

And so we eat to be strengthened and deepened in our mission ... Always being reminded that all LIFE is HOLY ... SACRED ... to be reverenced ... shown dignity and respect.

Each of us is unique

Offering planet earth the gift no other can offer -- OURSELVES!

We eat and are renewed

We are thankful to all the plants and animals

That have given of their lives that we might be nourished this day. May we merit their sacrifice

Honor their sparks of holiness

Through our acts of loving kindness.

As we gather now to "commune" with one another

we offer our conversation and friendship ... membership in our NCR community

as we break open the bread of our lives with one another as evolutionary companions ... companions on the way

Brothers and sisters of our most amazing planet

Ever becoming whole/holy persons.

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