10 Trinity Sq
Toronto, ON
M5G 1B1
416-598-4521
416-598-1432 (fax)
map

Rental space available

Weddings at Holy Trinity

weekly services
Sun. 10:30 am, 2:00pm;
Wed. 12:15 pm

email:
 the church
 the webmaster

parish staff

The Cardinal Outside my Window Announces Spring

SARA BOYLES
The cardinal outside my window announces spring. He also announces the Lenten season for the two are tied in the Christian year. The earth pushes forth new shoots and Christians enter a period of reflection and penitence. Each are moving to birth and new life. Each move towards "resurrection".

In the Christian journey however we have often got stuck along the way. Rather than the day of Jesus' death being a passage, a birth moment, it has become the end with the day of rising up tacked on to the story. Rather than symbolizing hope, the cross, for some, symbolizes defeat and the defeat becomes the focus of faith. Perhaps this attitude comes from the place where we stand. We can identify the markers and actions of globalization that bring destruction and despair in the global village, we are less able to enforce those things which would reflect the world view we feel called to seek. We have difficulty seeing the long waiting times where nothing seems to change. Our memory fails to hold us as we wait for the new bursting forth from seemingly dry places. We feel like we are in the wilderness, not in the
place of expectation.

At this moment however. I see a sign of hopefulness in this city. While I lament that men and women are foisted from City Hall at night I am encouraged that affordable housing will happen. My lament has to do with watching particular men and women fall deep into their worst dreams and nightmares while they are "encouraged" to move about to different sleeping quarters each night. I watch them in pain and torment wondering even more loudly where they will spend the night. May their watch only be forty nights.

Sara

November 30, 1999