a place of welcome and prayer

As the sun set yesterday, thirteen people gathered in our living room for Taizé prayer. With all those voices the simple music sounded wonderful. I read Mary's magnificat, the passage we're using for the retreat that starts tonight, and we prayed for those who will be our guests this weekend.

This morning I remembered what I had written several months ago:

I also hope that the retreat work here can be a focus of new life in the community. A means of reaching out and giving. And a way of exercising a more radical trust in God. When people come for the gatherings here this summer and next, it will be good to be able to tell of the new ministry for the poor here. And Heather and I hope our home, in the center of the community, will be a place of welcome and prayer for all the people who live here as well.

Last night seemed like an answer to that prayer.