Holy Week humbling

Lent did to me what it always does to me...and I guess what is supposed to do...revealed those areas in my life that need some shoring up, some care and tending to. For me, this year, that's been a lot about my cynicism and my aggressive irritation with those around me: the least of these, usually, who stand in the way of my progress toward wherever it is I think I'm going, or think I need to go.

Then, yesterday, I saw this little clip on YouTube...you know the clip I'm talking about. And Miss Susan Boyle showed me what grace looks like. She took me to a place where I needed to go, but I confess I didn't expect it. Come on, neither did you. I was just like Simon Cowell, cringing at the thought of whatever was going to come out of her mouth and smugly looking forward to the trainwreck that was about to ensue.

And as I watched it unfold on my computer at work, I tried not to weep. I thought about her all evening, as I sat before the icons during Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. I thought about how grace-less I am, and how I do not treat people with anything remotely resembling the respect due them as those created in the image of God.

So, thank you, Susan Boyle. Thank you for being an instrument of God's grace in my life. Thank you for holding up the mirror of my own heart in front of my eyes so I could see those areas that needed polishing so I can better reflect that Divine Image. Thank you, Susan Boyle, for blessing this Holy Week for me in a very real way.