Living this day

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has

enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

 

The past six months have been tumultuous times here in L’Arche Belfast. Changing leadership,

re-creating our office space to accommodate a team of 6 rather than 2, moving to a new “Ark”

(volunteer house) over the Christmas holiday, and preparing to say farewell to several beloved long-

term assistants were among the many transitions we’ve experienced. I began to fear going in to

the office on a Monday morning, as each week seemed to bring new and unexpected (and often

unwelcome!) challenges that piled themselves on top of the already busy day-to-day life of the

community.

 

However, every cloud has a silver lining. The past six months have also highlighted the role that the

core members have at the heart of our community. As the leadership team and assistants struggled

at times to keep our heads above the chaos, Thomas, Larry, Jillian, May, and Matthew provided a

sense of stability in the midst of it, assuring us in their own ways that everything would be fine, and

that the life of the community would continue to carry on regardless of the current tribulations. At

our Monday morning prayers in the community, we often talk about giving ourselves up to God,

and trusting that everything that happens is a part of God’s plan for the world. However, this is

much easier to speak than it is to believe, especially in times of crisis. I am grateful for the wisdom

of our core members, who constantly remind me to live each day as it comes, and to take time to

appreciate the small joys that life brings, even in hard times.

--Scott