I offer this reflection as a reminder of our profound interconnectedness with Creation, one another, and the Divine.

One Great Puzzle

Close your eyes for a moment… 
and let me tell you a story about a puzzle… 
It’s a very big puzzle…
Not a puzzle with thousands of pieces… 
But rather a puzzle with billions and billions of pieces…

The God of the universe created this puzzle… 
A puzzle of great beauty…
A puzzle of tremendous diversity…
Majestic mountains… lush green valleys… flowing rivers… graceful waterfalls… 
Fluffy clouds… singing birds… and fish, animals, and people… of every kind…
Beautiful flowers… gardens… sunshine… rain… and rainbows… 
A puzzle that reflects, in every piece…
Part of the infinite splendor and magnificence of God…

Each of us is a piece in this glorious puzzle…
A piece created with its own beauty, goodness, and purpose…
But by our very nature as a piece in this puzzle…
We see that there is part of us that is incomplete….
Part of us that is clearly meant to connect with another….
And part of us that is clearly meant for another to connect with us…
We are called to be part of something more…

In our little section of the puzzle…
We oftentimes find ourselves surrounded by pieces that look like us…
Similar color tones, features, and purpose in being part of the puzzle…
In our world we are taught to become the best puzzle piece we can be…
We are taught to do everything to reach our fullest potential…
We make “being the best piece in the whole puzzle” our life’s goal…
Oftentimes we believe that if every other piece could be just like me…
Believe just like me… 
And act just like me…
They too would become all they were called to be…

But the puzzle is not about me…
It’s not about you…
The puzzle is about US…
By its very nature the puzzle is about connection… 
It’s inclusive of everything… and everyone…
In all their diversity of color… texture… purpose… and beauty…
The goal for each of us is to become part of the whole… 
Part of the community…
A community that celebrates our differences…
Honors everything that makes each of us uniquely our own…
Encourages us to fulfill our specific purpose…
Inspires us to play the role the creator intends…
In making the puzzle everything they dream, desire and imagine…

We don’t accomplish this as individuals…
Or even as members of our small communities…
We don’t achieve this by attempting to make every piece just like ourselves…
Or expecting every piece to meet our expectations…
Or fit into our neat little box…

We succeed only by authentically being ourselves…
We don’t accomplish this on our own…
We accomplish this, in connection with the other pieces of the puzzle…
Accompanying one another on the journey…
Entering into relationship with one another…
Giving of ourselves for the sake of the other… 
And for the sake of the puzzle…
We are called to be part of the bigger whole…
And we find our truest meaning…. 
And our deepest selves…
In light of the whole…
Together we strive to achieve the Purpose of the Great Creator…
That we be one…
One entire puzzle of tremendous beauty, diversity, purpose, and Love…

Amen.

Peace,
Joseph Krans, Executive Director