O Hilaritas

According to Newton
the intrinsic property of matter on which weight depends is mass.
But mass and weight vary according to gravity
(It is not a laughing matter).
On earth a mass of 6 kilograms has a weight of 6 kilograms.
On the moon a mass of 6 kilograms has a weight of 1 kilogram.
An object’s inertia (the force required to accelerate it)
depends entirely on its mass.
And so it is with me.
I depend entirely on a crumb of bread
a sip of wine;
it is the mass that matters
that makes matter.
In free fall, like the earth around the sun,
I am weightless
and so move only if I have mass.
Thanks be to the creator
who has given himself
that we may be.
- Madeleine L’Engle, The Ordering of Love, 94

Madeleine L’Engle plays off the dual meaning of “mass.” Mass is both a property of matter and worship that matters. The crumb of bread and sip of wine identify who we are. We may not call our form of worship “mass,” but worship makes us matter just the same. I hope to see you Sunday as we matter together to God, as we move together in prayer and song, as we worship the one who matters most, en masse.

Along the way, I wish you God’s peace on today’s stage of your Lenten spiritual journey. May Christ’s companionship bless you with confidence for the day, comfort you in trouble, and put a spring of joy in your step.