It’s been a week. I have nothing to say about anything, except that. This morning, I stood in the nave of our century old Anglican Church building, joining my voice with about a hundred and fifty other souls to say the Nicene Creed.
People have been reciting the Nicene Creed for about 1,700 years. That these words have been spoken aloud for that long helps me, not to make sense of anything, but to keep getting up in the morning, put one foot in front of the other, and do my level best to grant grace and look at every single person I encounter as one dearly and deeply loved by the Divine. And when I miss the mark, to grant the same grace to myself and begin again.
I don’t understand much of anything that’s happening in the world today, much less this week. Honestly, I don’t understand everything in the Nicene Creed either, but this morning, these words reminded me of what I believe and, for today, that’s enough.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Lord, have mercy.