It’s Sunday morning and the faithful have gathered. I’m sitting just one row up from the back of the sanctuary and one of the pillars that support the balcony is in a direct line between me and the pulpit. A moment ago I was visually aligning the pillar with vertical lines in the structure of the wall at the back of the platform. It all looks square and solid. I had another attention lapse earlier when I was trying to get the spot in my variable lenses where I could see clearly the small print of the credits at the bottom of the screen.

But I didn’t miss the heartfelt prayer for our country and our new President. And I didn’t miss the reminder that among us and all around us are hurting people who are suffering in a medical crisis, crippled by a moral failure, or wounded emotionally to the point of feeling that love and hope are out of reach.