Under the Mistletoe

Have you ever kissed God? I’ve thought about it and wondered if it would be anything like kissing Sam.

Sam and I were busy with last-minute decorations for liturgy in the gym at Clover Bottom. We wanted it to look like “church.” Sam was sitting on the floor untangling lights and he laughed out loud. Clover Bottom was a state institution for intellectually disabled adults. We called them “Differently Able” but the state did not pick up on our idea.

Wandering over to Sam and his web of lights, I wondered what was so funny. We had exactly four hours before the gym would be alive with 300+ people. I was getting frustrated with his calm and wanted him to hurry. He stood up and in his predictable southern saunter, came over to me and said, “Enough of this. We’re leaving for a few minutes. Get your jacket.” He was not authoritative, just Sam. However, I knew better than to say, “But…”

We got in the car and in a few minutes we were at Percy Warner Park. “Come on,” he gestured and I followed his giant steps (Sam had very long legs at 6’5”). Then he abruptly stopped, told me to look up and as I did he had me in his arms and kissed me for the first time. He had given me a whole tree of mistletoe. To say I was stunned, shocked, deliriously happy (I had waited for that kiss for a long time). He was smiling broadly but still holding me. “This is Incarnation!” he said. “Relationship.”

Snow began to fall.

I hope that when I get the chance to kiss God—it will be every bit as joyful, loving, innocent and breathtaking as kissing Sam.

Pat Pickett, OblSB

Photo by Ashley Winkler on Unsplash