Rector’s Reflections

May 3, 2026

Dear People of God,           

Our Easter Season continues, rooted in new life, beginnings, and trust—a theme beautifully illustrated by the story below. Enjoy…

God Lives Under the Bed 

 I envy Kevin.  My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed.  At least that’s what I heard him say one night. He was praying aloud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen. “Are you there, God?” he said. “Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed…” 

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin’s unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night, something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago and is developmentally challenged due to labor difficulties. Aside from his 6’2” frame, he shows few signs of adulthood.

He reasons and communicates as a seven-year-old and will likely always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus fills the space under our tree each Christmas, and that angels carry airplanes.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?  

Each day begins before dawn: work at a workshop for the disabled, walking our cocker spaniel, macaroni and cheese for dinner, then bed.

Laundry is the only routine change—he hovers over the washing machine excitedly, like a mother with her newborn. He seems content, eagerly catching his 7:05 bus each morning for a simple day’s work.                

He wrings his hands with excitement as the water boils before dinner, and twice a week, he stays up late gathering laundry for the next day’s chores.

And Saturdays – oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That’s the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to get a soft drink, watch the planes land, and loudly speculate about each passenger’s destination. “That one’s goin’ to Chi-car-go!” Kevin shouts as he claps his hands. His anticipation is so great that he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

So goes his world: daily rituals and weekend field trips.

He doesn’t know what it means to be discontent. 

His life is simple—

He’ll never know the entanglements of wealth or power. Brand names or fancy meals mean nothing to him. His needs are met, and he never worries about the future.

His hands are diligent. Kevin is never happier than when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it. 

He does not shrink from a job once begun, and he does not leave it until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.

He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure.

He still believes that everyone tells the truth, that promises must be kept, and that when you are wrong, you apologize instead of arguing.

Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry, or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, Kevin approaches Christ as a child. He seems to know God as a close friend in a way that’s difficult for an “educated” person to grasp.

In moments of doubt with my Christianity, I envy Kevin’s simple faith. He may possess divine understanding beyond my questions. I realize he might not be the one with the real disability; perhaps I am. Obligations, fear, pride, and circumstances can become disabilities when I don’t trust God’s care.

Who knows if Kevin understands what I can’t? He’s spent his life in innocence, praying and soaking up God’s goodness and love.

One day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I’ll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Sometimes our lives get too complicated. Trust in God, who pursues us. Life also calls for surrender and letting go… and maybe, take a peek under your bed.  

On the Easter journey with you,  

Fr. Greg