Grace in Small Things
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Rev. Diana Johnson, IM, RScM, with Lucinda Alton, RScP, Chris Johnson, RScP, and musician Dalton Fitzgerald.
Video Chapter Index
| 0:00 | Taizé | Clicking on a chapter link will play the segment in a new YouTube tab. Your link to this page will remain open in this tab, but the video will play in the new window. Clicking on the Play arrow in the video screen above will play both Taizé and the Conscious Conversation on this page. To make the picture bigger, you may click the full screen icon in the lower right corner:  To cast the video to your Smart TV, click the Play on TV button:  . Also, we now have Closed Captioning available! To access Closed Captions, start the video and click on the CC icon next to the gear in the lower right of the video screen:  |
| 19:18 | Guided Meditation | |
| 42:34 | Conscious Conversation |
Taizé
Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Good morning, and welcome. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, Pastor and Spiritual Director here at Mystic Heart. Let’s begin our Taizé Experience this morning with a couple of deep breaths… letting go… fully arriving in this moment… and joining our voices in musical prayer.
Dalton – Taizé Chants
- Welcome Home to Your Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- Amazing Grace, lyrics adapted by Rickie Byars
Rev. Diana – We come together this morning as a Community, in deep gratitude for Sangha, Spiritual Community, the Power of collective prayer and meditation, and what it brings to bear on the world…grateful for this Moment of Grace. Settling into the stillness, I breathe…bringing full awareness to the breath…allowing it to ground me…fully present in the here and now…feeling the Presence of the One Life, moving through and all around me…sensing and knowing that I Am an expression of that Life…intentionally made, and here by design…part of an Infinite Field of Awareness, a vast web of Consciousness that surrounds and infuses the planet. It is alive…and within Its Life, and by Its Power, I live.
There is so much Grace in every breath…in the way we are connected with all of life through the breath…every human and other-than-human creature… every plant and microbe, every rock and grain of sand, every drop of water…part of one Sacred Whole…all necessary, all Holy, all a part of the one Source…all shining the Light of Spirit into this world. As I sense my connection with all of creation, I Am empowered… there is a deep sense of Peace…of Grace…of Goodness.
Grace can be found in small things…there is immense Power in tiny acts… a soft word, a radiant smile, a gentle or kind gesture…there are ripples of Goodness that flow from the seemingly insignificant acts of Love that we share. These are the warp and weft that weave the tapestry that becomes our lives.
Within each of us, there is a place of gentleness, of generosity…there is a deep well-spring of Goodness at the core of our being. This morning’s reflections offer an invitation to activate the unique gift that you are, and that you have to offer the world.
Your gift for Goodness is absolutely unique, a signature that is as distinct as your face or your voice. This gift flows spontaneously from you in small acts. Easy to miss in the busyness of our modern lives…easy to forget that our real Power, our ability to create the world we want to live in, is in the small things that we do.
Like a pebble dropping into a lake, a warm smile when it is needed, a soft word of comfort, a mistake kindly overlooked, a remembered birthday, a beautiful message at just the right time…giving the benefit of the doubt or assuming the highest intent…holding someone’s tender dreams with them and letting them hold yours. These seemingly small things radiate with Love, with kindness and gentleness, and they have the Power to change your day, and to brighten another person’s life…we never know what ripples will come from that. There is Grace in Small Things.
Dalton – Musical Meditation
- Grace in Small Things
Rev. Diana – The gentle impression of Love that is left by the small acts of kindness we offer, weaves a thread of gentleness and caring through our lives. Nothing on this planet is quite as powerful as gentleness. It has the Power to soften hard hearts…to bring warmth to where the cold and bitterness and disappointments of life have settled in…to coax Faith from beneath the fear and great Beauty from the harshness that sometimes surround us.
Residing within each of us is this great Power for Gentle Love. It is always here, available for its unique expression in the small acts that you do. You contain the capacity for creating Aliveness, Joy, and Restoration…for being Peace wherever you go.
One minute of silence
Chris – Guided Meditation
We use the word grace in many different ways… to refer to a dancer’s elegant movement… a simple prayer of gratitude before a meal… or even an extension of a due date… It can also mean to honor others by coming to be with them… Thank you for gracing us with your presence this morning…
Divine Grace refers to the infinite givingness of Spirit… the Unconditional Love of the Creator for its Creation… freely given… unmerited… forever flowing to us from the very Heart of God… empowering our spiritual growth… transforming us… healing us… bestowing Peace, Love, and Joy…
Grace is all around us… ever available… but it never forces itself on us… it waits patiently for us to notice… to open our hearts in deep appreciation for the beauty of the Earth… to rest from our busy-ness… our concerns… our fears… and to take a fresh look… expecting to see Goodness…
We can find only what we are looking for… so let us seek Grace in all things… large and small… and accept it wholeheartedly… We are conduits for Divine Grace… as it enters into us, it fills our hearts with gratitude… and it overflows to those around us… through our expressions… our words… and our actions…
As we commune together this morning, I invite us to contemplate the Grace that is fully present… right here… right now… in the smiles we have shared this morning… the embraces… the loving words… and in the inspiration of Rev. Diana’s reflections… We are surrounded by Grace… filled with Grace… transformed by Grace… In our three minutes of Sacred Silence, let us fully appreciate the blessings we have received… and allow them to flow through us… and back out into our world…
Silence – 3:00
Divine Spirit, thank you for this day… for this communion with Spiritual Family… and for the blessings I receive from each one… Help me to always see your Light shining through their eyes… May we always be aware of the Divine Grace that fills and surrounds us… and may we never forget to share it with everyone we meet…
This week, let us actively look for things to be grateful for… let us count our blessings… and share our Love… Let us devote ourselves to kindness, compassion, and gratitude… Let Spirit make each of us an instrument of Divine Grace…
Returning now to Rev. Diana’s Taizé meditation, we allow our hearts to open even further… grateful for her wisdom… and for the blessing of this gathering… We let ourselves be inspired and empowered to Find Grace in Small Things…
Rev. Diana – As you set about practicing random acts of kindness in the world, those in your presence cannot help but soften and bloom…your small acts of Goodness, Gentleness, and Love have kissed them awake. You begin to cast the Beauty and the Grace that is you into a world so desperately in need.
Together, we set an intention…that unconditional, unrestricted Goodness flow from each of us in the week to come…that everyone who crosses your path (and mine) is blessed by our Presence and our Kindness.
If an impulse arises to do a small thing that is huge with Goodness, do it in your own unique way, sending a ripple of Light into the world. These small things you will do matter more than any grand gesture…they paint the world Beautiful…they are the foundations and beginnings of a Love-Soaked World.
Let’s anchor all we have heard this morning in Prayer.
Know with me now…One Life, freely given, as all of Creation…
Forever expressing Itself as you, and as me…
One giant act of Grace, giving expression to all that is.
How sweet it is to know that the little things we do for one another mean so much…that a simple smile or soft word can brighten someone’s day…how good it is to remember that there is Grace in Small Things.
We move into the coming week, committed to remembering…to offering our own unique gift of Gentleness in all we do…to being the Love we seek…to walking as Grace in action. And as we do, there is a ripple of kindness set in motion…we know not how far it goes. And one ripple at a time, the world is transformed…and so are we.
I Am so grateful for this beautiful morning…for this safe and loving space…for the amazing people who share this life with me.
Thank you, Spirit, for the countless blessings that Grace my life today and every day. I Am truly blessed.
Feeling Peaceful and Content in this moment and trusting and knowing that it has left its own ripple of Grace for each one listening, I release it now…a prayer spoken and deeply felt is a prayer answered. May I have the eyes to see that everything that unfolds from this moment forward is answered prayer…And so I let it be. And so it is! Amen!
We gently return our awareness to our bodies, connecting once again with our senses…noticing the sounds in the room…allowing the eyes to gently open and taking in whatever is before you. Feel free to look around, to acknowledge the beautiful souls who are here with you in prayer and meditation…say good morning…offer your Love. These are members of your Spiritual Family…people who are here for you in times of need and times of celebration.
Love Offering
As we prepare to close our Taizé Meditation, we offer the opportunity for you to share of your financial good in support of the work we do. Circulation is a Sacred Practice that supports your Mystic Heart.
It is by your generous gifts that we can continue the Good Work of supporting you and engaging in the greater Community.
If you’re joining us online, at mysticheart.org you can use a Donate Button, a Venmo qr code, or our mailing address to make your contribution. We thank you in advance for your heartfelt generosity.
As we pass the basket, please enjoy In Front of You, by RhythmVerse; it’s presented as a love song, but the lyrics can apply to any relationship.
Dalton – Offertory Music
- May the Light of Love, written by David Roth
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Brief Invitations – Just a heads up for those who won’t be here for all of the invitations:
- Harvey Tickets for May 27th Help us fill the house! From now until the show, we will present a weekly prize for the top ticket-seller!
- Parking Lot Sale, May 29th & 30th We are accepting donations of clean, gently used items of all kinds. Please contact Rev. Diana if you can volunteer to help with the sale in any capacity.
Now, let us bless one another with music as we close out our Taizé with A Soul’s Blessing, written by Chris Johnson.
Conscious Conversation
Lucinda – Opening Prayer
Rev. Diana – Welcome or welcome back… and thank you for joining us this morning. If you’re new with us here this morning, my name is Rev. Diana Johnson, and I am the Pastor and Spiritual Director here at Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. We are an Independent Interfaith Community that teaches Universal Principles and Practical Spirituality, tracing the common threads of Truth that run through all the world’s great spiritual traditions. I pray that something you hear this morning will point you in the direction of the Wisdom that lives within your own Mystic Heart.
Let’s get our Conversation started with some upbeat music and give our bodies a chance to move!
Dalton – Opening Music
- Welcome to the Mystic Heart, written by Diana & Chris Johnson
- One Big Family, written by Robin Hackett & Gary Lynn Floyd
- God is My Source, written by Karen Drucker
Rev. Diana – Please follow me into the creative space of the imaginal realm…and Vision with me a new version of life on earth…see yourself right here, and right now, living in a Love-Soaked World…where all humans are living from their deepest Wisdom and Generosity, and their most Loving nature…thoughtful of the impact their thoughts, words, and actions have on one another, the community, and the planet…a world without greed, where there is abundance in having enough…where nutritious food, clean water and air are readily available to all beings…
…where warm, comfortable, and affordable housing is a given…where all beings feel a sense of safety, belonging, and contribution…To these blessings, we say Yes!
Ours is a world where mental/physical health, education, and healthy relationships are ensured by social systems grounded in Integrity, Honesty, and Wholeness…where all beings work and play at whatever feeds their soul and are well compensated for their Service…where authenticity and vulnerability are not only welcomed, but celebrated…where the Peace we cultivate within ourselves shows up as a world free of violence, hatred, or indifference…ours is a world where the Love that we are here to share is given freely to whomever our hearts are called to love…where we have moved beyond all lines of separation, and live as one human family, caring for one beautiful planet with the reverence she deserves. To these blessings, we say Yes!
We recognize that transformation is an on-going process, and especially in times of great change, people benefit from working, playing, and simply being together. And so this Community stands as an open and welcoming place for all who seek support, belonging, and a sense of Family. …it redefines Church as a place of Self-Discovery, Authenticity, Kindness, Radical Inclusion, and Love. To these blessings, we say Yes!
It is by the Power of the Great Mystery moving through each one of us that this prayer is acted upon, answered even as it is spoken…as one by one, we live into and from this Vision, it cannot be otherwise. And so it is with deep faith, profound gratitude and great Joy that I release my Word to the One Who Gets It Done…And so it is!…Amen! And for those studying the Upanishads right now, Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!
Bringing awareness back to the body, to the room, to this beautiful life, and to the amazing beings who share this space with us this morning…
Can you feel the shift in energy? We have just created a ripple of Grace that has infused all that is and continues to send waves of Renewal and Revival to all of Creation. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it. The deed is done, and I think we’re ready to have a Conscious Conversation.
Our theme this month is Moments of Grace and the topic of Conversation this morning is The Grace in Belonging.
If you were here this morning during Taizé, you’ll remember that we focused on the Grace that can be found in the small acts of kindness we offer in our daily lives…that there is immense Power in those tiny acts… a soft word, a radiant smile, a gentle or kind gesture…there are ripples of Goodness that flow from the seemingly insignificant acts of Love that we share. These are the warp and weft that weave the tapestry that becomes our lives.
We said that within each of us, there is a place of gentleness, of generosity…there is a deep well-spring of Goodness at the core of our being. And this morning’s reflections offered an invitation to activate the unique gift that you are, and that you have to offer the world. That was it…we spent our whole morning basking in Grace and Gentleness.
Now there’s a word we don’t use often enough…maybe a quality we don’t consciously display as readily as we might…Gentleness.
What does that quality look like in real life?
Can you think of one time this past week when you might have called forth a bit of Gentleness? Might that have made a difference?
I’d like to share a short story. It’s one I’ve used before, but it’s been awhile, and it speaks to this quality of Gentleness, and to how there is so much Grace in Small Things. I invite you to close your eyes for a moment as you listen.
An inner-city taxi driver arrives at his final stop for the day. He honks his horn, and after waiting a few minutes, he honks again. Because it is his last stop, he considers pulling away. But instead, he puts the car in park and walks up to the door. Knock, knock…he hears an elderly voice… “Just a minute…”
Then he hears the shuffling of bags moving across the floor, and then the door opens. It is a small woman in her 90’s with a soft smile, wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat. As she answers, the taxi driver catches a glimpse of the inside of the house. It looks as if no one has lived there for years. All the furniture is covered in sheets…no clocks on the wall…and no knickknacks on the counters. “Would you carry my bag?,” the lady asks. The cab driver walks her slowly down the steps of the front porch to the cab. And once in the cab, the lady hands the driver an address, but adds, “Can you drive through downtown?” “It’s not the shortest way,” the driver answers. “Oh, I’m in no hurry, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m on my way to hospice.” The driver and passenger share a quick glimpse in the rearview mirror, enough for her to see his concern and continue… “I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.” The driver quietly reaches over and shuts off the meter, and then asks, “What route would you like me to take?” And for the next two hours, they drive through the city. She shows the driver where she once worked, the neighborhood where she and her husband once lived, a furniture warehouse that had once been a barroom when she was a girl. There were a few parts of town where she asks the driver to slow down, and she just sits, staring into the darkness, saying nothing. After a couple of hours, she suddenly says, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” And they drive in silence to the address she has given him. When they arrive, two people come out right away. They must be expecting her. The driver opens the trunk to take out the suitcase. As soon as the trunk is shut, she is already in a wheelchair. “How much do I owe you?,” she asks, reaching into her purse. “Nothing,” says the driver. “But you have to make a living,” she answers. “There are other passengers,” he responds. And almost without thinking, the driver gives the lady a hug. She holds on tightly. “You gave an old woman a little moment of Joy,” she said. “Thank you.” He didn’t pick up any more passengers that night. In fact, he could hardly speak.
What if that woman had gotten an angry or impatient driver? What if she got someone who refused to get out and go to her door…refused to take the time driving around the city? The taxi driver couldn’t shake the feeling that this single moment may be one of the most important moments of his life.
So we treat our interactions as just that, interactions, when in fact there may be an important moment waiting to be discovered. This woman is not the only one to benefit that day. One could argue that the cab driver got the most from this experience…knowing the importance of what he did…the significance of that moment…the reminder of how precious life is. I’m sure all this and more stuck with him every day after.
Not every action has this level of potential, but we’ll never know the positive impact we can have unless we try.
Let’s begin by talking about what came up for you hearing that story.
We said this morning that there is great Power in Gentleness…that it may be the greatest Power we have.
We talked about where, in the past week, you might have called forth greater Gentleness. Now let’s look at the times that you did consciously call forth Gentleness…maybe it was even challenging.
What are the qualities this cab driver was displaying?
(patience, compassion, willingness, kindness, gentleness, generosity…)
Where in your life might there be room for more of these qualities to come forward?
Did you have any opportunities to receive kindness or gentleness this past week?
What difference did it make?
The Loving and Compassionate acts we offer start a ripple of Goodness in motion…we know not how far that ripple will go, or how many lives may be touched by our simple acts of kindness.
What are some of the ways you will practice Gentleness in the coming week?
This morning’s topic has been Finding Grace in Small Things. We have been focused on the many ways we can offer our unique and simple gifts to the world. We haven’t even touched on the countless simple gifts that bless our lives every day.
What are some of those gifts in your life?
Here is my invitation to you this week…your homework…start your day by sitting in Gratitude for the many blessings in your life…maybe write them down to give them focused attention. And then, set about becoming a blessing in someone else’s life. Become a conduit for Grace in the world…offer your time, talent, and treasure. And don’t stop there…as you move through your week, offer your Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, and Compassion. Smile at strangers…let your facial expressions reflect Gentleness…let your words and the tone in your voice be Gentle. Offer more focused attention to the people in your life…let them feel your caring.
Is there anything else that needs to be spoken before we close in prayer?
Closing Prayer –
I am borrowing from Chris’s beautiful Taizé meditation in closing… Grounding us now in Divine Grace…the infinite givingness of Spirit… the Unconditional Love of the Creator for its Creation…freely given…unmerited…
…forever flowing to us from the very Heart of God… empowering our spiritual growth… transforming us… healing us… bestowing Peace, Love, and Joy…
Grace is all around us… ever available… but it never forces itself on us… it waits patiently for us to notice… to open our hearts in deep appreciation for the beauty of the Earth… to rest from our busy-ness… our concerns… our fears… and to take a fresh look… expecting to see Goodness…
We can find only what we are looking for… so let us seek Grace in all things… large and small… and accept it wholeheartedly… We are conduits for Divine Grace… as it enters into us, it fills our hearts with gratitude… and it overflows to those around us… through our expressions… our words… and our actions…
As we move into our week, may we notice and give thanks for the Grace that is fully present… right here… right now… in the smiles we have shared this morning… the embraces… the loving words… and in countless ways we are blessed every day… We are surrounded by Grace… filled with Grace… transformed by Grace… May we also seek to be the Gentle Grace flowing through the lives of our loved ones, and all those who cross our paths.
This week, may we actively look for things to be grateful for… count our blessings and share our Love… May we devote ourselves to Kindness, Compassion, and Gratitude… May we be instruments of Divine Grace.
Thank You, Spirit, for the countless hands and hearts it took to bring our feast to the table today…may I never take for granted my dependence on so many Sacred Beings. May I be forever grateful.
I release this prayer in deep faith and absolute certainty that a prayer deeply felt and powerfully spoken is a prayer answered. It is coming into form and experience for each one, right here and right now, exactly as spoken…in this Moment of Grace…In deep humility, I receive…I let it be…And so it is! Amen!
Love Offering
Thank you so much for joining me here today. We’re going to bring this part of the morning to a close, but before we do, we’d like to invite you to join in the celebration of the work we are doing in the world by sharing of your financial Good. If you are at home, you can go to mysticheart.org to use our Donate Button or to find our mailing address. We also have a Venmo account @MysticHeartRedding.
We are an independent, self-supporting organization, and your financial gifts are what make it possible for us to do our work and provide this beautiful and safe space to gather. We thank you in advance for your generous hearts and gifts. We acknowledge and give thanks for the Infinite Abundance of Spirit moving through you.
Offertory Music – Invisible Hands, live
Lucinda – Blessing for the Offering
Lucinda – Invitations
- The Mystic Heart Book Club is reading Return to the Sacred: Pathways to Spiritual Awakening on Tuesdays from 2-4
- Shining Light on Scripture meets on Wednesdays from 11:30am–1:30pm. We are currently reading The Upanishads translated by Eknath Easwaran.
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss, by Elisabeth Kubler Ross and David Kessler. Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 pm This is a book study and support circle.
- Fast Track to Wellness meets on Thursdays from 11:30am – 1:30pm. This is a body/mind/spirit support circle. We are currently listening to and discussing selections from Atomic Habits and Life in the Fasting Lane.
- Join us on May 27th at 6:30 for a Riverfront Playhouse production of Harvey. The story centers on a man whose best friend is a púca named Harvey (a púca is a benign but mischievous creature from Celtic mythology). He is a 6 ft 3+1⁄2 in (1.92 m) tall white invisible rabbit. There is an ensuing debacle when the man’s sister tries to have him committed to a sanatorium. Bring an appetizer to share beforehand…bring a friend…bring a few…the show begins at 7:30.
- Our annual Pop-Up Parking Lot Sale will be on May 29th -30th, 8am-2pm. Start cleaning out your closets, cupboards, garages, and sheds. We are accepting donations of clean, gently used, and saleable items. And we are looking for volunteers to sort, price, and work the sale. Your home-baked goods are also welcome. Contact Rev. Diana for more information.
Looking Ahead…
- An Evening of Jazz & Chocolate with Marsh Brodeur, Friday, June 12th, 6:00 – 8:30 pm. Join Mystic Heart for an evening of soul-filled music with Marsh as we enjoy a selection appetizers and delectable chocolate desserts. Bring your own preferred beverages…decaf, iced tea, and other non-alcoholic beverages will be available. This is a Mystic Heart Fun-Raising event. Tickets are being sold in advance for $25. This is a great opportunity to introduce friends and family to our Community.
- Be a part of the celebration! NorCal Outreach Project invites you to the Redding Pride Festival on Saturday, June 20th, 2026, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Downtown Promenade. Mystic Heart will have a booth. Contact Rev. Diana if you can help out.
Watch your email or get on the WhatsApp Group Chat for more information this month. There will be a Summer Bulletin ready by June 1st.
Information Cards only if new people
Prayer Requests: I am available after service for prayer, in our beautiful Prayer Room or fill out a prayer card and I will get your request to our Prayer Team for daily prayer.
Dalton– Closing Song
- Love Be With You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP, & Gary Lynn Floyd
©2025 Mystic Heart Spiritual Center, All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to duplicate for non-commercial educational use only.
All rights to music performed remain with the copyright owners.
Diana Johnson’s music is © by Barefoot Angel Publishing, ASCAP.
Chris Johnson’s music is © by SeaJay Music & Publishing, ASCAP.