Who Knows Best?

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Elisha, humility, Israel, Kings, Naaman, ordinary miracles, prophet, River Jordan, servants, speak truth to power, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today’s first reading (2 KGS 5:1-15) could be staged as a somewhat comedic morality play. It’s the story of Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram who has leprosy. The events go like this. A little girl captured from Israel, the servant of Naaman’s wife, tells her mistress that the prophet Elisha in Israel could cure Naaman. The wife speaks to the king who says to Naaman, “Go to the King of Israel.” The King of Israel is incensed by Naaman’s request (thinking that Naaman is asking him for a cure which is obviously not in his skill set) and says, “Is the king of Aram trying to provoke me?!” Elisha overhears this event and goes to Naaman telling him to wash seven times in the River Jordan. Now Naaman gets angry like the king, looking for something more spectacular for the cure and saying they have better rivers where he lives if that’s all it takes. His servant asks the core question of the story when he says, “If the prophet had asked you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it?” Naaman recognizes the truth in the question and humbly goes to the Jordan where he is healed. Happily, he acknowledges the cure and the power of the God of Israel.

I like this story and say to myself, “Let’s hear it for the servants!” The servant girl to Naaman’s wife is moved by compassion and trust in the power of her God to heal through the prophet Elisha. The servant of Naaman is willing to “speak truth to power” as a reality check for Naaman and his behavior. I see the moral of the story that can be a lesson for us as two-fold. 1) Keep humility close in order to avoid bursts of hubris in any situation where you feel challenged. 2) Be awake to the ordinary miracles in your everyday life. Sometimes solutions are simpler than they appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I AM

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Exodus, feet, gratitude, holy, holy ground, I AM, Israelites, Moses, pure being, reverence, sandals, simple joy of being, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I often say that if I lived in a warmer climate, one of the best things about that would be not having to wear shoes all the time. I much prefer to feel the ground under my feet, especially if it is grassy, but even a stony path connects me to the earth in a way that is impossible if mediated by shoes or boots. One advantage that I often take while on retreat is to bring “slipper socks” and spend the days shoeless. Sometimes in those situations I’m even conscious of a connection with Moses whom God directed to remove his shoes at the sight of the burning bush. “Remove the sandals from your feet,” God said, “because you are standing on holy ground.” Shoes or not, that directive took on palpable energy in a song some years ago in a song entitled Holy Ground.

This is holy ground, the lyrics said. You’re standing on holy ground, for the Lord is present and where God is is holy. The second verse was a perfect accompaniment to the anointing that often concluded a retreat. These are holy hands. God’s given us holy hands. God works through these hands and so these hands are holy. As I was signing or being signed with oil as those words were proclaiming God’s presence, not only in the room but in each of the participants, the reality of our call to serve was always clear and our motivation strong.

The deeper recognition from this morning’s reading (EX 3:1-8,13-15) comes from the exchange between Moses and God when Moses asks God about the message to the Israelites whom God is planning to save through the agency of Moses. “When I go to the Israelites,” Moses says, “and say that the God of your ancestors has sent me, if they ask your name, what do I tell them?” God answers, “Say: ‘I AM sent me to you.'” God is saying, it seems, that God’s identity is pure being, not necessarily connected with any doing (as in ‘the God of the Harvest’ or the God of War, etc.) It follows for me, then, that if we are made in the image and likeness of God, we ought to be more concerned with how we are being than with what we are doing. We not only have holy hands; we have holy bodies, holy minds and holy spirits. So the question for today for me is: How am I manifesting the holiness of “I AM” presence in this world? It is, of course, our responsibility to do our best at whatever we do but the doing should flow from our understanding of the primacy of our being. So today, let us walk on God’s holy ground in gratitude for life and the call to live it with reverence and the simple joy of being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Indifference to Mercy

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conversion of hearts, heart of God, Holy Year of Mercy, indifference, love for others, mercy, Pope Francis, Psalm 103, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning Psalm 103 reminds me once again that Pope Francis has called this year “A Year of Mercy.” Perhaps by coincidence – but maybe not – I found the Pope’s New Year’s message last evening and was struck by a section entitled, “From Indifference to Mercy: the Conversion of Hearts.” Here’s a bit of what he said.

Mercy is the heart of God. It must also be the heart of the members of the one great family of his children: a heart which beats all the more strongly wherever human dignity – as a reflection of the face of God and his creatures – is in play. Jesus tells us that love for others – foreigners, the sick, prisoners, the homeless, even our enemies – is the yardstick by which God will judge our actions. Our eternal destiny depends on this.

We know too much of our world to be indifferent to those in need. When we pray, “Lord, have mercy,” we ought to hear ourselves asking and perhaps hear as well God saying back, “You too, you have mercy!” We can hardly avoid that call because we can no longer separate ourselves since the faces of those in need of our mercy rise up to meet us at every turn. As the psalmist might say today, we swim in mercy as in an endless sea (vs. 10), so great is God’s care for us. How can we fail to act in like manner?

 

A Prayer in Darkness

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discord, divisiveness, justice, liberty, Peace, political rhetoric, saving will of God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, uniting, unity

There seems no end of discord and destruction in our country right now. From the political rhetoric in the presidential campaigns to the destruction of floods and tornadoes ripping through states from the deep south to the northeast, there is an unsettling energy that pervades our days. We long for a quieter spring season and for campaign reform that will limit the time and money spent on the electoral process. We pray for the end of the divisiveness that is rampant and the daily fare of our media reporting. An earnest prayer of Thomas Merton resonated in my heart this morning as a reminder of our true path. I offer it here as a course correction for those of us tempted to step away from our Lenten journey in the face of challenges.

Almighty and merciful God, Father of all, Creator and Ruler of the Universe, Lord of History, whose designs are inscrutable, whose glory is without blemish, whose compassion is inexhaustible, in your will is our peace. Bless our earnest will to help all races and peoples to travel, in friendship with us, along the road to justice, liberty and lasting peace: but grant us above all to see that our ways are not necessarily your ways, that we cannot fully penetrate the mystery of your designs and that the very storm of power now raging on this earth reveals your will and your inscrutable decision. Grant us to see your face in the lightning of this cosmic-storm, O God of holiness. Grant us to seek peace where it is truly found. In your will is our peace!

May we see ourselves as instruments of God in the world, uniting ourselves to the saving will of God for the good of all, working toward unity and peace rather than adding to the discord that only leads to destruction. For such unity and peace is the will of our God.

Keep On Keeping On

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generous heart, Lenten journey, Luke, memory walk, natural world, perseverance, psalm 1, roots, strength, tenacity, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, the Word

I have come to understand many things about life by living in a rural area and observing the natural world. I remember two specific examples of the same lesson about strength and tenacity that involved tree roots; in both cases the roots triumphed over me. The first experience was early in my days here when it was decided that the grape arbor in the middle of the yard had outlived its usefulness (very little fruit which was not pleasant to eat) and was obstructive of the sight line and path to our conference hall. I decided that perhaps a second chance should be given this old but revered vine so set to digging it up. After a week of hard exercise I yielded to the reality that I would be in China before finding the end of the taproot, even though the vine itself had obviously “given up the ghost.” My second attempt at transplantation came at the edge of the asparagus patch where one of the ever-present maple seed-pods had taken root in the spring. I was astounded later in the season when I tried to dig out the slim, 18-inch slip of a branch and found myself once again on the way to China! How quickly and tenaciously roots had been set down and the seedling had determined to stay. It is now a towering tree and I take example from it quite often.

This “memory walk” began this morning as I read the verse before the gospel which proclaimed: Blessed are those who have kept the Word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. (See LK 8:15) Wondering what the gospel reference was I went to the Bible and found (of course!) Luke’s version of the sower planting seeds. Having been drawn to the verse by the qualities mentioned – generous heart and perseverance – I was glad I looked because the New American Bible translation (circa 1970) added a stronger nuance of responsibility saying; The seed on good ground are those who hear the Word in a spirit of openness, retain it and bear fruit in perseverance.

So how does this connect with the trees – other than my failure to persevere in the task? For me it all came together in Psalm 1, a template for all the other 149, which speaks not of seeds but sees us as trees being planted in God’s law. It is lyrical and meaningful and I offer it today as a way to pause on our Lenten journey to take stock of our progress and to rest in the Creator’s care.

Blessed are those whose steps are firmly planted on Your eternal law…[They] grow strong as living trees, their roots sink deep and hidden…and through life’s passing seasons they do not cease to bear a plenitude of fruit nor do they fade from giving shade of leaf that covers all with good. 

Practice

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benediction, consciousness, daily life, essential, lessons, Pablo Casals, piano, spiritual practices, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I love listening to piano music, especially if it involves watching the person playing. The ability to do something different with each hand at the same time creating such beauty is a marvel to me. I took piano lessons once for about eight months when I was teaching school. I gave it up, thinking that my teacher, my colleague, could better spend her time with someone or something else because I could never find enough time for sufficient practice. Now I appreciate the skill even more than I did before those eight months when I was 31 years of age.

On Monday of this week I sat with a group of spiritual seekers to talk about our particular spiritual practices. We came to the conclusion that almost anything can fit that category, depending upon the motivation and consciousness with which it is performed. It’s the regular practice that is the key.

This morning I read a quote by Pablo Casals (1876-1973), a maestro who knew the value of practice, not only in order to play the piano, but also to live a full life. He said this: For the past eighty years I have started each day in the same manner. It is not a mechanical routine but something essential to my daily life. I go to the piano and play two preludes and fugues of Bach. I cannot think of doing otherwise. It is a sort of benediction on the house. But that is not its only meaning for me. It is a rediscovery of the world of which I have the joy of being a part. It fills me with awareness of the wonder of life, with a feeling of the incredible marvel of being a human being.

As I look out my window every morning (hoping each time I travel to find such a gift as well), I find a peace that comes to my eyes and my heart just to recognize that – even as the wind bends the branches of the tallest tree, even as last summer’s grass lies yellowish-brown or covered in snow on the ground, whether the sky is brilliant magenta or emptying its buckets of rain – I am here and the world goes on as it will, always turning and traveling its given course through our universe. Looking out and giving thanks has become my simplest, most essential spiritual practice. What is yours?

Do It Yourself

Tags

discipline, doormats, Ezekiel, humility, Lenten journey, Matthew, new heart, new spirit, practice what you preach, psalm 50, responsibility, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today’s readings are very clear that discipline is an inside job. I noticed it first in the verse before the gospel which proclaimed, “Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (EZ 18:31) This is different from the more familiar (to me anyway) line about God saying, “I will take from you your stony hearts and give to you natural hearts.” Today God is calling us to responsibility; we need to do the work of repentance, not just talk about it. In Psalm 50, God asks, “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” That makes me think of the old adage, Say what you mean and mean what you say.

The gospel gives us another familiar line that moves the conversation from a consideration of our speech to action. He’s speaking to the crowds about the scribes and the Pharisees (the people in charge) but we can all take to heart the lesson: Practice what you preach from the descriptions of what Jesus is talking about. “For they preach but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they do not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen…They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.'” The advice of Jesus ends the reading and is a good reminder for all of us. “The greatest among you,” Jesus says, “must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (MT 23:1-12)

Just a caveat about that last quote. Jesus is not interested in us making ourselves “doormats” for people to walk over. He is talking about mature service and true humility, qualities that can never be faked because they come from the inside, not from any action we can perform. So today I will “watch my step” on this Lenten journey, making sure I’m not looking for applause but doing my best to be authentic in all I do for God and for those I meet along the way.

The Chair of Peter

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"servant-authority", acknowledge human failings, Chair of Peter, cowardly, faith, humble service, impefections, impetuous, Jesus, love of Jesus, Matthew, Peter, Pope Francis, real person, Roman Catholic Church, St. Peter, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today the Roman Catholic Church calendar commemorates Christ’s choice of St. Peter as the “servant-authority” of what has become the Church. I love that decision that Scripture tells us Jesus made (MT 16:13-19) when Peter was the one – the only one – to voice an answer to the question Jesus put to the disciples about his identity: Who do you say I am? I say that the decision pleased me because in reading the gospels it seems unlikely that Peter would be the choice for such a position. He was impetuous (jumping out of a boat, thinking he could walk on water)and cowardly at times (denying Jesus to the enemy – more than once) and missing the point of amazing moments (“Let’s stay here!” on the mountain of the Transfiguration rather than returning to ministry). I don’t think Jesus overlooked these imperfections but rather made his judgment on other things he saw in Peter that came to fruition later in the game of life. Clearly, the motivating factor in Peter’s life was his love of Jesus and his willingness to acknowledge his human failings.

I don’t know if it was serendipity or clear choice that placed an article entitled “Being Human: Pope Francis Delights Many, Frustrates Some” on the americancatholic.org website this morning next to the “Saint of the Day” column. In any case, for me the analogy is quite strong. Here is a bit of what author Cindy Wooden says after the recent visit of the Pope to Mexico.

In Pope Francis, Catholics can see a real person trying to live his faith in a complicated world. Sometimes he waves at them and they can see the frayed edges of his soutane sleeve. When his sciatica is acting up, he needs extra help going down the steps. His aides do not keep his reading glasses so sometimes he fumbles with the soutane pocket trying to get them out. Crowds “ahhh” when he tenderly strokes the face of an obviously sick person and they applaud when he gives a big hug to a child. However, they can be shocked when the human side of the pope is impatience or downright anger like it was Feb. 16 in Morelia, Mexico, when one of the thousands of people who grab at the pope at public events yanked him, pulling him on top of a person seated in a wheelchair. “What’s the matter with you?” the pope snapped. “Don’t be selfish!” While security officers helped the pope back up, Pope Francis caressed the face of the boy he’d fallen on.

It’s a great article and God’s Spirit certainly knew the right thing in the choice of this successor to the “Chair of Peter.” There is much more to Pope Francis than these homely moments illustrate and the rest of the article shows. Love of God and all others as well as willingness to answer the call to humble service are the hallmarks of this Pope’s life. What an example! What a blessing he is! I will take him with me as companion today and try to follow his example in every encounter. And I will pray in thanksgiving for this extraordinary gift of presence in our Church for all the world.

 

In All Things

Tags

divine exchange, grateful heart, James, Jesus, Lent, Luke, Peter, possibility, psalm 27, retreat, sacred place, sacrifice, Simon Peter, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Transfiguration of Christ

From 7:00PM on Friday evening until 7:00PM yesterday I was privileged to share a 24-hour retreat experience with four spiritual seekers, women who came to enter into silence in order to pray and then to share reflections on the Scriptures dealing with the women in the life of Jesus, women who accompanied him to the cross and finally to resurrection. It was an extraordinarily meaningful time and we left with some new insights and a new appreciation of the value of really delving deeply into each word and possible meaning in the Scripture texts. We learned also (perhaps not for the first time) of the value of conversation as together we mirrored the practice of Mary, the mother of Jesus who “pondered all these things in her heart.”

Today will be a different kind of day and yet analogous as we welcome a group of Sisters and lay Associates to our home for an afternoon of meetings about important issues in our present and future life together. I expect less silence but just as much thoughtful sharing and the enthusiasm that comes from women whose purpose is to extend the great love of God to the world.

Today’s gospel is Luke’s rendition of the Transfiguration of Christ (LK 9:28-36) which must have seriously impacted the lives of Peter, James and John, the disciples who witnessed this moment with Jesus on the mountain. I have come to believe that we are all transfigured by the experiences that we have, alone sometimes but also in communion with one another, if we open ourselves to possibility. The season of Lent is always a time for more constant awareness of this fact and of the necessity of being an active participant in this “divine exchange.” Psalm 27 speaks today of this reality as the psalmist sings:

…And in this sacred place I give my being back to you, and everything as sacrifice; and there I offer you in song a grateful heart and a voice filled up with praise and prayer. O hear this voice of mine that calls to you. Take pity on my soul and answer back, I pray. Instantly and deep within my heart I hear your voice. You say: “Seek out my face in everything.” And from my heart, I answer back to you, “Your face, and you alone, I seek, my God.” (Ps. 27: 8-10)

Raqa!

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anger, baby, emotions, empty, human being, inflammatory, Lenten journey, Matthew, miracle of God's creation, negativity, Peace, politics, presidential campaign, Raqa, respect, reverence, Sanhedrin, Sermon on the Mount, spiteful, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, useless, venomous language

Yesterday one of my housemates received a text from her nephew with a sonogram image of his expected child. His wife is only three months pregnant, yet the technology was so clear that we could already see the brain forming in his (yes, it’s a boy!) well-formed head. We marveled at the amazing miracle of how this baby – and all of us – are formed in our mother’s womb. I was reminded this morning of how babies need do nothing in order to garner the attention of anyone who crosses their path. We are all in awe of the beauty and wonder of such an amazing creation. What happens to us as we age that causes us to forget how to reverence one another?

In today’s gospel (MT 5: 20-26) – near the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount – Jesus is speaking about a deeper way to follow the commandment, “You shall not kill.” He says, “…whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin…” The Sanhedrin was the supreme religious body in the land of Israel, comparable to the US Supreme Court. I always just passed over raqa when that reading appeared, figuring that it meant something mean that was said in Hebrew by someone who was angry. Today, I decided to research it and found that I was correct to a point but that raqa speaks of a kind of anger that erupts from someone whose anger is dangerously spiteful. Raqa means useless, empty and of no value. These days we call that kind of language used against another verbal abuse. When someone hurls those words at another person, it is as if the word becomes an arrow, piercing to the heart, and the damage can be devastating.  No wonder Jesus was so emphatic in his critique.

All this brings to mind the venomous language that is present in the political sphere during a campaign for an important office. Sometimes it is not only the candidates who denigrate their opponents but those in the different supporting  “camps” who are drawn in to such inflammatory rhetoric. We are in such a moment in our country now and need to take care, lest we lose ourselves in negativity rather than make intelligent choices on the issues.

In our personal lives as well we need to take care to monitor our emotions. Proceeding on our Lenten journey, let us seek out people and experiences that will remind us of the miracle of God’s creation that is the human being. Moreover, let us treat one another with respect and reverence, eschewing anger at its beginning to avoid any words that we may regret for the damage they inflict on another person. Peace be our path today!