Faith=Trust?

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communication, compassion, faith, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, trust

After reading today’s gospel (Jn 14: 1-6), I started to think about faith and trust and nuances of meaning. Jesus says: Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. This is a post-resurrection story where he’s concerned about the faith of the disciples in what seems impossible…What they saw before them (Jesus alive – in the flesh) was something impossible to believe. They had to trust.

It seemed to me, upon reflection, that faith was more an intellectual capacity and trust involved a somewhat emotional response – a feeling level, if you will. As I often do, in an an attempt to “widen the field” of my brain or consciousness, I googled the word trust. What I found gave me enough for an entire day of reflection. Here’s what I offer you for today:

“The four elements of trust: (1) consistency; (2) compassion; (3) communication; and (4) competency.”

(Here’s where it gets interesting!) The next sentence says: “Each of these four factors is necessary in a trusting relationship but insufficient in isolation.”

Agreed???

Wherever You Turn…

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face of God, Macrina Wiederkehr, Qur'an, seven sacred pauses, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I just opened Macrina Wiederkehr’s encouraging book, Seven Sacred Pauses, that puts me in mind, somehow, of cheerleaders. My eye fell on a sentence that I remember from years ago when I first began chanting and the chants were brief so as not to strain the brain but rather to facilitate dropping into a deeper level of prayer. The quote is from The Qur’an. I was not familiar with the first half but am happy to now have it added to the prayer that says; (To God belongs the East and the West; and) wherever you turn, there is the face of God.

Think about that for a moment. Try standing and saying it (just the second half) as you close your eyes, do a quarter turn and say (or sing) it as you open your eyes. See what you see and repeat the process. Inside or out, it shouldn’t matter, although I always prefer to be out in nature. Whatever your eye falls on, let your imagination take you—not thinking, just seeing. Make up a tune to sing—one tone is probably best because you won’t have to think about it. See what happens…You’ll never know until you try…Wherever you turn, there is the face of God…Wherever you turn…

Love the Rain

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contemplative, gift, spiritual, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It’s been raining here quite a bit lately – not so you would notice sometimes but gushing occasionally so that running between the drops is impossible. Mostly I find that people consider rain an annoyance while I see it as respite or a gift to the trees and flowers and, thereby, us. It’s much easier than carrying buckets around or wrapping and unwrapping a hose to give the thirsty a drink. Yes, I find it a gift to us humans as well.

This reflection could now split off into any one of several paths—agricultural, weather-wise, horticultural, environmental…and even spiritual. I prefer that last and really got the idea for this message from a post on the Franciscan website. It wasn’t a great stretch; I got the point of listening to the rain immediately because I love to do it whenever I get the chance and find it a great practice for slowing down and appreciating the workings of nature.

Whether you tolerate the rain, pray for it in dry times, or just take it as it comes, try to consider it as a contemplative gift and listen to the message it brings as one more gift in the great gift-bag of God to us.

The Wholeness of Holiness

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collective effort, COVID19, holiness, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton

As we seem to begin an emergence from the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic here is, perhaps, for some of us, a new view of what holiness means. Think on it:

Christian holiness can no longer be considered a matter purely of individual and isolated acts of virtue. It must also be be seen as a part of a great collective effort for spiritual and cultural renewal in society, to produce conditions in which all can work and enjoy the just fruits of their labor in peace. (Thomas Merton, Life and Holiness, p. 121)

Lost

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Good Shepherd, hopefulness, pandemic, Psalm 23, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today our Church celebrates what has come to be known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday, a favorite of most churchgoers. This year we might take special notice of the hopefulness of the message in this reading, (PS. 23) if we have felt lost during the pandemic in any way.

I suggest we all do some sort of a visual exercise where we see ourselves being scooped up by Jesus and carried home to his heart. If possible, while being held, try to feel the heart of Jesus beating in your own heart.

Another wonderful exercise is to listen to the song, “Like A Shepherd” from the St. Louis Jesuits.  Whatever it takes, my hope is that you feel the great love of the Good Shepherd who is always with us, loving us more than we can ask or imagine.

The Important Question

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question, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I am always grateful when something or someone poses a question that calls me to stop and reflect. Today it was the psalm response from the lectionary that gave me pause. Here, then, is the $64,000 question for our reflection.

“How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good God has done for me?”

Watching the Clock

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in Your time, nature's time, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, time

For over a year now I have not been “enslaved” by a clock. I have had very few appointments that took more time to get to than the moments it took to walk from one room to another at home and turn on my computer. My time has been, as people say, “my own.” Today will be my first foray into “normal life” again. I have only about an hour before I must be ready to jump into my car and drive. It doesn’t feel good. I have become accustomed to taking life as it comes and seeing how life unfolds.

I just read a little reflection on the difference between two ways of counting time. Chronos is the Biblical word for the time of day which we translate into hours, minutes and seconds. The other word, Kairos, is for “nature’s” time. We might call it “in due time.” My task for today may be to find a balance of the two. As I write this, simple song floats in my mind. I can hear an old friend singing:

In His time, in His time. God makes all things beautiful in His time. Lord, please show me every day, as You’re teaching me Your way, that You do just what You say, in Your time. In Your time, in Your time, You make all things beautiful in Your time. May each song I have to sing be to You a lovely thing in Your time.

Perhaps the song will help me compromise. I don’t know, but I can’t stop now. I have to go.

Earth Day

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Earth Day, gifts, interpret, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today we celebrate our Mother Earth when spring is here and all the earth seems to be coming alive again…but as I look out my bedroom window, what do I see? Snow? Yes snow! Mother Nature is a bit of a trickster so we need to offer what I learned a half century ago as one of 100 Maxims of the Sisters of St. Joseph to put a positive spin on the day. It was the shortest one—the easiest to remember—and one of the most important: “Always interpret everything in the most favorable sense.” So, how to do that on this chilly day? Well, here’s a thought from long ago: “Snow is the poor man’s fertilizer.”

It works for me. Let us truly celebrate today all the beauty of the earth and all the gifts we receive from the natural world. Happy Earth Day!

Mixed Emotions

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conflicted, forgive, racism, sight, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, verdict

Yesterday was a difficult, emotional day. On Monday, the day before yesterday, I had an excision close to my right eye and today it seems (for me, at least) the best symbolic explanation of the experience of the past two days. Let me try to explain the strength of the mixed feelings in this way.

An excision is defined as: the act or procedure of removing by or as if by cutting out, especially by surgical removal or resection. I had a squamous cell carcinoma, a skin cancer more serious than a basal cell, but not serious if not left to grow in the body. My only concern was the closeness of the growth to my eye, but my dermatologist assured me that there was enough soft tissue around the cancer to successfully excise it without danger. My sight, in other words, would not be compromised. The procedure went as planned and today I can see just fine, but I am aware of a bit of swelling discomfort to my eye.

Yesterday I also found myself weeping at several moments around the announcement of the triple conviction of Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. There was a fair amount of tension as the time for the announcement of the jury decision loomed. I knew that if the decision was “Not guilty” on any of the counts it would be dangerous to the peace in the country. My relief when the verdict of guilty on all three counts was announced was total. As painful as it was to admit that I was grateful for a verdict that would mean severe punishment for any individual, I knew it was just, merited even, and that vindication was the best answer in this case. I cried with joy for the Floyd family, for all the people of color in our country, for all people who’ve been wrongly accused and punished, and for those who refuse to respect the rights of others to exist and thrive. I cried for myself as well and any shred of racism that remains in my heart.

I think yesterday was the first time I was so conflicted, not about the decision—because of the clarity of its correctness—but because of my actual feeling of joy in light of the decision. It is difficult to parse the feelings sitting in me. Perhaps I needn’t do so but only leave them and recognize that they exist. The question for me will be only whether or not I can forgive Derek Chauvin for his crimes. Perhaps if I come to see more clearly my own subtle racism, that clarity may shed light on how I am to proceed in my dealings with all people who are different from myself. And if love is a result of this recognition, my right eye will be healed.

Just A Thought

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abundance, Eckhart Tolle, good, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Here is a thought from Eckhart Tolle that I will tuck in my pocket as I consider the events of this day and travel through the hours. Perhaps you will join me…

Acknowledging the good that you have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.

May your day be blessed abundantly.