Perspective

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affirmation, Christmas, pause, rest, stay the course, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

So what has changed because of our momentary pause for Christmas? I ask myself that question, fully aware that we are still in the midst of a pandemic that is taking so many of our loved ones from us, a political situation that crawls more slowly toward an end than we have ever known, and an economy that threatens our lifestyles in more ways than we care to discuss. Yet as I sit here typing away, the sun continues to play on my words, playing peekaboo with the clouds, to remind me, I think, that all is not lost and Christmas really did mean something this year.

The conclusion that I have come to after diving into today’s lectionary readings which are full of murder and mayhem (on this feast of St. Stephen) is that life goes on as it should, teaching us again that God is not absent and we are inching toward understanding bit by bit. Christmas provided a pause that we needed, to help us remember God’s willingness to remain with us and calling us to “stay the course” until things right themselves again. We are being shaken into our role in that awakening, I think, and yesterday provided a “rest stop” for us to re-group for the next part of the challenge.

You may disagree with me on these images of “what is” but I truly think we are called to learn by living — sometimes in trial and some in bliss. Bliss may be somewhat of an exaggeration but if we come to see life from the inside rather than being spectators, we may well be much better off when the challenges come. The long and the short of it is, I think, the role of perspective. How do you perceive expectations? How is life supposed to be? I am, I think, more peaceful today, even in the face of serious challenge, than I was on Wednesday, and I want to meet the day with affirmation.

May the sun continue to shine for you today!

God and the Weatherman

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affirmation, Brother Luke Ditewig, encouragement, perspective, psalm 98, resurrection, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It sounds today like the psalmist has no idea of what’s going on in our world! I would have expected a more dire offering in keeping with our situation. Here it is, though, Psalm 98, calling us to: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds. Of course that’s true but it certainly doesn’t feel like that today.

First of all it’s the 9th day of the most beautiful month of the year (May, of course!) and it’s 25 degrees F. outside. That’s seven degrees below freezing! The highest we’ll see today is 36 or 37 and that will be accompanied by more of the snow we got yesterday. God is certainly not related to the weatherman! There has to be some other perspective in the wind…for the world.

Actually, there was a clue from Brother Luke Ditewig at ssje.org to remind me that we are still in the Easter season. He said the following today: “Resurrection comes small, like seeds and leaven. One little word of encouragement, one affirmation, perhaps evoking one smile or laugh. One little gift can change us.”

I guess I can manage that today. Actually, I’m already smiling about God being related to the weatherman, who, if he’s anything like me, would much rather be called a meteorologist!

Oscar Romero

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affirmation, El Salvador, St. Oscar Romero, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, The Violence of Love

Today Christian Churches everywhere celebrate Oscar Romero, a man who was in our midst until 1980. Archbishop Romero’s story is one of conversion and courage as he spoke out in El Salvador for peace and non-violence and was murdered for his faith while celebrating Mass. There is much that could be said about him today but I choose a brief quote that to me is illustrative of a life lived in the manner of Jesus and seems quite appropriate for the days of Lent.

I don’t want to be an anti, against anybody. I simply want to be the builder of a great affirmation: the affirmation of God, who loves us and who wants to save us. (The Violence of Love)

The Morning After

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affirmation, encouragement, gentle, humble, labor of love, Macrina Wiederkehr, Pentecost, shelter, Spirit of God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, transforming power

Sometimes the day after a big celebration can be a “letdown.” I have an image before me of a huge gathering space with folding chairs that need to be folded and all sorts of trash that (if you’re lucky) is gathered up into barrels or bags but maybe still needs to be picked up, decorations that are either able to be rescued for another day or totally useless now…and fatigue is the only thing left except for a memory of joy or love or something beautiful which makes the fatigue worthwhile.

Even with spiritual celebrations, the day after may be less than thrilling as ordinary life begins again. It is on those days – like today – that we must remember the peak times, going inside and turning our hearts to the ever-present Spirit of God. Macrina Wiederkehr is here this morning with the perfect prayer to help us regain the beauty of Pentecost. May it rekindle the fire in our hearts for this Monday and beyond.

O Spirit, come. Come with your transforming power. Breathe upon and into my thoughts and actions this day. Let my work be a labor of love. May those who come in contact with me feel sheltered and cared for. May I do or say some small piece of goodness that will help others feel affirmed and supported. Let your wind and fire move me into the places where I am needed. Let me become your breath so that I may assist you in breathing new life into places that are stale and unfruitful. Make me forceful and gentle, powerful and humble. O Spirit, Come! (Seven Sacred Pauses, p. 84)

Who Are You Really?

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A Deep Breath of Life, affirmation, Alan Cohen, assessment, being, doing, highests self, holy, humility, intention, magnificence, Peace, perfect, purpose, self-effacement, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth

I had a conversation yesterday with a woman who has difficulty seeing herself as others see her, i.e. holy. We spent some time with the difference between “holy” and “perfect” and I was reminded of the definition of humility as truth rather than self-effacement. Tangentially, there is the relative importance of doing vs. being to consider in our assessment of our success as humans.

I smiled this morning when I read Alan Cohen’s thought for the day (A Deep Breath of Life) that ended with an intention and an affirmation – a perfect afterthought from yesterday. He wrote: Let me remember who I really am, that I may be at peace with myself and my purpose. And then (the part that actually made me chuckle): Today I choose to be my highest self and live my magnificence.

May it be so!

The Golden Rule

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affirmation, criticism, examination of consciousness, Golden Rule, Lenten journey, Matthew, negativity, self acceptance, self-knowledge, spiritual practice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I would be willing to wager that just in seeing the title above, you are able to intuit the content of today’s musing. It’s pretty familiar – that line from Matthew’s gospel (MT 7:12); sometimes that’s a danger. I went back to the beginning of today’s lectionary to look again for something to consider so as to not repeat myself, having most likely used this text before (and in case anyone is counting, today this blog will reach 15,000 hits in the somewhat over two years that I have been writing!). Everybody knows the Golden Rule, right? (“Do unto others whatever you would have them do unto you.” – just in case you need a jump start.)

Then I began to really think about specific things that I would feel good about and some things that would upset me should someone “do them” to me. Examples of affirmation and criticism come to mind. Depending on how sensitive I am to either or both of those experiences, they could be quite serious – even if the person “doing them to me” doesn’t mean things the ways I take them. Even an off-hand remark can have ramifications. Last evening I was in a group where the conversation turned to consideration of the level of negativity in speech and how as self-knowledge and self-acceptance grows, the necessity for comparison to and denigration of others diminishes. It was a great conversation that moved from there into consideration of spiritual practice and how that affects our actions. As I write this morning that seems appropriate as a way to assure adherence to the Golden Rule.

While I could spin off into a great number of ideas here, the bottom line seems to warrant an “examination of consciousness” of how I have been treating others lately and a determination to tuck the Golden Rule in my backpack for the rest of this Lenten journey. Won’t you join me?