The Will to Forgive

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ask, believe, forgiveness, habits, I know I can do it, intention, Jesus, Mark, possibility, prayer, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Yesterday, I spoke of knowing the depth of possibility when asking God for something, i.e. deciding on the right question. Today that message is reiterated in the last few verses of a long, busy gospel. In Mark 11:24, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.” My interest in that assurance is the following line, however. “When you stand to pray,” Jesus says, “forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance…”

Sometimes it’s very difficult to forgive a person especially if we have been deeply hurt. This morning I’m reminded, however, of the efficacy of repeated, intentional prayer. It really works to say things like Lord, please help me to forgive (this particular hurt from this particular person) because I’m having a hard time and with your help, I know I can do it. That kind of simple statement repeated consistently can pattern into us (in time) the willingness to be healed of the hurt and then to forgive the offender. People say it takes 29 days to form or change a habit. Perhaps that would be enough for us to become hospitable to forgiveness. It’s definitely worth a try. The caveat, though, is that we really – really – have to mean what we say, so the intention must be re-spoken each time we stand (or sit or kneel) to pray.

Fan the Flame!

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ask, beggar, clarity, embers, flame of love, Jesus, Luke, restored, Revelation, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

There is a caution in this morning’s first reading, taken from the beginning of the Book of Revelation – a book that is filled with symbolism and “apocalyptic” language. The section of which I speak this morning, however, is easily understood and calls me to self-reflection. It says, in part: “You have endurance and have suffered for my name and you have not grown weary. Yet…you have lost the love you had at first.” (REV 2:1-5, italics mine) The image that comes to me is that of a fire that has been burning for a long time. There are still smoldering embers but unless someone comes to stoke what’s left, allowing some air to circulate, the fire is likely to go out. Sometimes it seems that there is nothing of life left in that situation, but the reality is that with a little help the heat and beauty can be restored.

In the gospel this morning (LK 18:35-43) the crowd passes a beggar who has been told that the commotion around him is because Jesus is coming. The beggar calls out to Jesus to have pity on him which causes Jesus to ask the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Please let me see!” the man answers, and so he does. I am gratified by this reminder that we need only to ask for clarity of sight in order for it to be given. Perhaps then, to assure that the flame of love remains alive, I need only to add one sentence to my morning practice: Lord, please let me see today!

Good Food

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ask, bread, consistent prayer, eggs, fish, food, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Luke, perseverance, spiritual gifts, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I noticed something in the gospel for this morning (LK 11:5-13) in which Jesus is speaking about perseverance in prayer. It’s the “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find…” passage where he mentions several food items (loaves of bread, fish and eggs) that should be given when asked for and other things (snakes, scorpions…) that no one – especially a parent – would give to a child. I always interpreted the passage according to those parameters, but the last verse of the reading (always there but overlooked by me) gives a different spin to the whole thing. If you know how to give good gifts to your children, he says, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

So Jesus uses the analogy of feeding our children with good food for the purpose of talking about spiritual gifts. The answer to consistent prayer might not be the kind of “food” we’re looking for, but if we are awake enough to ask for God to fill us with the Holy Spirit, our discernment will lead us to what is truly good for us and that will be our strength.

Ask!

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ask, God, petition, prayer, Psalm 138, seek, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning’s readings center around the category of prayer known as “petition”. From a queen (Esther) in the Hebrew Scriptures, who is in dire straits and is only familiar with the God of the Israelites from books, to the disciples of Jesus in The New Testament who hear from Jesus himself, the message is the same. Ask, seek, knock on God’s door. Keep asking. The prerequisite in our asking, however, is trusting that God probably knows better than we ourselves what is a good answer to what we’re asking. So, if it’s likely we won’t get the answer we want, what’s the point of asking?

For me, it’s all a question of transformation. I start with asking God for what I want. Sometimes, my prayer is answered just as I had hoped. Sometimes it isn’t. I keep asking but sometimes I recognize as life unfolds and I don’t get what I’ve been asking for that maybe what I was asking for wouldn’t be the best outcome. Sometimes I don’t. As I’ve grown older, however, the method of my asking has gradually changed until each time I approach God with a petition it goes something like this: “Gracious and loving God, I know you know the situation. Here’s what it looks like to me. I’m willing to count on your love and wisdom to draw it to the best conclusion for everyone involved – and I’m grateful for your attention to me.” Sometimes I just say, “Please help!” In this way, I still feel involved but am not worried about outcomes. This sounds very simple as I write it but it is rarely easy unless the practice of asking has been bolstered by a consistent spiritual practice of surrender. And there is one more piece, of which the psalmist reminds me this morning in Psalm 138:

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth!

Go Ahead: Ask!

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Ahaz, ask, Gabriel, God, Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus, Lord, Mary, sign from God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It’s my joy to be back to writing after nearly a week of “technical difficulties.”

In this morning’s Scripture readings there is a connection between Ahaz in the Hebrew Scriptures and Mary in Luke’s gospel, as both are confronted with messages from God. In the first, God tells Ahaz to ask for a sign from God. Ahaz refuses saying, “I will not ask. I will not tempt the Lord!” The next part of the conversation puts one in mind of a child saying, “Ask me what I have behind my back” or “Ask me what I did today.” Even if you refuse to ask, the child will tell you, and that’s exactly what happened with Ahaz. God said, “I’m going to tell you anyway!” and the message is a foreshadowing of the birth of Jesus. The gospel recounts the familiar conversation between Mary and the angel Gabriel, wherein Gabriel tells Mary (unbidden) that she is to be the mother of God’s Son. Unlike Ahaz, she does not refuse but she does question how it can happen since she has not had relations with a man. Gabriel’s explanation is certainly incredible but it ends with an assurance of what Mary must have already believed, because it caused her to assent to what was being asked of her. The angel said: “Nothing is impossible for God.”

Today is a good day to examine our willingness to assent to what is asked of us but also a day to ask for what we think we need from God. We must, however, be mindful in our asking of the fact that God knows what is good for us and what will keep us on our path toward God – even if our vision is cloudy in the asking. Willingness to surrender to God always trumps our personal will when dealing with God. Knowing that God is for us and will keep us close even in the most unthinkable events of our lives will guide us toward the maturity of asking the right questions.