Grandparents

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appreciation, Bible, experience, grandparents, Lois, perspective, Roman Catholic, St. Ann, St. Joachim, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Timothy, tradtions, wisdom

Long ago when I was baptized the rule was that only saints’ names were acceptable for Roman Catholic babies. Because it was also understood that “the faithful” were to learn about the Bible from the clergy and not their own study (although we were to have a “family Bible” in our homes), not too many people were aware that Lois was mentioned by St. Paul in passing. Did you know she was the grandmother of Paul’s young companion, Timothy? Well, in 1948, Lois was a surprise name choice of my mother so my middle name became more important. It seems ironic now because the name my parents chose was Ann (not Anne, thank you very much!) whom legend says was the grandmother of Jesus, mother of his mother, Mary. So today, the feast of St. Ann (and her husband Joachim, a relatively recent addition to the Church calendar), seems to be about grandparents – mine and yours as well as those of Jesus and Timothy.

I know I have always been proud to carry the name attributed to the grandmother of Jesus and honor her, as tradition would have it, my “patron saint.” I found a lovely comment on http://www.americancatholic.org this morning that seems to fit this feast.  I offer it as a personal reflection for all of us and a reminder of our heritage and what we would hope to pass on to those who follow us in life.

This feast reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come. They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older peoples’ greater perspective, depth of experience and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Day

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Bible, God's dwelling, holy cards, human race, John, love one anpther, Revelation, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, today

When I was young my Bible was a home for a collection of “holy cards” – some commemorating events or people who had died but others sporting prayers or poetry like “I am the mother of a priest…” (my grandmother) or “a prayer for religious vocations.” This morning as I read the text from the Book of Revelation in today’s lectionary, the beginning of one of those prayers popped into my mind. It said: “Today is mine to mar or make; O keep me strong and true…” I wondered where it came from but then looked again at REV 21:1-5 and really heard the visionary’s words proclaiming that God’s dwelling is with the human race…God will dwell with them and they will be his people…Behold, I make all things new. Following this covenantal statement was Jesus saying: I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (JN 13:34-35)

I realize more and more lately that living each day “like the first or the last one” (as John Denver once sang in his song about Alaska) is the only sane way to proceed. Doing our best is all God asks, I think, and all we should be asking of ourselves and others. Recognition that perfection is likely still out of our reach and making peace with that seems enough to go on as the sun comes back for another round, another chance at loving. So good luck to us today, I say, as we keep in mind whatever prayer of intention will “keep us strong and true.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identity Clues

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Bible, chant, divine, energy, Jesus, Kinneret, Lake Tiberias, Mark, Mediterranean, Muslim, recognized, Sea of Galilee, sheikha, Sufi, the Lake of Genneseret, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Zikr

I am always fascinated by what I learn each day from reading the Bible selections. Some simple realizations belie the fact that I ever heard the word geography in elementary school! It struck me this morning as I was picturing the gospel scene (MK 6:53-56) – again about Jesus and the disciples in a boat crossing the sea – that all seas are not created equal. Since the Sea of Galilee, variously known as Kinneret, the Lake of Genneseret and Lake Tiberias, has a total area of 64 square miles (166 sq km) it would indeed be possible for people to follow “to the other side” – unlike the journey if they were traveling the land around the Mediterranean Sea, for example.  (I might as well laugh at myself; humility is good for the soul.)

The other sentence that gave me pause today came next. “As they were leaving the boat,” the writer reports, ” people immediately recognized him.” If they had never before encountered Jesus, I wonder what it was that separated him out from the others in the boat. Had they heard physical descriptions that set him apart? Was he dressed differently? (Not likely) Did he let the disciples moor the boat while he sat and waited? (I doubt that too.)

I remember an evening at a retreat near New York City that included a Zikr – a Sufi prayer of remembrance where participants chant the names and attributes of God. Since part of the prayer of the week was Christian chanting, this was an opportunity to expand our experience of other similar forms of prayer. It was a wonderful opportunity for me and others to recognize how beautifully devotion to God can be expressed in different forms. The evening was led by a sheikha. This leader of the Muslim prayer circle was a surprise; I didn’t know women were allowed this title in the Sufi world. There was no question of her identity, however, when she arrived with her entourage. Her brilliant energy filled the room with light and joy and welcome to her world. Her close connection to the Divine was evident in every word she spoke, in how she treated her disciples and her kind instruction to those of us who were “first-timers” to this experience. It was a memorable evening and she was the most memorable part of it. No wonder people wanted to be close to her.

I think I understand from experiences like this why the crowds “scurried around” gathering their sick, bringing them to Jesus on that day. Just “touching the tassels of his robe” was enough. I hope I would have been one of those to recognize him then, even as I strive every day to recognize him now…

A Snap Decision?

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Andrew, Bible, casting nets, Christianity, decision, fishermen, fishers of men, impulsive decision, Jesus, life's calling, Mark, Ordinary Time, Simon, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Zebedee

Today is the first day of the first week of what some Christian Churches call “Ordinary Time” – which might be construed as what the world is like after all the Christmas hubbub is over and the best of the merchandise is gone from the stores. Actually though, it is really nothing like that unless we look at the baptism of Jesus which we celebrated yesterday as an end rather than a beginning. “Ordinary” in Church-speak doesn’t mean the opposite of extraordinary. It comes from a Latin word, ordinalis, which refers to numbers in a series and from which we get the word order, thus indicating the ordered life of the Church between the major seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. It might be akin to “It’s three weeks till school is out for the summer” but doesn’t mean that there won’t be great things learned in the interim.

Today then, we begin with chapter one of the Gospel of Mark which tells us that John the Baptist has been arrested (a story for another day) and Jesus has begun walking about preaching. It’s often frustrating that the gospels aren’t more forthcoming with details about the events. Today, for example, has this news.

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,, he saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their nets and followed him. He walked on a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. (MK1:16-20)

Doesn’t it make you wonder if there was any conversation in between the summons of Jesus and the responses of the fishermen? I know it wouldn’t be very economical to have all the detail (the Bible is already a very big book!) and the stories were not written down until much later, Mark’s being the first gospel that didn’t appear until sometime in the 50’s or 60’s. I wonder, though, about what appears to be an impulsive decision. I have many questions. Had they heard about Jesus before they saw him? Were they unhappy as fishermen – some of whom at least – and probably all – in the family business? What did Zebedee think about all this?? How old were they anyway? Was the presence of Jesus so compelling that it was impossible for them to refuse? Didn’t they ask him any questions about what “fishers of men” might mean?

You get my point, I’m sure. Unfortunately, we don’t have more to go on from the text. Theologians have written much through the history of Christianity about the events that we find in the gospels as well as the meaning of the words that actually appear. We can only know so much of the truth of this scenario, but we would do well, I think, to reflect on our own history of response to Christ’s invitations in our life. I know that when I entered the convent at 18 years of age, I had a strong desire to give my life to God but I had little understanding (regardless of how sure I felt) of what would be called for as I lived the life. I think this is true of most people, even if not circumstantially the same. Those who “go into the family business” might have a clearer idea at the start but the world continues to change at such a rapid pace that there is little clarity about the future these days. The evidence of the gospels tells us that most of those chosen in those early days as the closest followers of Jesus – the ones who are named anyway – failed him occasionally along the way but were able to forgive themselves and be forgiven so as to remain faithful to their commitment to the end of their lives. And I’m sure they understood then what that meant in a way that they could not even have imagined that day on the beach.

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The Longest Psalm

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balance, Bible, compass, Hebrew Scriptures, listen, psalm 119, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, understanding heart

At 176 verses, Psalm 119 is the longest psalm – actually having more verses than 14 books of the Hebrew Scriptures and 17 of the Christian Scriptural books. I’d recommend a trip to the internet or to your Bible for a bit of commentary and an explanation of the intricate formula/structure of the psalm. I’m just taken with the beauty and heartfelt desire of today’s section (vs. 33-40). Below is a contemporary translation which I transcribe in paragraph form to suggest its use as a prayer for the journey of today.

Even now, Lord, if you will but teach me I shall keep as treasure all you say. Give me an understanding heart to grasp what lies alone in you, the outlines of your law, imprint them in my soul. My deep desire is for a heart whose compass-point is aimed at your true north, and not some weaker pole. I desire eyes as well that do not wander, but hold your vision fast for all eternity. Fill full your servant, Lord, with awe and fear of you, and drain away the dread I fear of failure on your path. May I listen ever to your word as judge and balance of my soul, and in your justice, give me life.