The Choice

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choose life, Deuteronomy, life, Moses, risk, Sister Helen Kelley, ten commandments, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today Moses takes the podium with a clear choice for the people. (DEUT 30: 15-20) “Today I set before you,” he says, “life and prosperity, death and doom.” Who wouldn’t choose the first option? Oh, but there are conditions: obeying the commandments, statutes and decrees he sets down, walking in God’s ways rather than adoring their other gods… Not so simple when I start reflecting on the everyday experience of my living…(What “other gods” are still pulling me in the wrong direction? I ask myself.)

Moses is persistent, repeating his charge again and urging them toward the correct choice, saying, “Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him…” (Sounds like a choice that would be hard to resist, but then I think of the habits that are so persistent, especially in the down, difficult days of winter…)

A more evocative version of the challenge, perhaps, came to me long ago from Sister Helen Kelley, whose name remains anonymous to me but whose words always return when I listen to the speech of Moses in Deuteronomy.

Choose life, only that and always, and at whatever risk. To let life leak out, to let is wear away by the mere passage of time, to withhold giving it and spreading it is to choose nothing. (See berkana.org)

A Good Reminder

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choose life, life, Meg Wheatley, Sister Helen Kelley, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Turning To One Another

In what seems a difficult start to the new year in our country and in many places on our planet, I find solace and motivation in a quote I heard and held long ago. It is like meeting an old friend once again and recognizing still our deep connection. I thank Meg Wheatley for including it in her book, turning to one another.

“Choose Life – only that and always, and at whatever risk. To let life leak out, to let it wear away by the mere passage of time, to withhold giving it and spreading it is to choose nothing.” (Sister Helen Kelley)

L’chaim!

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Benedictine, choose life, death, Deuteronomy, Helen Keller, life, Moses, Sister Helen Kelly, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today we hear Moses (DT 30:15-20) telling the people that God has set before them a choice between life and death, blessing and curse. He urges them to “Choose life!” obeying the commandments, loving God and walking in God’s ways. Whenever I hear those two words, “Choose life” (even as a wedding toast), a tape plays in my head of a long-remembered verse that I don’t see in the Scriptures but don’t know where else I would have learned it. This morning I determined to find out and was successful because another blogger, a Benedictine Sister, used it in her message this morning. She said the author was Sister Helen Kelly. A google search was unsuccessful but I found many references to Helen Keller – a person renowned for her ability and willingness to choose life. But back to my point…

I bow to Sister Helen Kelly for her advice on how to truly choose life and share it with you as my best thought for the day so far. She writes: Choose life, only this and always and at whatever risk. To let life leak out, to let it wear away by the mere passage of time, to withhold giving it and spending it is to choose nothing.

L’Chaim!

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choose life, Deuteronomy, heart, Moses, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning’s gospel has Moses setting before the Israelites the commandments of the Lord (DT 30:15-20), essentially a plan that will lead to life if followed. If, however, the people choose to “turn away your hearts and will not listen” they will certainly perish. It seems like a very clear-cut choice – for them and for us – but knowing the complexity of life, the frailty of the human will and the tender mercy of our God I look at this message in a much more developmental way.

When I was young one of the most comforting concepts that I learned in a basic theology course was that of “the fundamental option.” The crux of that theory is that once we make a decision toward God and begin to live a life in concert with God’s ways as we come to know them, it is difficult to commit a mortal/deadly sin. I have remembered that concept in my moments of failure and although I admit to not listening as well as I could, I always trust that my heart belongs to God. I do know, however, that making sure my heart is always turned toward God is never a question of “resting on my laurels” but rather a continual effort toward opening and listening to what draws me closer to the heart of God.

In summary then, Moses urges the people to “Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.” As I write that, another memory stream from long ago brings to mind what to me sounds like a call to throw caution to the winds in my loving.

Choose life! Only this and always and at whatever risk…