Considering Light

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Colossians, dance, holy ones, inheritance, light, metaphor, silence, St. Paul, surrender, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, willingness, wisdom

It appears that we will be snowed in here today. The effort of the meeting facilitators yesterday to finish early today – by noon – was futile as there is a new and complicating wind advisory in the path of most of us toward home. Up early, we have already been checking maps and forecasts on television or computer or both. Nothing changes as we watch. It is only our willingness to surrender to this first winter event that will change anything (read: us!). So what will we do with this time that will likely stretch until at least tomorrow?

When I began to read today’s selection from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the first verse gave me pause. Brothers and sisters, he said, let us give thanks to God who has made you worthy to share the inheritance of the holy ones in light. (COL 1:12) That line is, in itself, worthy of reflection but I found it serendipitously more intriguing because of an e-mail message I received late yesterday. The e-mail came from the same person who had started the chain involving our “wisdom community” that I quoted here after our national elections. Rebecca wrote: So there is something about light that is drawing me, urgent in its continuing to show up. Physical Light, the metaphor of Light, the way the eye sees and the brain – it’s coming from lots of places. So I’m writing to ask you to play with me on this – what do you know about light?

This is an attractive thought for what may indeed become a “play date” with God and God’s friends. I rarely feel that I have the luxury of this kind of “day off” but today the invitation is strong with – apparently – nowhere else I need to go. So why not engage the silence that will be necessary to open up deeper channels of knowing…of seeing…of considering Light? There is already in my inbox an amazing response by one of our more poetic companions.

Question: What would it cost you to enter our playing field or engage your own circle in the dance? Whatever you choose, have a nice day.

Good Advice

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Colossians, compassion, kindness, humility, gentlenesspatience,, family, Holy Family, John, Lectionary, Luke, psalm 128, psalm 84, Sirach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today it seems as if those who determined the cycle of readings for the lectionary could not make up their minds. There are occasionally two choices for one of the readings on a Sunday, often a longer and a shorter version of the gospel. Today, however, we have two choices from the Hebrew Scriptures for the first reading (SIR 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 SM 1:20-28), two Psalm responses (PS 128: 1-5 or PS 84:2-10), three choices for the second reading (COL 3:12-21 or the shorter COL 3:12-17 as well as 1 JN 3:1-2, 21-24), two gospel acclamations (COL 3:15-16 or ACTS 16:14) but only one gospel, about the finding of the child Jesus in the temple when he is 12 years old (LK 2:41-52).

Today, as always on the Sunday following the celebration of Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph). That certainly makes sense as a recognition that Jesus was born not only for the entire world but also into a family. I wonder, though, if perhaps there wasn’t some thought given when the cycle of the Church year was set up liturgically to the fact that Christmas is a gathering time for families and it might be a good idea to have some advice given in church as to how to be and act as families. I can attest to that as an effective rationale (in a rather playful way) from the many Christmases that my siblings and I leaned forward shooting knowing glances at my father as the lector proclaimed, “Husbands, love your wives,” and at my brother when hearing, “My son, take care of your father when he is old…” It was all light-hearted posturing, as all of us consider ourselves lucky to have been blessed with our family, but this morning it got me thinking when I saw all the reading choices. “Family” has become a word that today describes myriad gatherings of individuals, not always what in the 1950s in the USA was considered the norm: two parents, two children (a boy and a girl) and a dog – a gross misrepresentation even then. Diversity reigns now more than ever. (I often speak of my Polish family, my Italian family – both love-based “adoptions” of long-standing – and my Sisters of St. Joseph family as well as my Irish family of origin.) No matter our ways of bonding I think Paul’s letter to the Colossians wins the day today for good advice to all for the way we should consider and treat one another.

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If one has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also do. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts since as members of one body, you were called to this peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish each other, singing psalms and hymns and inspired songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

O Adonai, Come!

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Adonai, Colossians, covenant, creation, love, Moses, O Antiphons, Old Testament, prudence, serve, set us free, St. Paul, teach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is the second of seven in the series of “O Antiphons” used in Christian liturgical practice. (See yesterday’s blog). One author explains the use of these verses for Christians this way: The antiphons are, in fact, a collage of Old Testament types of Christ. Their predominant theme is messianic, stressing hope of the Savior’s coming. Jesus is invoked by various titles, mainly taken from the prophet, Isaiah. The sequence progresses historically, from the beginning, before creation, to the very gates of Bethlehem. Thus, yesterday we began with the call to Wisdom, seen in the Scriptures as God’s consort in the creation of the world. Today we hear the plea to the Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel. The title Adonai is Hebrew for Lord, or the Lord of Lords, the Master, the Owner, in this case, the One who gave the Law to Moses.

O Adonai, Ruler of the house of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai gave him Your law. Come and teach us the way of prudence.

O Adonai, you are the covenant maker and promise giver. You appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the commandments. Come, set us free to serve you.

As Christians, this title of Adonai ascribed to Christ can be understood as in the Letter to the Colossians where St. Paul writes that He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all else that is, and in him all things hold together…God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in him…(COL 1:15-20)

This is the one to whom we cry out: Come! Teach us to live your covenant of love!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words To Live By

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Colossians, compassion, forgiveness, gentleness, humility, jewel in Paul's crown, kindness, love, Luke, patience, peace of Christ, psalm 150, thankful, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

Sometimes it is rather difficult for me to find a theme for reflection in the day’s Scriptures. Today I have the opposite dilemma. Everything is pertinent to daily life! I would encourage anyone with a Bible to read Psalm 150, one of the greatest psalms of praise and/or the Gospel of Luke 6:27-38, which also deserves our time and attention. I cannot, however, fail to use the first reading in its entirety to share my favorite advice of Paul to the Colossians; it is, to my mind, the “jewel in Paul’s crown” – a pattern for life that is as relevant today as it was in Paul’s time and – even if studied one word or phrase at a time – offers possibility for changing the world.

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these virtues put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in your hearts, for as one body you have been called to that peace. Always be thankful. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms and hymns and inspired songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (COL 3:12-17)

Planted and Growing

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bearing fruit, Christ, Colossians, growing, healing, Luke, Paul, psalm 52, spiritual garden, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In his opening greeting to the Colossians Paul writes of his gratitude to God for the way they have accepted the “good news” of Christ and how their faith has increased their love for one another. He says, “Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you…”(COL 1:1-8) The psalmist follows this theme as he sings of what God has done for him: “Look, Lord, see how I grow up in the garden of your house. Like an olive tree my roots sink deep in you. I’m green and succulent, for your goodness never fades.” (Ps. 52) All of this recognition of God’s grace is good, but Luke’s gospel contains a reminder of how spiritual maturity must happen.

Jesus has been doing lots of healing: Peter’s mother-in-law, others with various diseases, people from whom he has cast out demons…so in the early morning of the next day, Jesus slips away “to a deserted place.” The crowds obviously do not understand his need for silence and refreshment in God because they follow him and try to prevent him from leaving them. He reminds them that his mission is broader than just their needs, that he has been sent to other towns as well and he must go. (LK 4:38-44)

My question this morning is whether I would have been one of the grasping ones in that crowd. Having tasted the joy of the spiritual life, would I have been selfish, wanting to have more of the presence of Jesus to the detriment of those who had not yet experienced him? Would I have let him go, knowing that, once I had touched God, I would never again be without that presence? Would I have surrendered in generosity to others and lived in the love I had been given? Do I live that way now?

Advice for the Family and Beyond

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Colossians, compassion, feast of the holy family, forgiveness, gentleness, gratitude, humility, kindness, patience, Paul, peace of Christ, Sirach, thankful, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

Today, as always on the Sunday after Christmas, our Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family which is often an occasion for a pastor to urge attention to good treatment of family members. In the last years when both of my parents were alive, we listened to these sermons in Florida. We had already taken note of the lectionary reading from Sirach, ch. 3 which urged good behavior to all members within the family culminating in: “My son, take care of your father when he is old…” as we leaned forward in the pew with meaningful glances at my brother. Each of us (but mostly the men) got wordless encouragement to pay attention during the reading. It is a happy memory as we had been blessed with a very loving family and were looking askance at one another only in jest.

As we come to understand more and more these days our need for connection with our “brothers and sisters” around the world, the words of Paul’s letter to the Colossians (3:12-17) from today’s lectionary become a worthy template for our consideration. It is one of my favorite passages from the Bible so I quote it here in its entirety as a prayer for all of us and for our world today.

Brothers and sisters, put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. And over all these virtues put on love which binds the rest together. And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, since as members of Christ’s body you have been called to that peace. Always be thankful. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish each other, singing psalms and hymns and inspired songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.