Tags
Apollo 11, astronauts, divine, moon, mysteries of the universe, The Sophia Center for Spirituality
This week, on two successive evenings, I watched the TV video recounting of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, from “lift-off” to “splash-down.” It was the complete experience with footage from the NASA installation at Cape Canaveral, inside the space capsule and the historic first steps on the moon. I was taken by the closeup footage of the three astronauts. Without words, the enormity of what was happening was present in their eyes at each moment. When they did speak, their lightheartedness often belied the seriousness of their mission and spoke of their courage and willingness to “get the job done.” It was a gripping recounting of that historic event from fifty years ago.
Upon arising today at 6:10 AM, I went to the window to view the morning, already shining brightly through the glass. The sun was lighting up my panoramic view of a cloudless sky and 6 stories down the traffic moved soundlessly along the highway. As I looked to the left, there was the moon, still and beautiful in a 3/4ths – 7/8ths presence to me. I smiled and said “Good morning, Moon,” giving thanks for the brilliant minds that further our knowledge of far away places but grateful as well for the mysteries of the universe that serve to keep us on a steady course to the Divine.
The weekend just ended brought both old friends and new faces to our tiny “island of grace” (the way I see our small retreat center these days). The privilege of preparing meals for them allowed me observation time of their interactions with one another and the alternation of their movements to and from the conference room – so often peppered with “thank you” or smiles of appreciation for every little thing. I cannot help feeling judgments about people melt from me as I observe the gifts that diversity brings to a retreat where everyone is desirous of spiritual growth. The ways that people dress or speak or choose their food are all overshadowed by the blinding light of their intention toward unity with the Divine (however they perceive the One I call God).
Psalm 49 speaks loudly of the reality that “you can’t take it with you.” No matter our success or wealth, wise people die, the psalm says, “and likewise the senseless and the stupid pass away leaving to others their wealth.”
This morning in a commentary on Psalm 98 I read an evocative sentence followed by a question worthy of pondering. It suggested that human beings need to offer an invitation to God and interior space for God to be, and then asked: Have you ever sensed that you could offer a place inside of your being as a dwelling place for the divine, or that your whole being could be God’s “temple” as it is often put in the tradition?
In our conversations this weekend about Mary Magdalene and Conscious Love, we have often spoken of the need to surrender to life, letting go of our “small-self” desires in service to the greater good. In our meditation sessions, we let go of any thoughts that arise in order to allow us to be present to the Divine. I found a resonance in Alan Cohen’s reflection for today in his book, A Deep Breath of Life, that seems appropriate to share as we depart from this very valuable group experience. Cohen writes:
Every time there is a holiday or some out-of-the-ordinary event, I find myself taking a deep breath at its conclusion and feel as if new vistas are opening to which attention ought to be given. It’s not as radical as it seems – as in “Whew! That’s over! Now what?” – but rather as if there was something holding the calendar back until it was completed and now “regular life” is resuming for awhile. I felt that way this morning as I moved from the sound of Fourth of July fireworks while drifting off to sleep last night to the familiar sounds of birdsong awakening me and bringing the plan for the day into focus.
The “common cold” has been getting a lot of attention recently. We’ve been warned about the danger of being heedless as it could lead to pneumonia – and that to death, especially for the elderly. Whether it be an excess of caution or a very serious infection, Queen Elizabeth of England has joined the ranks of those of us afflicted in this season, to the extent that she missed participating in her traditional Christmas church service for the first time in 30 years!
Psalm 67 may be considered, says one commentary, “an international hymn of praise because it calls all nations and peoples of the earth to enter into the worship of God…” In speaking of the Psalms as they appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, this commentary continues: “In many of the Psalms there is a ‘we’ versus ‘they’ mentality. This sentiment has been overcome in this Psalm, and thus speaks, perhaps, of an unusual development in the religious ideals of the Hebrew people. They have moved from a narrow conception of the divine to one that is shared by all peoples of the earth…Our task as contemporary creatures is not simply to pray for ourselves, or narrowly for those around us who are dear to us, but to give voice for the whole earth…Imagine yourself as creation’s voice, as an instrument through which those without a voice can enter with praise the presence of God…There is often a wide gap between the vision of beauty held out for the world and the experience of pain and ugliness we find in it. Those who pray hold these two regions together, and will not let them fall apart.”
The Sophia Center for Spirituality 