Equinox

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emotions, equinox, funeral, ritual, Spiritual Center, St. Joseph's Day, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is a day when more people than usual pay attention to the earth’s position vis-a-vis the sun. Twice a year there are moments when the sun is exactly above the equator, signaling “equal night” (equinox) everywhere on earth. For us in the Northern Hemisphere it means movement into spring (vernal equinox), more light and warmer temperatures. For the Southern Hemisphere, it is just the opposite (autumnal equinox). Most people in my corner of the world are quite happy and expectant and/or relieved that we have come to this day. We should soon see early flowers peeking out of the earth; actually some tiny sprigs of green closely protected by buildings are already visible to the trained eye.

As I look back on yesterday, I feel as if my emotions experienced an equinox of sorts: equal parts of joy and sorrow coming together. Like the spring equinox, however, the day left a deeper knowing of the lasting effect of the two becoming one.

Yesterday morning we joined hundreds of mourners at a heartfelt funeral service for a wonderful man and good, humble priest, Father Alfred Bebel. Al had been our landlord and pastor at St. Ann’s Church years ago and through the years had often come to spend time with God in retreat at the Spiritual Center in Windsor where we live. Al loved his Polish heritage, his country upbringing, his congregants and the patients he served over many years as a hospital chaplain. There was not a dry eye or an empty seat in the very large church as we sadly said goodbye to him yesterday.

Last evening I participated in another ritual, this one a celebration of St. Joseph’s Day (see yesterday’s blog post). Similarly beautiful with heartfelt music and preaching, the eucharistic liturgy included renewal of commitment by sisters and lay associates. Deep joy was shared by all at the ceremony and the reception that followed.

As I reflected later on the day with its tears of joy and of sorrow, I was reminded of John Denver’s song that the music group sang before the evening celebration. All this joy, all this sorrow, all this promise, all this pain. Such is life, such is being, such is spirit, such is love. Somehow, all was folded into one in the emotions of the day. We are confident that Al Bebel is now in the bliss of eternity and we could not wish him back with us. We still struggle sometimes to fulfill the commitments we have made to God and to life but are confident that God loves us unconditionally and that we are greatly blessed. Gratitude for our life blends with our yearning and joy is the result.

Today is an ordinary day and yet I know that the sun and the earth are tilting just a bit to bring us a welcome change.

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Four-day Weekend

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baptism, funeral, rituals, Sisters of St. Joseph, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today, the Book of Deuteronomy tells me, is one on which we are to observe God’s statutes and decrees with all our heart and with all our soul. that will not be difficult for me as I drive to Albany, NY where the sisters of my heart (Sisters of St. Joseph) will gather in person or in spirit to celebrate those who are celebrating anniversaries of life in community (25, 40, 50, 60, 70 or 75 years). It is, for all of us, a very special time.

In a different way, but in a similarly holy event in a weekend that will stretch until Tuesday, we will say farewell to our friend, Rev. Alfred Bebel, at a funeral ritual that will be both sad (for us) and happy (for him) as we celebrate this “good and faithful servant” of over 85 years of full life.

In between these two events, I will participate tomorrow in the baptism ritual of a new tiny and already well-loved cousin as well as a day of Lenten reflection on Spiritual Wholeness on Monday. This event I will share with a parish group with whom I was privileged to celebrate Lent last year as well. The depth of sharing was great for a first meeting then so I feel in a small way that Monday will be like a homecoming, most especially in the similar liturgical ritual that will punctuate each of the events of these four days.

As I prepare to begin this four-day journey, I am well aware of the importance of each day of life – whatever the events or the passage of the hours – as being worthy of observation with my whole heart and soul. Let us all enter into the holiness of life with gratitude for life itself, for the rituals that unite us and for the companions that God has provided for us along the way.

Cycles

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change, funeral, grief, hearts rejoice, John, joy, lifecycles, part of life, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In the last two weeks I have been to two funerals of people whose lives have intersected mine and just this morning have news of another passing out of this world. One person was 93 years old, one 69 and the last somewhat younger. At my house we frequently receive pictures of new babies born to younger relatives or friends. And then there are the daffodils. Their long-awaited arrival was delightful; they were brilliant! Because of the sun and the unusually high temperatures last week, however, they disappeared as quickly as they had blossomed. I was speaking to someone on Wednesday about cycles and seasons – the way that our “insides” mimic the seasons or the weather sometimes, either blatantly or in a more subtle, sometimes nearly imperceptible way, when there is just a tiny sense of something different in us.

Whether cataclysmic or “run-of-the-mill” change is a part of life. We do well to stay awake so that it doesn’t catch us unaware with the consequence of upsetting our equilibrium. These thoughts came into focus this morning as I read the words of Jesus as he prepared to leave the earth. He says to his disciples:

Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer  remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you are now in anguish. But I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. (JN 16:20-23)

What’s It Time For?

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death, Ecclesiastes, funeral, heart of God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, time, timeless

This morning’s first reading (ECCL 3:1-11) which tells us that there is a time for everything and then gives pairs of opposites as examples (“a time to be born and a time to die”) is used most frequently at funerals. We hear it or sing it or even read it ourselves at those often difficult or bittersweet moments and feel grief or comfort depending on the circumstances of the death. There is great wisdom in this reading, however, which is worth some deeper reflection. I once spent a whole week’s retreat trying to befriend time instead of grasping at it, feeling as if I never had enough to do what I thought was necessary or significant or rewarding. While I’m still often “short on time” I think I’ve learned the futility of attempts at control and see this reading as the best approach. Trusting that God “has made everything appropriate to its time” allows me to let go more often, to observe events and to focus rather on the truth that God has also “put the timeless into [our] hearts” so that every event, every thought, every prayer, every breath can – with conscious attention and intention – lead us beyond time, straight into the heart of God.