Metaphoric Vision

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, blessed, city of God, hallowed space, heart, inner ear, inner eye, inner geography, interior reality, Lectionary, Peace, pray, Psalm 122, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, worship

After reading a traditional translation of Psalm 122 in today’s lectionary, I came upon what the author called a “metaphoric” rendering wherein “one can experience the peace of the city of God and the kingdom of God as an interior reality…where the sacred geography of the Middle East becomes a reality in the heart.” Listen with your “inner ear” and see with your “inner eye” the vision presented, and then consider the author’s call to go deeper by reflecting upon “the inner geography of your own heart and being” and answer how you are that city, that temple, that kingdom.

With joy I arose and went into your house when called to the worship of your name. I entered and now stand singing at your gates with all those gathered to worship and adore you. Your holy name becomes for us a blessed city, a place of peace that draws us deeper in, where people of every tongue and race rise up before the presence of your face to know and love the God of peace as one. So in this hallowed space and ground, your judgment and your rule of love, becomes for us a kingdom. And may that kingdom come, your peace be done over all the earth, we pray. Within the inner walls of heart and soul, and on the outer towers of human being, may peace descend and be for everyone a fortress and a keep where nothing evil enters in. And this we pray now for the good of all – for all who are your house, your dwelling place forever. (Ancient Songs Sung Anew, p. 318-319)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

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hearing, inner ear, John the Baptist, listen, listening, Matthew, silence, snow, snowstorm, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I woke naturally this morning rather than to the sound of my alarm – or any sound. As is often true here, there was silence throughout the house. Yesterday afternoon at one point I paused from the work I was doing, having become conscious that the silence around me was so profound it could have been characterized as “deafening.” That is not unusual if each of the three inhabitants of this house is engaged in quiet activity but I am always grateful for the recognition of the gift as there is so much noise in most quarters these days. I think the snow muffles sound too – and yes, it is still snowing although it seems the end is in sight by the end of the day.

This enforced hiatus because of the snowstorm has been helpful in many ways, not the least of which has been the ability to focus on study and preparation for presentations happening over the next several days. The gospel this morning (MT 11: 11-15) speaks of John the Baptist, the one who spent his time preparing for and then calling people to recognition of Jesus as Messiah. The passage ended with the often-repeated line throughout Scripture: “Whoever has ears ought to hear!” How did John the Baptist know that Jesus was ready to begin his ministry so that his own ministry would take on a new importance? In addition to listening to the buzz around Galilee about Jesus, John must’ve done a lot of listening with his “inner ear” to be ready.

Yesterday I spoke about music and am again reminded of what a gift it is to be able to hear. Today I will need to focus more on my inner hearing – the prompting of the Spirit – which will help me to tie up loose ends and make final decisions about the retreat that begins tomorrow evening. I just read yesterday a line that said, “You can’t hear if you don’t listen.” And that, it seems, whether inside or out, is the key to it all.