Close Cousins

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a voice crying in the desert, David Haas, Elizabeth, Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary, the chosen one, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

As the Church celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist, I start thinking about the relationship of John to his cousin, Jesus. I find it hard to talk much about it as there are few mentions in the Scriptures but this morning I decided to use what I have read about them together and go from there.

It doesn’t seem that they were close in childhood, unless Elizabeth and Mary wrote a lot of letters describing their “boys” to one another and sharing them with the kids. It’s so much easier for us in the age of technology. We can watch children grow up in pictures and videos and as soon as they can write, they can enjoy a relationship – if they have the tools. I wonder what the mothers of these two shared, if anything. And what, as they grew, were the stories about them in their neighborhoods?

John certainly knew his place in adulthood. “A voice crying in the desert” is how he described his role and he never seemed to mind that Jesus was “the chosen one” and he the “sidekick,” the associate, the one to do the bidding of God in Jesus. He went to prison because of Jesus. He was beheaded for loving him. It doesn’t seem that they had much time together but when they met it seemed like they knew each other immediately on a deep level. And I’m so glad to know that John had the privilege of baptizing Jesus. What an honor and a humbling event, for sure!

All that makes me think of a David Haas song that speaks of the relationship we might have with Jesus. It’s the words and the music of the refrain that cause a stirring in my heart. And when I think of John the Baptist I can imagine that if he never even met Jesus (although how wonderful for both of them that he did!) he would have sung this refrain.

Without seeing you, we love you. Without touching you, we embrace. Without knowing you, we follow. Without seeing you, we believe.

The Voice of God

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baptism, God's voice, hear, Jesus, John the Baptist, listen, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Psalm 29 proclaims the power of the voice of God, speaking in myriad ways. Today the Church celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John, citing the testimony of Matthew’s gospel as evidence of God’s voice in the world. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” It’s one of those dramatic scenes that we can imagine as we are told that “the heavens were opened for him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.”

Was it only Jesus who heard the voice of God that day, or did all the people that witnessed the event hear it as well? Some translations have God saying “YOU are my beloved Son…instead of “THIS IS my beloved…?” Maybe it was a message to all because of the deep meaning of the event for the public ministry of Jesus. Maybe it was a message just for Jesus himself, delivered internally, to strengthen him for that ministry. I like to think of it in that way as it makes Jesus more human and God more accessible, speaking in a softer voice, you might say.

Have you ever heard God speaking in you, for you? It takes a willingness to be silent and listen, as well as trust that God would choose to speak to me personally…I am coming to believe that God is speaking in many ways all the time and is longing for us to hear.

The wind is blowing outside today. Gusts of 35 to 50 mph are expected. Perhaps God is trying to get our attention. The trees are certainly dancing. What can they hear? Perhaps we ought to join them…

Pay Attention!

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attention, awareness, compassion, grief, Jesus, John the Baptist, loss, Matthew, needs, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Sometimes I feel so sorry for Jesus. In today’s gospel (MT 14:13-21) there are three distinct moments when Jesus could have used a kind word but no one noticed. The first line is the saddest:
1. “When Jesus learned of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” Of course he did!! This was his relative and dear friend who had baptized him and recognized who he was immediately. With him gone, Jesus would certainly have been bereft.
2. Even then, the crowds followed him. (I’m hoping they just weren’t informed about John because had they known they would have given him some space to grieve.) They were waiting from him when his boat pulled in to the shore and in his great sense of compassion, he tended to their needs – putting his own feelings aside. He cured them.
3. I’m wondering why the disciples couldn’t see his sadness. They seemed to just be concerned to have him disperse the crowds so they, themselves, wouldn’t have to figure out what to do next. I love the challenge he offered them when he said, “There’s no need for them to go away. Give them some food yourselves.” Of course they had no idea how to do that, but once again compassion reigned and Jesus taught a great lesson.

All of this in the midst of his grief! What lessons might we learn from this reading? Once again, I would say “Awareness, awareness, awareness!” Look beyond what is in front of you to what is inside the person before you. See always with an eye of compassion in the generous manner of Jesus.

Cousins and Friends

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baptize, cousins, family, Jesus, John the Baptist, relationship, relatives, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is the commemoration of the birth of John the Baptist. Tradition tells us that he and Jesus were related, probably cousins. In addition, John was an important figure in the life of Jesus. In the synoptic gospel texts (Matthew, Mark and Luke) we meet John the Baptist as the one who recognized Jesus most clearly and wanted Jesus to baptize him. Jesus convinced John, however, that he was to be baptized by John and John reluctantly acquiesced. Although somewhat rare, John’s appearances in the gospels were significant and his dedication to the ministry of Jesus was complete.

I wonder about the “in-between” times in their relationship. Did they ever play together when they were children? It seems they didn’t live in proximity to one another. Were there family visits? In adulthood, John seemed to be a renunciate, described as being in the desert and having a stringent diet – much different from our picture of Jesus. It seems likely that the baptism encounter was the first meeting of the two men – at least in their adult life – but that something in them “recognized” each other.

Having moved to another state at the age of 12 and then entered the convent at 18, in the days when there was little connection with the “outside world,” I have rare encounters with cousins but understand the connection that can endure beyond the times of physical presence. Today I plan to bring to mind each of my 17 first cousins and pray in gratitude for the ways in which they have touched my life, especially those who have become friends to me.

Spreading the News

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announce, darkness, Good News, hope, John the Baptist, presence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, world

Just a question on this commemoration of the birth of John the Baptist: How am I announcing the good news of God’s on-going presence in our world especially when it seems so dark and devoid of hope? 

 

 

 

 

 

What Did Jesus Do?

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acceptance, hear, Hearts on Fire, image, imitate Christ, impressed, Jesuit, John the Baptist, looking, meet, miracles, Pedro Arrupe, taught, teach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, understand, welcome, willingness

Today takes it’s cue somewhat from yesterday’s entry. In the book of Jesuit prayers entitled Hearts on Fire, there is a prayer written by Pedro Arrupe, who was the beloved Superior General (world leader) of the Society of Jesus for 18 years (1965-1983) -a long term of office for anyone! His prayer gives a clue of how to bring the Scriptures alive in our daily journey, helping us to take our cue from Christ’s interaction with all sorts of people as he opened himself to all who crossed his path.

Teach me your way of looking at people: as you glanced at Peter after his denial, as you penetrated the heart of the rich young man and the hearts of your disciples. I would like to meet you as you really are, since your image changes with whom you come into contact.

Remember John the Baptist’s first meeting with you? And the centurion’s feeling of unworthiness? And the amazement of all those who saw miracles and other wonders? How you impressed your disciples, the rabble in the Garden of Olives, Pilate and his wife and the centurion at the foot of the cross…

I would like to hear and be impressed by your manner of speaking, listening, for example, to your discourse in the synagogue in Capharnaum (Capernaum), or the Sermon on the Mount where your audience felt you “taught as one who has authority.” (p.89-90)

What would it be like to imitate Christ’s words and actions in all our encounters? Would we come to better understand how to love our neighbors (whoever they might be) as ourselves? Perhaps a visit to all the above examples in the life of Jesus would give us some clues to the requisite qualities of welcome, willingness and acceptance necessary to him in the different situations and personalities he met on his way.

 

 

 

 

 

Feeding the Hungry

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enough, feeding, food, handout, Jesus, John the Baptist, loaves and fishes, Matthew, metanoia, needs of the world, peaceable kingdom, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

There is a line from Matthew’s gospel in the story called variously “the loaves and the fishes” or “the feeding of the five thousand” (CH 14) that always goes straight to my heart. It appears today and catches me as usual. It is late in a day that began with Jesus trying to escape the crowds to grieve the death of John the Baptist. Failing that, Jesus responds to the needs in what has turned into a long and likely tiring session of healing people. The narrative picks up with the apostles saying to Jesus that he ought to send the people away because it’s late and there’s no availability of food to buy in the deserted place where they are. They will need to go to one of the villages nearby to buy food. There is no need for them to go away, Jesus says. Give them something to eat yourselves. The gospel continues with the miracle of feeding the whole crowd on five loaves and two small fish.

How often the needs of the world seem that impossible to fulfill! And it is true that we cannot achieve such a goal alone. It will take a monumental – miraculous even – metanoia (conversion) to get our world on track toward the “peaceable kingdom” where all are fed and cared for. My question for today, however, is this: how shall we be until that possibility comes into view? Whom and how am I being asked to feed today? Am I awake to the people who need a kind word or a sandwich to help them through the day? Is it enough that I go through the day mindful of those for whom I have promised to pray? There wasn’t much to go on when Jesus started that “handout” but the result, worked through his helpers, fed them all.

Can we believe that what we have to give is enough?

 

 

 

 

 

The Essential Question

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Christ, christians, compassion, Elijah, John the Baptist, listen, live, love, Mark, Matthew, Scriptures, speak truth, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

We all have our own perspectives on things and sometimes there is not only difference in how we see things, but downright opposition to the views of others. I’m always reminded of this when the “Who do people say that I am?” question shows up in the Scriptures. (Today in MK 8.) That’s the easy question though because the answer can include lots of hearsay, e.g. “Elijah or one of the prophets” (reincarnated?) or John the Baptist (more tricky since they lived at the same time). The riskier question comes next when Jesus asks the question that calls for a response of personal conviction: “Who do you say I am?” No one rushes to that answer and Peter seems the only one to finally get up the courage to speak his mind, or more probably, what he knows in his heart: “You are the Christ.”

I had a phone conversation yesterday about the necessity of listening compassionately without judgment to differing opinions on topics of importance. Never has it seemed more difficult or more crucial for us to do so. And the second part of this practice is to speak the truth as it is known to us with a willingness to enter into honest dialogue with those who might disagree.

It might be easier for Christians today than in apostolic times to declare that Jesus is the Christ, but the implications of what that means about how we live our lives differs greatly. Jesus didn’t talk a lot about how to live; his teaching was mainly in his living. If we could just focus on the dictum, “Love one another as I have loved you,” and read Matthew 25 about “the sheep and the goats” once in awhile, we might do our living in a more compassionate manner, listening to others and even disagreeing sometimes but loving one another as God loves us.

What Kind of Power?

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, baptism, blessing, humility, Jesus, John the Baptist, listen, manifest, Peace, power, psalm 29, sovereign, strength, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The theme of everything I have read so far this morning is simply the word POWER. The gospel for today speaks of God’s power manifest in the baptism of Jesus in two ways that I can see. God speaking when Jesus emerges from the water is impressive: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!” I am struck by both the soft expression of paternal pride and the booming imperative of what follows that sounds like it carries great consequence. (This is, of course, only my personal take on that moment.) Prior to God’s role at the event, however, Jesus shows a different side of power: the humility that is the necessary companion to any recognition or manifestation of personal power. John doesn’t feel worthy of baptizing Jesus, but Jesus knows the necessity of affirming John’s call and ministry as well acting out his own place in the human family.

Sometimes it’s tricky to navigate the heady waters of positions of power when the ego rushes to the fore and tries to grab all the adulation. (Jesus is a good model here.) The best leaders are those who are conscious of potential missteps in relationship – whether in a family or the world community – and who remember that they are just like the rest of us in the eyes of God.

Once again it is the daily psalm (29) that captures for me the depth of these thoughts in speaking of the power of God. The juxtaposition of manifest supremacy and caring love for all of creation is extraordinary and culminates in a message that can only evoke gratitude in those who comprehend its totality. Here are some excerpts from Ancient Songs Sung Anew:

O all you many powers of heaven and earth, know this, that it is God who fills them full, a God of strength and beauty…It is the voice of God that rides in beauty upon the waters. It is a voice of power that peals like thunder across the world. God’s voice is strength itself, majestic in its scope and range. So strong it snaps in two and splinters mighty cedar trees, so soft and delicate it sets the newborn lambs to dancing or sends the brash young bulls to skip and play…And yet above the brimming energies of earth and sky, the fullness of the oceans and the forest deep, our God as sovereign sits in perfect rest, and gives the people strength to love, bestowing blessing over all, and covers us with everlasting peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare the Way!

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Bernie Sanders, consequences, European Union, harbinger, Jesus, John the Baptist, kenosis, metanoia, prepare the way, ramifications, repentance, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, tumult, unity consciousness

The first thing I saw as my computer came on line this morning was the headline about the result of Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. That showed up on the same screen with a headline quote of Bernie Sanders for people in the US to “beat the establishment.” It seems that the way of doing things not only in our country, where the expectation that Sanders would have graciously bowed out by now, and in Europe, where the economic ramifications will be epic, are changing incontrovertibly with consequences that cannot possibly be predicted in the present. Add to that the “sit-in” in our House of Representatives this week and we cannot possibly ignore the tumult that is upon us and growing in the world.

Ironically, today the Church celebrates the feast dedicated to John the Baptist, the harbinger of change whose mission was to prepare the way for the appearance of Jesus in the world. John’s call was to repentance toward a new way of life. Often stopping at a consciousness of sin for which one asks forgiveness, we forget the full meaning of metanoia – a synonym for repentance – that calls for a complete turning of one’s life around, going in a totally different direction. Although John’s way to this new life (renunciation/abstention from anything liable to lead one to sin) was different from that of Jesus (kenosis/welcoming everything but letting it all go, pouring himself out in love) their goal was the same. One might say they were both focused on “unity consciousness” – moving toward God’s will in this world in service to the whole.

In this time of tumult, politically and spiritually, may we pray and work for a turning that will open the eyes of people to see that diversity need not mean division, that peace is possible and that moving toward in our turning is the only way to come together for the good of all.