“Hope Springs Eternal…”

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coping, hope, letting go, selflessness, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Just as we begin to pull out of this long”winter of our discontent” to find some possibility of a new springtime, we hear that hospitals are once more over-crowded and virus overtakes us once again. How do we cope? What does this mean for each of us? All I can think is that it is an opportunity to grow in selflessness. Here’s why:

As I began to write this morning, I noticed that I had a message from my friend in New Hampshire. I had been looking forward to a gathering there of six people, four of whom had worked together and shared deeply with one another years ago. This was to be a joyful reunion. The note on my e-mail this morning was a concern about gathering as the instances of Covid have again been increasing exponentially. At least two of the people in the group have young grandchildren. Disappointment is huge but there is in this occasion opportunity for “a grand gesture” of letting go for a greater good.

This morning I read a quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. that fits the moment. He said simply, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” May the good that can come from our letting-go sustain us and bring about generosity and spiritual growth beyond the pain of the loss.

Feeding the People

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care for neighbors, feed the hungry, letting go, loaves and fishes, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In today’s gospel we have John’s version of the miraculous feeding of the crowd that gathered to listen to Jesus at the Sea of Galilee (Jn 6:1-15). There are many lessons one can take from this reading. You probably have heard them all. Here’s one to add to the list of examples.

Yesterday I read a chapter of a new book, not yet published, about a couple who took up the task of seeing that homeless people in New York City had something to eat each day – a monumental task, to be sure. Their story put me in mind of John’s gospel and the recognition that perhaps one or two people cannot feed the entire city of New York. They came to that conclusion day by day, finally focusing on what was possible for them, responding in a way that they might not have been able to do if they had not prepared themselves for the “letting go” that became their daily work. One day, when the weather turned foul and they were faced with a man and woman without rain gear, they took off their coats and gave them to the couple, knowing it was the right thing to do. I know this couple and they could well afford to do what they did that day. The important thing, however, was their willingness, a freedom that grew in them as they practiced and came to care for the people they served.

It puts me in mind of our Sisters in Canto Chico, Peru who have been feeding the people in their neighborhood during the pandemic. They cook chickens in a big pot and serve soup to their neighbors who have nothing to eat. It was not the ministry they were prepared for but it became necessary last year. And someone had an over-abundance of chickens to offer to the pot!

We do not have Jesus with us in the flesh today, but we do cherish in our hearts the way he was present to people and do what we can to imitate his generous outpouring of love, feeding people in whatever way we can. Is there something you can do in your neighborhood to alleviate stress and “feed” in some way a neighbor in need? We cannot not save the whole world but even a smile and a kind word would go a long way to light up someone’s life. Stay awake today and see what shows up as a chance to be Christ in a new way in your neighborhood.

Forgiveness

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forgiveness, letting go, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

While flipping through a. magazine called Breathe that I had picked up in an airport store some years ago, I found the following quote that seemed worth repeating. Perhaps a good start to the “work week.”

The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce anger, depression, and stress and leads to greater feelings of hope, peace, and self-confidence. What better reasons to embrace forgiveness in your life…

On the following page there is a drawing of a dozen or so balloons of different sizes that all seem to be ready to fly away. The directions suggest filling in the balloons with things the reader wants to let go of…a great visual…I think I will create my own page and color the balloons to add another level of meaning.

Won’t you join me?

Generosity

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centering prayer, let go of thoughts, letting go, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Once again I marvel at the fifth chapter of Matthew’s gospel. Today it’s verses 38 to 42 where Jesus says: “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well….”

Over the past few weeks, I have made three trips to The Deposit Closet, a thrift store in the village of Deposit, NY (really!) not too far from Windsor where I live. I have brought a number of boxes and bags, some full of blankets and afghans from our house, but also a lot of clothing that has been “mine,” much of which we call “hand-me-overs” as someone else has worn it first. That’s the easy part. There are also items that I find it hard to let go of but that I know I do not need. Those are more difficult to give away, but it is time…

I find it interesting that on the drive home from “The Closet” I feel a lightness inside, a freedom in knowing that I am not tied to those possessions and that they will serve others well. More difficult for me is letting go of books (many of which I still hope to read after they have been with me for years). And then there is money. Surprisingly, that has become the easiest thing to give away. I have never had much money (having promised a vow of poverty at age 21). I smile at teenage me who used to be certain to know just how much money was in my bedroom drawer, but then I think of the generosity of my parents and the way we always had what we needed. Every year, usually after a dance recital, I recall starting to get an allowance as a reward for our stellar performance (!!) but sooner or later that habit would disappear and we would be back to just having money when we needed it for something. Now, as then, my needs are taken care of so it becomes easier to make a donation from my monthly “budget” each time a need arises. I don’t know when letting go began to be so easy, but I think it’s likely since centering prayer became my preferred spiritual practice. Essentially, the process and the goal are similar: sit, let go of thoughts and consent to be in God’s presence. So simple, but somehow difficult.

It’s all about letting go. Perhaps, if I continue to do so in small ways, I will be ready when I am called to let go of this life into God…and that will be the best reward of all for the practice of loving generosity!

Everyday Advice

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letting go, love, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours

On Friday during the day, Thomas Merton’s Book of Hours suggests the following, which seems like a Friday-kind of thought, appropriate for the Lenten season but not only then. It seems like something we could take to heart for any day or hour, but only if we’re open to something of a challenge. Here’s what he said:

Let go of all that seems to suggest getting somewhere, being someone, having a name and a voice, following a policy and directing people in “my” ways. What matters is to love. (p.171)

In this time leading up to our celebration of the Incarnation, when Jesus came to be like us in order for us to become like Him, can you see any lesson in this advice?

Bigger Barns

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bountiful harvest, consciousness, declutter, letting go, Luke, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I have been in the process of “de-cluttering” for some months now. It seems that’s the only good opportunity in this season of Covid-19. Sometimes I wake up with great incentive but when I look at the end of the day I see that I have gone through my closet and there are only four or five items in the box that I will give away. Maybe my intention for the day had been clearing out my e-mail list and I find it much longer than I expected with things I am sure I will give attention to in the near future so I turn off my computer after reading one or two “important” documents. And then there is my car which seems forever destined to have very little room for companions because of all the boxes that I call “my traveling office.”

I have always identified today’s gospel as “Bigger Barns” and often remind myself of my state of consciousness with that simple alliteration. I wonder at those times where “letting go” went as I take a deep breath and attempt a purge in whatever corner of my life or heart seems most cluttered. I wonder where I would choose to start if I heard God speaking to me as did the rich man in today’s gospel (LK 12) who was looking for a place to store his “bountiful harvest.”

I’m glad today is Monday. I’m always willing to start over on Monday. It’s getting late so I ought to get started before “overwhelm” sets in. May you have the kind of profitable day that I hope for. I will be satisfied, I hope, with crossing off at least some of the items on my “to-do” list. What about you?

The Flow of Life

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breath, breathe, change, flow, letting go, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today I’m sitting in the quiet, reflecting on the flow of life and how important it is not to upset that flow any more than is necessary if we are to continue to travel on an even keel. It is not generally our doing if schedules get changed or events get shifted around. We in the Northeast are at a moment in the year when the weather plays a big part in everyday plans. A big snowstorm cancels lots of things as does a death in family or friendship circles. We can fret and moan over the inconvenience of rescheduling, or take a breath and look for alternatives.

The best thing to do (and this takes a lot of practice) is to breathe in the change and then let go the distress. Sounds easy…breathing in and breathing out, right? We do that automatically. (I’m watching my breath as I type.) I have come to know the value of letting go for equanimity in daily life as well as for spiritual growth and I would recommend it – especially as we move into our biggest and most important holiday season. Not as easy as it sounds, I know!

Practice makes perfect…give it a try!

Spring Cleaning

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letting go, seasons, spring cleaning, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I left my bedroom window open all night last night for the first time in many months and I am happy to say that I believe spring has truly sprung here in New York State. Just now reading about the practice of “letting go” I sensed how it’s easy to see how examples of that process manifest in many ways in the spring.

It’s time for cutting down and picking up what is dead in the garden spaces and all over the land where the winds of winter left evidence in small and large branches. The miracle of growth will follow if we give sufficient space to breathe. Pruning is not my favorite task but I have come to know its necessity and its effectiveness.

Within a week our summer buildings will have running water again as the fear of frozen pipes is past. Spring cleaning has always been a harbinger of new life, a clearing away of dust and debris to let the sun shine in. As we polish furniture and windows, there is a concomitant cleansing process that can happen in the cleaning team, a joy that comes with letting go of what no longer serves us and therefore gives way to the new. We begin to feel the energy of who will come to programs this season, what we will give and receive and how we will grow just as our cherished land will again flourish in this divine/human exchange. And all will be greatly blessed!

Rich and Poor

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happiness, letting go, Mark, Meister Eckhart, poor, rich, spirituality, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, willingness

The longer I live the deeper and broader the interpretations of “the rich young man” story (MK 10) become. My experiences – most recently of Peru – convince me that if we are thinking in terms of financial wealth we are only scratching the surface of possible meanings. (How can all those poor people seem so happy?) While it is true that money cannot buy happiness, it can provide food and other necessities of life. At the same time, it’s easy to see that money can complicate life significantly.

Leaving finances aside, I look at the complications in my life and how much more likely spiritual growth would be if I could only become simpler: in my desires, in my outlook, in my judgments…in my life. Looking at life from a perspective of fullness rather than lack and from the spirituality of subtraction and/or detachment that Meister Eckhart preached allows the freedom that would seem to be the end of seeking for the rich young man and for us.

If only we could let what holds us back fall off of us like the water in a morning shower or the fluffy snow that I easily brushed off my car last week in order to clear my way toward home. Letting go can be such a freeing gesture of only we open our hands and our hearts to the willingness that brings us to God’s heart. It’s all about practice and it can start at any moment. A thought, a gesture – maybe even giving away a smile to someone who irks us – could be enough to start a process that might last a lifetime. Who knows?

Inter-abiding

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Emmanuel, God, good, grace, Jesus, joy, letting go, O Antiphons, presence of God, seek love, soul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, true self

Today we are on the edge of the greatest Christian mystery: God becoming one with us in human form in order that we may abide in God in a way beyond our capacity to comprehend with our “ordinary mind.” We can only approximate the reality if we try to think ourselves into it. We need to be willing to “go to the lengths of God,” as Christopher Fry has said, letting go of the mind to a place of soul that is reached only as gift. The paradox is that we cannot get there by striving but we must continue to seek in love for love. Moreover, each of us must make this journey to our true self (where God lives) as ourself. Ultimately, no one can tell us who God is at the deepest level of knowing. That is a secret held only in the depths of the heart, a gift of grace. We can only open our heart – in our own words, with our own gesture – to this most welcome guest.

O Emmanuel, God with us, come now and abide in us that we may abide in you for the good of the world and the joy of knowing that you love us each as a precious and unrepeatable presence in you.