God Is Always Near

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, Deuteronomy, message, power of God, psalm 77, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Yesterday in the late afternoon I watched from my seat on our rider mower the sky getting continuously darker. The clouds were like a beautiful sea of waves, each one deeper gray than the one before. I wanted to stay out in it but I thought it might be time to end the lawn work. As I surrendered to an incomplete task done, a large clap of thunder made me know it was the right decision. Just as I eased the mower into its berth in the shed, torrents of rain began with a mighty wind for accompaniment. Next a loud breaking sound split the skies and we saw one of our huge, beautiful black walnut trees cracked in two and falling across the yard. Nothing else was harmed but we were amazed at the power of that wind. There was no lightning – just the wind…but what a wind it was.

This morning as I read the text from Deuteronomy (4: 32-40) and then the powerful words of Psalm 77—both speaking of the power of God for the people—I was struck most strongly by verses 17 to 20 of the psalm.  

Then with a peal of thunder the clouds of heaven broke. 
Your arrows flashed as lightning across the darkened skies. 
And from that mighty whirlwind, your flames lit up the world. 
You walked ahead through water, your path lay through the sea,
And though we never saw you take a step, you were our company. 
You led Moses like a shepherd, you took Aaron by the hand, 
And they became for us, the flock of God, your mighty rod and staff.
(Ancient Songs Sung Anew, p.192)

As it was in the beginning, so it remains—a powerful message for us all.

Saving the World

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Jonah, judge, message, Nineveh, prayer vigil, random acts of kindness, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, warning

Two thoughts crossed my mind this morning as I was reading the account of Jonah’s second announcement from God (“post-whale,” JON 3: 1-10). First I mused on the fact that Nineveh was such a big city that it took three days to go through it. I wondered how long it would take now to traverse a place like New York City and whether the walk would include all five boroughs and maybe some further-out suburbs. Since Jonah was giving a warning about destruction of the city, it would seem that he would have needed to check in everywhere.

My following thought was more to the point and more complicated to consider. Actually, it became a whole rush of questions. I’ll use New York as an example because it is a big city but not to judge the population in any way. What if there was a clear message from God that the city and all its inhabitants were to be destroyed in 40 days unless everyone repented (honestly, not just mouthing the words) of all their sins. Maybe sackcloth and ashes wouldn’t do for evidence. Maybe it would need to be huge prayer vigils and “random acts of kindness” in addition to the fasting.

I hesitated to write that because it sounds – even in the face of my disclaimer above – that I am speaking of a vengeful God who punishes wrong with destruction. That’s not it at all. As a matter of fact, I’ve been seeing evidence of lovingkindness on the evening news lately which renews my hope. I’m speaking of a day when self-interest would be put aside in favor of unity and light.

Are we there yet? Could we do it city by city at least in our country? What about where you live? Would I be willing to propagate the message? First, I would need to believe in the possibility of success. Then I would need to gather people who believe we are capable of convincing others because of the sincerity and light coming from inside all the speakers. That’s just the beginning, I guess. Call me crazy, but who knows what could happen if we really decided for God and put our minds and the entire power of our loving hearts into it?

This Day

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declaration, Easter, glad, message, psalm 118, rejoice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It has not escaped my notice that each day since the vigil of Easter the gospel acclamation has been the same verse. From Psalm 118:24 we hear or read, This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. This morning I think I finally got the intended message.

What if, upon rising from sleep, as soon as consciousness kicks in, we took as a practice to repeat – preferably aloud and with conviction – THIS IS the day the Lord has made! Let us be GLAD and REJOICE in it!!! (Emphasis mine, of course.) Maybe, even if we didn’t change the world by that declaration, it might come to have a positive effect on our personal day – every day.

 

 

 

 

 

Smiles All Around

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A Deep Breath of Life, Alan Cohen, consciousness, contemplative, dialogue, Divine Presence, inspiration, kindness, listening, message, mindfulness, psalm 57, smile, smiling, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wellness

I have to smile this morning as I sit here waiting for a message to arise when prompts are all around me. My brain feels like a broken record and I wonder if I will ever move through a day – or even an hour – without falling out of consciousness. Here’s what I mean.

1. On Tuesday I met with the two other persons who are working with me to create a second series on Mindfulness to complement what we offered last year during Lent. We’re moving toward weekly presentations on contemplative listening and dialogue – skills that are not easily practiced in our culture. We easily talk about them but practicing is another matter.

2. On Wednesday I was at a pharmacy waiting for a prescription to be filled when my eye fell on what appeared to be a coloring book in the magazine rack at the checkout counter. It was, rather, a creative magazine called Breathe: The Well-being Special. A banner that ran across the cover announced Wellness, Kindness, Mindfulness, Inspiration. Since I had never before seen anything like it, surrounded as it was with offerings of Hollywood gossip and political distress, I had to buy it! I have not been disappointed.

3. This morning Psalm 57:8 sings out: Awake, O Spirit that sleeps within…So I myself can wake the dawn with music in the morning’s light. The commentary speaks of the divine Presence as so powerful that it can affect changes in the outer world.

4. Last but not least, Alan Cohen (A Deep Breath of Life) uses the image of how shoes are all lined up neatly at the entrance of a Japanese house – except his which were “criss-crossed and strewn out of line.”

Happily, I have come to feel that God is not wagging a finger at me when I fall out of consciousness these days. I trust that God is smiling with me when I return from the mindless, interfering thoughts to renewed awareness of the Divine Presence that comes with my next breath in the now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Little Prince

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Christmas, images, message, right seeing, seeing, The Little Prince, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

There’s a subtle shift for me today in the Advent theme. Perhaps it will only last until tomorrow but the message of anticipatory waiting is given an additional push from the gospel acclamation – in a rather unusual way. After the psalm I read: Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord will come; go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace. Alleluia, alleluia.

Immediately I saw in my mind’s eye an image from The Little Prince, one of my favorite books, and perhaps the only one that I could still successfully read in French as I know most of the text by heart. The picture was of the Little Prince walking toward me carrying his scepter high in a manner that said, “Here I am; look at me!” I was unable in his presence to just look; I had to stand up and move toward him, smiling.

That may sound absurd but that’s precisely the way things happen sometimes in the spiritual life. Unbidden images are triggered by something – words, weather, music, a photo…and meaning is hidden somewhere inside. The message for me was two-fold. From the words of the psalm I gleaned the truth that the Christ will definitely come to us, no matter our response or lack thereof. We could just notice…or not. The imperative (“Go out to meet him!”) adds an energy that I find in the appearance of the Little Prince today. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,” he says. “What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

As we lean ever closer to Christmas, let us add this wisdom tenet to our preparation, searching always for impetus of “right seeing” that is born of love.

 

 

 

 

 

This Is the Day

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depth, Gospel, Lectionary, message, paying attention, psalm 118, purpose, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

As I scrolled through today’s lectionary readings, I realized that I was skipping over the gospel acclamation (often called “the alleluia verse”) without much thought. It says: This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it. (PS 118:24) “Why,” I asked myself, “am I not paying attention?” “Most likely,” I answered, “because it is so familiar.” “And why,” I pursued the thought, “is that the case?” The answer was quick in coming as I looked back over the daily texts for the past week. On all but one day, the verse was the same, so of course it would sound familiar.

When I begin my search for a message for the day, I always begin with the Scriptures. Sometimes I do not end up there, but it is always my first stop. One of the dangers of having listened to the same Scripture passages over one’s whole life – albeit in a 3-year cycle, is that familiarity often causes distraction, i.e. skimming over a passage that one can almost quote verbatim without really paying attention for some new nuance. I often now make myself go back to re-read when I recognize that happening because, although the Scripture reading may be the same as the last time it appeared, I may be different, having learned something new in the interim.

This morning I feel like a very young child for whom God has an important message. On this fifth day of reading it, I think I finally hear God saying, Do you understand the depth of those words? Do you know that it entails a recognition that I have created every day with just what you need to live a full and meaningful life, whether or not it seems so to you? Even though it’s gloomy outside and the outlook for the coming week at work may be dismal, or your plan for tomorrow may be changing, can you not allow that whatever happens may have a purpose for your good? And when things are going well, can you celebrate the blessing in that?

Perhaps I should tape a copy that verse to the door leading from my bedroom to my every morning, just so I begin the day with the correct attitude, knowing that every day is the day God has made and every day is worthy, in some small or grand way, of joy and gladness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postscript

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age, community, Jubilee, message, St. Joseph, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is Monday – time to resume the “headset” of the workaday world after a weekend of blessed celebration. One of the loveliest parts of the weekend was coming home yesterday to mark the actual feast of St. Joseph, our patron, which this year in community we noted on the day before and in the Church celebrate today on the day after (because of the pre-eminence of the third Sunday of Lent). We had a delicious dinner and I got presents from my housemates! Tucked in one of the jubilee cards was a colorful stiff square of a card written on both sides whose message was the following, which I believe will find itself in a central place in my bedroom and my life for what I hope will be years to come!

SIDE ONE: Each age has its own special joys and experiences. I am always  the perfect age for where I am in life.

SIDE TWO: I am at peace with my age.

Get Up and Get Going!

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Cynthia Bourgeault, full attention, grace of God, Hebrews, holiness, intention of peace, Lord, message, Peace, staright paths, strengthen, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Wisdom School

There is no possibility of missing the message in today’s text from the Letter to the Hebrews. No time for what was called “lollygagging” in the old days. These are serious times that demand our full attention. Listen then to how we are to conduct ourselves:

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one is deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled. (Heb 12:11-15)

I’m heading out this morning for the northern coast of Maine, to meet with a dozen or so colleagues who will consider just what that striving might entail. With our teacher, Cynthia Bourgeault, we will strive to further the agenda of inner peace and wisdom in order that those qualities may be manifest in the outer world as well. I know it will be a week well spent but may not allow for daily postings. If nothing appears on this site over these days until next Thursday, I invite your intention of peace to join with ours. I cannot imagine a better gathering!

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Words

Tags

books, Jesus, life, meditation, message, seeking, silence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

No matter how I try, there is nothing in me able to string enough words together to make a comprehensible message. Books at my side give me nothing appropriate or worthy. There is no light yet outside to ignite something from inside (and vice versa). I look around the room and the words I can read as titles of the books standing at attention in their rows are the following: Life, integral, Selling All, Jesus, Seek My Face, Compassion, Meditations, Silence.

Perhaps that is enough for today. What do you make of it?

 

 

 

 

 

What Would You Say?

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Alleluia, captives, Good News, Jesus, love, message, poor, sent by the Lord, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

As I read the gospel acclamation for this morning (the “Alleluia verse”) which said, “The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives” (LK 4:18), a question passed through my mind. If you were the one being sent by the Lord, I heard, what would be your message to the poor and the captives? In the following of Jesus, that is perhaps a great question for us. How do I – how do you – see the “good news” of God? What glad tidings do we have to share with the world, particularly for the benefit of those most in need?

My answer would certainly include the concept of love made concrete, but how would that look? Although it will take more than today to adequately answer that question (probably the rest of my life in actuality…), I can’t imagine putting it off now that it was such a clear message. Small steps may be all there are today, but small is, I trust, enough for God. It’s about keeping the intentional consciousness of the question before my eyes and heart. May God bless the effort!