Growing in Wisdom

Tags

Cynthia Bourgeault, desire for God, grace, jumpstart, life lesson, prayer, Sirach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

When I think about my “wisdom journey,” I often refer to 2003 as a beginning point, but it would be sad to think that I began my search for God at that late moment in my life. I was already 55 years old then. (Of note, however, is the fact that “5” is a significant number for change in numerology.) That year is significant because it signaled the beginning of a disciplined study of the wisdom tradition of Christianity under the tutelage of a teacher—Cynthia Bourgeault. It was a “jumpstart” to a new chapter in my life as it focused my prayer and religious studies to enable a deeper dive into spirituality.

I will always be grateful , not only for Cynthia, but for all the people I have met and the work I have been privileged to be part of over these last 18 years.

I don’t mean to sound like I am finished learning or going into retirement—not yet! What has precipitated this reflection is actually the first lectionary reading for today, from the Hebrew Scriptures book of Sirach. Here are the lines:
“When I was young and innocent, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer. I prayed for her before the temple and I will seek her until the end, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe. My heart delighted in her; my feet kept to the level path because from earliest youth I was familiar with her…”

As I look back over my life, I recognize—not for the first time—that the desire for God was always in me and all my experiences and lessons were important to the growth and deepening of that desire, until I was ready to act more directly on it. At that point, I trust that God said something like: “YOU GO, GIRL!” and then provided everything I needed to proceed. I have often heard that “when the student is ready the teacher appears.” I know that to be true in my life but not just when the lifelong lessons “appear”—but all along the way from all the sources of grace—people and experiences—that spark the fire that is the Holy Spirit inside.

Can you plot the workings of God in your life? Are there touch points when you suddenly—or not so suddenly—understood something important happening for your growth? Do you ask in prayer for understanding of the events and place of people in your life? And what is the place of gratitude in your prayer? Worthy questions, don’t you think?

Sturdy Shelters

Tags

Arizona, Cynthia Bourgeault, experiences, faithful friend, Ordinary Time, Peru, return, shelter, Sirach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, travel, Wisdom School

Here I sit, finally home again and happy to be. As I often think and sometimes say, I believe travel to be one of the best means of education. I’m sure it will take a long time for me to understand exactly how much I have learned from the people and the environments of Peru and Arizona over the past six weeks. How amazing that both of those experiences happened in such a short period of time and how wonderfully expressive of today’s first lectionary reading they both were.

In the Book of Sirach, chapter 6, we find that a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; the one who finds one finds a treasure...and, as I read it this morning, faces flooded through my consciousness. The welcome of our Sisters in Lima and the joy of my longtime friend and traveling companion, Maryjean, created a virtually seamless and delightful dive into a very different culture in Peru. Several familiar faces from past Wisdom Schools became a comfort zone in the desert during this past week and the sharing with many seekers of deep spiritual truths whom I met for the first time bolstered my confidence that the world will indeed endure. To share such an experience under the tutelage of the extraordinarily gifted Cynthia Bourgeault is always a privilege – never more than in this experience.

Not the least notable were the moments of return, sitting in our living room with photos and attempts at recounting all the happenings as well as hearing what had happened in my absence. And there will be phone calls and meetings in the days ahead with the others who share the “ordinary time” of my life. In knowing all of this, I know too that I am most blessed with all those who make up the collage of my life.

Who makes you grateful to be living in this moment of time?

View From the Mirror

Tags

compassion, forgive, forgiven, grateful, hide, honest, imperfections, injustice, kindness, look honestly, love, merciful, mirror, pray, self-esteem, Sirach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I remember my sister saying once long ago during a visit to our motherhouse that you could tell you were in a convent because there were no mirrors anywhere! I suppose that, if often true, that had two purposes: 1. to keep the Sisters from the vanity of wasting time gazing at themselves, and 2. since there was no hair or make-up to be concerned about because our habits covered almost every inch of the body and getting dressed was a quick, rote exercise. Now, because we do not have the “luxury” of such a simple and universal couture, mirrors are a part of household furnishing in most religious houses.

I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking on the value of this change but I do think there is a benefit, again for two reasons. 1. I have a friend who used to begin her workshops on self-esteem by asking how many people in the audience looked in the mirror while they’re brushing their teeth or their hair and say, “What a woman!” (or “Hello, handsome!”) People used to laugh at that, but her point was made because rarely did anyone admit to a positive response to her question. We need to see ourselves as God sees us: marvels of creation – and be grateful. 2. On the other hand, while we’re looking in that mirror we ought to try each day to be totally honest with ourselves and God about our imperfections. What we try to hide from other people should be frankly looked at in that mirror, again with the realization that God is looking back at us with love. Tender mercy and forgiveness are always there if we are willing to look honestly at ourselves.

The readings in today’s lectionary are all about God’s mercy and forgiveness. The Book of Sirach says this: Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven and Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself…? The Letter to the Romans speaks of how we live and die for the Lord. In so doing, therefore, it stands to reason that we ought to act like the Lord. In the gospel we have Peter trying to figure out how many times we are asked to forgive those who have wronged us and Jesus disappointing him perhaps with the answer: 70 X 7 times – which we know means “every time.”

All those words we know, but do we allow them to live within us so that we don’t become frustrated when we fail in the love we know we owe to others? The most comforting of all the quotes today (perhaps because I hear it put to music sung often in my church) is the psalm response. It sings in me, The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in kindness (or rich in compassion, depending on your translation). Try looking in the mirror, even in your darkest days, and say that line aloud. Can you possibly resist a promise of forgiveness like that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Advice

Tags

Colossians, compassion, kindness, humility, gentlenesspatience,, family, Holy Family, John, Lectionary, Luke, psalm 128, psalm 84, Sirach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today it seems as if those who determined the cycle of readings for the lectionary could not make up their minds. There are occasionally two choices for one of the readings on a Sunday, often a longer and a shorter version of the gospel. Today, however, we have two choices from the Hebrew Scriptures for the first reading (SIR 3:2-6, 12-14 or 1 SM 1:20-28), two Psalm responses (PS 128: 1-5 or PS 84:2-10), three choices for the second reading (COL 3:12-21 or the shorter COL 3:12-17 as well as 1 JN 3:1-2, 21-24), two gospel acclamations (COL 3:15-16 or ACTS 16:14) but only one gospel, about the finding of the child Jesus in the temple when he is 12 years old (LK 2:41-52).

Today, as always on the Sunday following the celebration of Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph). That certainly makes sense as a recognition that Jesus was born not only for the entire world but also into a family. I wonder, though, if perhaps there wasn’t some thought given when the cycle of the Church year was set up liturgically to the fact that Christmas is a gathering time for families and it might be a good idea to have some advice given in church as to how to be and act as families. I can attest to that as an effective rationale (in a rather playful way) from the many Christmases that my siblings and I leaned forward shooting knowing glances at my father as the lector proclaimed, “Husbands, love your wives,” and at my brother when hearing, “My son, take care of your father when he is old…” It was all light-hearted posturing, as all of us consider ourselves lucky to have been blessed with our family, but this morning it got me thinking when I saw all the reading choices. “Family” has become a word that today describes myriad gatherings of individuals, not always what in the 1950s in the USA was considered the norm: two parents, two children (a boy and a girl) and a dog – a gross misrepresentation even then. Diversity reigns now more than ever. (I often speak of my Polish family, my Italian family – both love-based “adoptions” of long-standing – and my Sisters of St. Joseph family as well as my Irish family of origin.) No matter our ways of bonding I think Paul’s letter to the Colossians wins the day today for good advice to all for the way we should consider and treat one another.

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If one has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also do. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts since as members of one body, you were called to this peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish each other, singing psalms and hymns and inspired songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

A Cheerful Giver

Tags

catholic, cheerful giver, generous, giving, laughter, lightness of life, pay homage, piety, sanctity, singing, Sirach, smiling, St. Philip Neri, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning’s first reading from the Book of Sirach (35:1-12) sounds like an ad for “sacrificial giving” in church. It is talking about paying homage to the Lord but goes beyond tithing, which ought to be accomplished in a spirit of joy. Expansion of the theme of actual donation is also implied in such language as: in generous spirit…be not sparing of freewill gifts and Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. Upon reading this I was thrown back to a song that we used to sing during our novitiate days that began: God loves a cheerful giver; give it all you’ve got! (great emphasis on the second part – sort of like a football fight song, gestures and all). Certainly, we were not singing about monetary contributions to the Church but rather the attitude with which we lived our lives.

Serendipitously, today is the feast of St. Philip Neri who lived in the 1500’s, a tumultuous time for the Christian Church. A summary comment from the website http://www.americancatholic.org offers the following:

Many people feel that such an attractive and jocular personality as Philip’s cannot be combined with intense spirituality. Philip’s life melts our rigid, narrow views of piety. His approach to sanctity was truly catholic, all-embracing and accompanied by a good laugh. Philip always wanted his followers to become not less but more human through their striving for holiness.

So, if they’re not already part of your spiritual backpack, it sounds like a good idea today to add smiling, singing and considering those you meet as friends just waiting to be found, with whom the lightness of life can dispel some of the heaviness of the world.

 

 

Advice for the Family and Beyond

Tags

Colossians, compassion, feast of the holy family, forgiveness, gentleness, gratitude, humility, kindness, patience, Paul, peace of Christ, Sirach, thankful, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

Today, as always on the Sunday after Christmas, our Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family which is often an occasion for a pastor to urge attention to good treatment of family members. In the last years when both of my parents were alive, we listened to these sermons in Florida. We had already taken note of the lectionary reading from Sirach, ch. 3 which urged good behavior to all members within the family culminating in: “My son, take care of your father when he is old…” as we leaned forward in the pew with meaningful glances at my brother. Each of us (but mostly the men) got wordless encouragement to pay attention during the reading. It is a happy memory as we had been blessed with a very loving family and were looking askance at one another only in jest.

As we come to understand more and more these days our need for connection with our “brothers and sisters” around the world, the words of Paul’s letter to the Colossians (3:12-17) from today’s lectionary become a worthy template for our consideration. It is one of my favorite passages from the Bible so I quote it here in its entirety as a prayer for all of us and for our world today.

Brothers and sisters, put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. And over all these virtues put on love which binds the rest together. And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, since as members of Christ’s body you have been called to that peace. Always be thankful. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish each other, singing psalms and hymns and inspired songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Giving Thanks

Tags

blessing, happy thanksgiving, joy of heart, Peace, pilgrims, Sirach, Thanksgiving, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

This morning my world is blanketed in white. I give thanks for the beauty of snow as I pray for safety of travelers, shelter for the homeless and peace in places of unrest. Because we celebrate in our country today the great feast of Thanksgiving, I reflect on those early settlers who came here seeking new life. Remembering that it wasn’t an easy journey but that over time and generations immigrants like my grandparents built a nation that is strong in its foundations if imperfect in its unity, I am grateful. Today we cannot think only of our own surroundings or our country as we have become a world community in our time. I celebrate the cross-cultural connections that are possible now through which we celebrate the diversity among us even while we are stretched toward understanding of the ways in which we are the same.

I choose the wisdom of the Book of Sirach 50:22-23 for a blessing to all today with a wish that giving thanks becomes ever more prominent in our daily practice. It says: Now I bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb and fashions them according to his will. May God grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thoughts for Thanksgiving

Tags

First Epistle to the Corinthians, God, Gospel of Luke, Lord, Luke, Psalm 145, Sirach, Thanksgiving, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

The Scripture readings for today fairly shout feelings of gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on all that God has done and is doing. We are also reminded to give thanks for everything, since we are not always attuned to the deeper “goings on” in our lives. Let me clarify:

From the Book of Sirach: May God grant you joy of heart, and may peace abide among you.

From Psalm 145: Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you.

From 1 Corinthians: God is faithful.

From the Gospel of Luke: Ten lepers were cleansed. Only one returned to give thanks.

These readings, taken together, seem to show a pattern for the day. The holiday of Thanksgiving, a traditionally American event, often wakes us in the morning with joy or peace in our hearts and the expectation of connecting somehow with those we love – even if not in person. (Sirach)

We are reminded, sometimes in a religious service, sometimes as we sit around a table feast praying grace, that the beauty of creation around us and within us is due to God’s generosity and creativity. (Ps. 145)

If we take the time as we share stories on this day and other days to look at how our lives have unfolded, we may recognize hidden blessings, opportunities for growth, sometimes hidden in even the painful moments of our lives. (1 Corinthians)

Lastly, we are reminded to verbalize often and live always our thanks for all that we have been given. (Luke 17).

May your day be filled with the joy and peace, love and blessings from Sister Lois, Barbara and the growing community that is The Sophia Center for Spirituality.