Finding the Words

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Advent, Christ, everlasting glory, lightning, make ready, prepare ye the way of the Lord, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, wake up call

Yesterday I finally put pen to paper (well, actually, it was cursor to document) in an attempt to find words to share with the Church congregation I will address on Sunday. It’s always a challenge to find something novel to say in Advent. “The Lord is coming soon” sounds flat and “Prepare the way of the Lord!” is also over-used. It isn’t as if I hadn’t been thinking about it for weeks but I’m still not satisfied with my efforts. Advent is such a meaningful time for me that I would like to say something stirring, something to wake up the desire, the yearning that lives deep in the hearts of all of us. I wonder if using the “wake-up call” that Thomas Merton gave me this morning would work. I’d probably have to pass out the words for further reflection or repeat it a few times so those only listening with their normal ears would get the image, but maybe it would be just the thing to make the light dawn. Just maybe…

Make ready for the Face that speaks like lightning, uttering the new name of your exultation deep in the vitals of your soul. Make ready for the Christ, whose smile, like lightning, sets free the song of everlasting glory that now sleeps, in your paper flesh, like dynamite. (“The Victory” from The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton, p.171-172)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunshine

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dawn, heart, inward movement of spirit, Jesus, light, Luke, Peace, psalm, sunshine, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wake up call

Soon after I responded to the wake-up call on my alarm this morning, the sun appeared on the eastern horizon. It seemed early to me but since I am sleeping on the 4th floor at our Motherhouse in Latham, New York I was not really surprised as the higher you go, the earlier it appears. Within fifteen minutes it was fairly blazing. Not so with the internet. Access is often not available that high up in this house. As I descended the stairs to the ground floor I found myself conscious (unusual at 6:15AM!) of the act of downward motion and opened myself to an analogous inward movement of spirit. I arrived at the computer room and accessed the Sunday readings with a ready heart, sunshine blazing to my right. I smiled as I read the psalm refrain, so perfect in the moment: Lord, let your face shine on us! I will take that line as a sunny reminder into our meeting today, accompanied in my heart by the benediction in today’s gospel (LK 24), given to the disciples by Jesus for all time: Peace be with you.

Time Is Short

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beatitudes, Corinthians, Gentiles, hungry, Luke, Matthew, poor, Sermon on the Mount, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wake up call

Chapter 6 of Luke’s gospel is the alternative reading of the famous Beatitudes in Matthew 5: the “Sermon on the Plain” rather than “the Sermon on the Mount” which is perhaps an indicator of the content as well as a location since Luke speaks in a more “down to earth” way – about the “poor” rather than the “poor in spirit” and the “hungry” rather than those who “hunger and thirst for justice.” Luke’s gospel was written for the Gentiles, not those for whom Matthew wrote. Matthew’s audience was the “chosen people, a royal priesthood…” those waiting for the Messiah who would restore “the throne of David.” Luke was concerned about everybody else.

As I think of our world today I’m unable to separate the poor in Africa from those in the United States – or people in war-torn countries from myself. Because we have the benefit of knowing about anything we can Google, it’s difficult to exclude anyone from our circle of concern. It would be easier to be ignorant (which doesn’t really mean “stupid” but simply “unknowing”). There would be less to worry about, fewer issues to be considered.

The reason my thoughts went this way this morning, I’m sure, is the last line from Paul’s message to the Corinthians (1Cor 7:31) where he predicts that “the world in its present form is passing away.” There are many implications – hopeful as well as dire – in that one line that cause me to reflect on my place and responsibility as a world citizen. It sounds like a “wake up call” to me. Prayer, concern, education and action are all words that come to mind. I’d better get busy…