John’s View

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faith, St. John the Evangelist, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, word of life

When I read verses from the Scriptures like the first reading from today, (1 JN 1:1-4) the feast of John, Apostle and Evangelist that proclaims: What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life…I wonder what it would have been like to live in the time of Jesus and walk with him as John did. Having the presence of Jesus in human form must have been more than we could imagine…But then there are times when people in the gospels admit they did not know him, that he seemed at best to be a loving, helpful, observant Jew and at worst a rabble rouser.

Perhaps we are better off, knowing Jesus the Christ with the eyes of faith and 2,000 years of evidence to trust who he was and is for us and for the world. And who is that, exactly, for you?

Everything Speaks

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desert, God's Word, listen, Moses, tell, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, word of life

I went out ten minutes ago (6:10 a.m.) to get my morning coffee and was greeted with the clearest sky possible, darkly shining in the moonlight with the morning star as brilliant as a huge diamond. I thought of a quote learned long ago: “The morning star shines clear in the sky, offering it the word of life.” After a glorious display, the light spreads quickly and the day begins again. I must not dawdle if I am to catch the show.

Yesterday, our “desert day” confirmed the truth of the desert Abba Moses in the following “word.”

“A certain brother went to Abba Moses in Scete and asked him for a good word. And the elder said to him: Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will tell you everything.”

I now know that if my cell is the night sky, or the glory of a rising sun, or just my morning coffee time on my bed, the word will be heard if, of course, I am listening well.

Radiant Dawn

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darkness, dawn, eternal light, justice, light, meditation, moon, morning star, O Antiphons, shadow of death, silence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Tibetan chime, winter, word of life

This morning there was a shaft of light across my bed as I was throwing back the covers. I thought something – the wind or some animal – had tripped the light over the carport outside. When I looked out I saw a brilliant waning moon with the nearby morning star shining in response to its light. I don’t know when I first heard the line: The morning star shines clear in the sky, offering it the Word of Life, but it always comes to me automatically when I catch sight of that loveliness.

Then there was the silent dawn, clear and pure as the sound of the cymbal Tibetan chime that sometimes calls me to meditation. One of the advantages of the cold of winter (which some of us welcome on this date without much reluctance) is the clarity that accompanies the cold. Yes, there are the storms and the inconveniences but on a clear day there is a sharpness of the air, and breathing it in has the ability to shake the cobwebs out of the mind and get us moving quickly to our destination – literally or figuratively. Today appears to be one of those days. I will know it later when I leave the house. For now, I have the O Antiphon for today to spur me on.

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

 

 

 

 

 

Deeper Joy

Tags

Christ, God, Gospel of John, Jesu, Jesus Christ, John, John the Evangelist, New Testament, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, word of life

The three New Testament letters attributed to John the Evangelist reflect the perspective of John’s gospel, giving us a picture of Christ as the Eternal Word of God, spoken for our benefit. These later writings have nothing in them of the poor conditions of the birth of Jesus about which we have been talking and singing these past days. Actually, there is no birth narrative at all. John is inspired by Greek philosophy and speaks more of the divine nature than the humanity of Jesus. And yet, this morning in the beginning of John’s first letter we read a profound testimony to the kindness of our God who came to us in human form. I suggest it as a text for today as we allow our senses of hearing, sight and touch to speak to us of God.

Beloved, what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life – for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us. What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.