Authenticity

Love Illuminates…

Stepping out on an overcast night, part of the sky is aglow. It’s as if the moon, in its fullest state, is straining to be seen through the clouds. When, in actuality, the moon, in its fullest state, authentic as can be, is not held back by the clouds. Neither are we.

In chapter 5 of the Gospel According to Matthew, it is written, “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (v. 20).

While the scribes and Pharisees were learned and appeared to be fastidious in their commitment to God and practice of the laws, many of them were missing the most important piece of the law. That is, the need to serve with love, compassion, and mercy. Without these components, an oath becomes empty words, the law loses its integrity, and hearts become self-righteous rather than righteous.

Jesus brings fulfillment through his authenticity. He doesn’t just talk about the Way, but he also lives it, inviting us to join him, and enabling us to strive toward love, compassion, and mercy, in all we do, while also being accountable. And when we accept the invitation, at the end of the day, not even the clouds or darkness hold us back.

“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” ― Zora Neale Hurston

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife – unless the marriage is unlawful –
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”

– Matthew 5:17-37

More Than Pieces…

Pieces, everything comes in pieces.
Our coming and our going,
Who we are and what we do,
Hours, minutes, seconds of each day.
Sometimes, taken as a whole,
Might we miss or gloss over gold,
The little things as not worth the time of day?
Though precious is each moment,
Taken alone and on its own,
Might we miss or gloss over gold,
The broader view as just another day?
Pieces, broken down and shared,
Everything is pieces,
Of a picture big and small,
Glossy gold and full of glimpses,
Captured best holding one another,
Drawing strength and beauty altogether,
Being grateful for it all.

“Everything that is in the heavens, on earth, and under the earth is penetrated with connectedness, penetrated with relatedness.” – Hildegard Von Bingen

An Advent Prayer: Lord, help me to hold the pieces of my life together, big and small, easy and challenging and all that falls between, with great love and care, trusting that it is really You, the King of Glory (Ps 24:10b), who holds them all… who holds us all. And help me to continue to look to you, that you may grant me the grace to notice and appreciate the beauty and goodness of all creation, and the heart and soul of those I encounter each day.

From All Appearances…

At the beginning of the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Advent (Matthew 3:1-12) there is a description of the “voice crying out in the desert, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” (verse 3). We read that John the Baptist is outfitted in camel hair clothing and has a “wild” diet of grasshoppers (a.k.a. locusts) and honey. Based solely on this physical description and his location in the desert, it’s easy to envision John as having a gruff or primitive appearance. Yet, there were many people who traveled to be baptized by him. So, what was it that drew them to him?

Imagine someone dressed in clothing made from material that was typically used for making cloaks, tents, and carpets and eating bugs and wild honey telling you to get ready… to straighten up and make a proper path for the Lord. What would you notice first? What would you think? How would you respond?

What obstacles are there to looking at the appearance of John the Baptist, and seeing the heart of a faithful servant of God, or a guardian angel pointing out the way?

Oftentimes, we can become conditioned by our surroundings, social circles, and society in general as to how people or things should look, act, or speak. However, these expectations not only make it easier to miss the spirit and the heart of those we encounter along the way, but also make it easier to be misled or go astray. When thinking about preparing, an ideal image or notion of what should be may come to mind, and although it may be helpful to have a sense or an idea about things, it’s important to always leave a little space to prayerfully ponder that which is different, unknown, or unfamiliar.

An Advent Prayer: Lord, in a world that seeks to glorify based on appearances and all that fades, help me to go with Your grain, instead of society’s. Help me to overcome any obstacles that may prevent me from seeing beyond appearances. Help me to look to You and grant me the grace to notice and appreciate the beauty and goodness of all creation, and the heart and soul of those I encounter each day.

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” – Matthew 3:1-12

Recalling…

In the quiet stillness,
A peace easy to remember,
Flowing from what was,
What is, and what shall always be.
It is in a gentle whisper,
Sometimes a sturdy breeze,
Raining down, then kicking up,
All sorts of memories.
The beckon of a beacon,
Remaining steady in its yearning.
Always right on center,
In both time and space,
Calling back the mind
That tends to wander,
Calling for a time
To pause, sit and ponder.
Although clock is moving,
And pledges have been made,
This is not a race.
Think about the prayer,
The way things are,
What has passed, 
And may never be again.
Yet hope does not fade,
Sometimes it saunters to a linger.
A soft and warming glow,
But held in place,
Infused with cherished memories.
Some say only time will tell,
Yet faith knows or better senses,
Only truth will tell.
Your deep abiding love,
The only trust worth trusting.
For, ever is it known,
That all is well or on its way,
But only in remembrance
Of your ever-present grace.

Lord, show us the light of your face! – Psalm 4:7b

Which Way…

With the pitter patter of rain and dense mist earlier in the week, it became more and more challenging to see clearly. However, once the rain slowed, visibility improved ever so slightly. Then, as we continued, we exited an area that was overcome with fog. Once more our vision was restored more fully, until that is, we came across the next pocket of thick mist and its partnering wave of rain. Overall, in slowing down, the weather, although an obstacle, did not pull us off course or lead us astray. Remaining focused on the road, we found our way, and eventually, arrived safely.    

In the Gospel reading for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 19:1-10 below), we read that Zacchaeus was searching for Jesus, “but he could not see him because of the crowd.” The crowd, perhaps like waves of rain and dense like fog, was an obstacle, yet Zacchaeus remained focused on his desire “to see who Jesus was.” Allowing himself to be led by the longing of his heart, Zacchaeus does not get lost in the crowd or become discouraged. Nor does he push through the crowd or use whatever means he may have had as a wealthy tax collector. Rather, Zacchaeus seems to abandon any such notions and instead, he lets go of his status as he looks to overcome the limitations of his physical stature and climbs a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus.

Next, comes perhaps the most important part of this passage. What does Zacchaeus do in response to his encounter with Jesus? He owns his previous actions and changes his ways. He vows to repair any damage he has done and to adjust how he operates. He promises to extend not only his pocketbook, but also his heart to others, especially those in need. He does not deny the truth, but instead rightfully embraces it.

The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. – Psalm 145:18

Zacchaeus truly wanted to know who Jesus was and was willing to let go of all he had to find out. Not only that, but once he experienced Jesus for himself, he was also willing to let go of all he had known. In joining the way of Jesus, he was not going for something that would lead him to become less tolerant or accepting or disparage and drag him and others down. The changes Zacchaeus makes are ones aligned with honesty, integrity, respect, and dignity. These are all hallmarks of life-giving choices; ones that honor and praise the beauty of God and all God’s creation.

So, while the rain falls where it may, and the fog may seem endless as if extending well beyond the horizon, as for the Way, it remains clear as can be, if only one is open to it.        

At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
“He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.” – Luke 19:1-10

Yes, and…

Kahlil Gibran wrote, “The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose.” Looking at the circumstances occurring around the world today, one might wonder how on earth it is possible to not see thorns and weeds run amok. However, also happening around the world at the same time as all these daunting occurrences are ones that inspire and give cause to celebrate.

Perhaps within these days, too, there is opportunity to hold a broader view and to seek the hope that is awaiting in each moment, in each act of love, kindness, mercy, and compassion. But first, a pause. Maybe there is a letting go or taking up that needs some space to allow it to unfold. These kinds of times are also often great for working through unrest and moving closer, if not to the side of peace.

Imagine a rose without thorns. Is it perfect? Is it incomplete? Either way, honesty urges taking in the entire picture, whether of something familiar or something unknown. For that is when truth comes into view, and with it, a return to what is real. Yet, all along the way, Wisdom softly calls, although we may evolve, sometimes resist, or dig in, there is always something greater happening here. In fact, there is always something greater happening everywhere. Yes, and it is worthwhile to behold.

Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations. – Psalm 90:1

Considering All Things Under The Sun…

Bound south on a highway,
But still looking up,
Such a beautiful bridge,
Sleek and strong,
Yet even it can’t contain the sky.
From arc to bow and then its arch,
A towering touché, but still,
Not missing a pace,
It trusts and holds in place,
Still, it knows its place.

Continuing south, only now on a byway,
Only now, looking out,
Such a beautiful scene.
Ocean all around,
Deep and dark blue,
Carrying sparkles of light.
Then, a group of rocks
Hanging out in the seaweed
As it sways with each movement.
There’s a smaller one in the middle
On which three creatures steadily wait.
Still looking out and
Taking in a magnificent sight,
So peaceful and quiet,
Inside and out.
Next, I see them looking up.
Another touché, but still,
Not missing a pace,
They trust and hold in place,
Still, they know their place.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. – Mt 11:29

Beyond the Cover…

Spending the better part of the week surrounded by a plethora of books and various other media, it’s interesting to think about the variety of characteristics held within, as well as characters passing through, a public library.

Looking at the rows upon rows of books that are all around, it’s hard not to be fascinated by the fact that there’s always more to learn. This is not as in a conquest, but rather as in an opportunity, if one is open to it. And even more than that, no matter how vast, neatly ordered, and organized the books and other media may be, the contents of them serve everyone best, only when contemplated and taken into consideration with the range of human experience and love, and the knowledge it imparts into one’s heart.

Frequently viewed as a destination for those searching knowledge, know-how, a place to work, or a group of one sort or another, the library is also a place for those seeking shelter from outside. However, regardless of the time of day or reason for entering, when the library is open, none are turned away. Instead, they are welcome to come in as they are, and become a unique part of the inviting, peaceful environment. Imagine that in a place full of books!

Sometimes we think we know, but until we seek to look beyond the distortions, we honestly cannot.

Peace Dwells Within…

That which was spoken long ago,

Holds true still, even in this day and age.

Peace, it dwells within,

And cannot come from that which is external.

Listen to Paul, who once was murderous Saul,

Filled with conviction,

Really hate, disguised as a passion he thought was right.

The Lord opened his heart,

Corrected his vision,

And led him to turn from his ways.

His conviction remained.

His passion transformed,

From one that was steal.

Redeemed one might say,

By the Way that is true,

By the One who is always waiting,

For the other to come around.

Peace is about embracing possibilities,

Seeking Grace and gratitude,

Being open to ways that differ,

And accepting differences,

Without surrendering to them.

Peace comes in discovery

As well as in re-discovery,

In going out into the world,

Remembering in whose image all are created,

Holding true to oneself,

And allowing others to do the same.

Peace, it dwells within,

But its effects go well beyond.

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. – Col 3:15

The Bottom Line…

Oh no! Not again, again.
Utter outrage is not enough.
The bottom line if not obvious, is this,
There are no excuses,
There are no good reasons,
There is no lower we can go,
Beyond bottom is where we already are.

Over and over, we say no more,
But here we are, again, and again,
More than once more,
By many more.
As if it’s never enough.

Too much!
More than enough already.
Violence begets violence,
But I’m not violent,
One might say,
But if we’re being honest,
Aren’t we all,
In some way?

Thinking carefully,
Competition here and there,
Competition everywhere.
Through the years,
Things get turned upside down,
Words get mixed,
Intentions sway,
Power plays,
Hands shake,
All as if nobody is the wiser.

Enough already!
Place the value in what’s valuable!
Get over self-inflation,
Turn right side up, and
Come back down to earth.
Look reality in the face,
And address it wholeheartedly.
Join each other as One nation.

Stop the violence,
Stop it now.
No more loss.
None! Not any!
It ought to be common sense.
That’s what ought to be automatic.

Consider communicating (and re-communicating) to elected officials concerns and wishes regarding gun control and reform to laws, and exercise the right to vote to put people in office who will work to address gun violence more effectively. Pray, because prayer never hurts, and can only help. In addition, the following is a short list of organizations working to increase awareness and stop gun violence.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/arms-control/gun-violence/

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/departments/health-policy-and-management/research-and-practice/center-for-gun-violence-solutions

https://www.bradyunited.org/

https://www.preventioninstitute.org/focus-areas/preventing-violence-and-reducing-injury/preventing-violence-advocacy