Discipleship

Give Us This Day…

In a couple of days, it will be the shortest day of the year for some people and the longest day of the year for others. On December 21st, in the Northern Hemisphere it will be the Winter Solstice and daylight hours will be fewer than any other day in the year, and at the same time, in the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the Summer Solstice and daylight hours will be greater than any other day in the year. Other than in a geography class, long and far ago, I cannot say that I have ever really thought much about that prior to today. Yet, as I do, I think about how remarkable it is that no matter where one stands, and no matter how experiences may vary, far and wide, the promise is forever, and the parts, although they matter… they are never greater than the Whole.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her. – Luke 1:26-38

Swept…

The snow swept its way into town yesterday. It was hanging onto leaves where it could, perhaps overwhelming branches here and there, and weighing some down—secure, and even to the ground. For others, it seemed, the flakes of snow could not take hold—still blessed though. All around, snow laden leaves… branches, and tints of orange and yellow along with evergreens remained. Some standing, some kneeling, some sitting, some laying down, all in various forms of surrender. Peace… Joy… Light… Life… Grace in every stage.

Grace, the ultimate presentation, always there for the taking, greatest help in decision making.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.” – Matthew 5:1-12

Channels…

Each time I have had the opportunity to travel west through New York, coming across the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor brings me back decades to being a young student, and a favorite social studies lesson that included an explanation of how canals work. I recall listening with great interest about the way that locks and channels along the way, made it possible for canals to bridge the gap where differences of altitude were previously an obstacle.

A few days ago, I attended a virtual meeting featuring two speakers who were former governors of different political affiliations. The topic they discussed was the importance of public service. Both emphasized that in their experience, engaging on a personal level with a wide array of people was critical, and how a lack of openness to each other and ongoing dialogue leads to polarization. In other words, when you get to know people and learn about their lives, you connect in a way that lends itself to trying to work together with respect and courtesy, despite any differences of opinion. It reminded me of locks (or stops) and channels on the canal, working together to level things off, close the space between, and create a solution to overcome the difference that was otherwise impossible.    

October 4th is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who was born into a very well to do family in the 12th century. He lived a lavish lifestyle in his younger years, but in his early 20s, he became disillusioned with the material life and all that came with it, and walked away from it. From that point he increasingly embraced a life of prayer from which his words and actions, through the grace of God, flowed. He is quoted as saying, “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

St. Francis’s life started in a very different space, more than comfortable, and far away from the experience of most. In the end though, he had closed the gap and found the greatest of riches, in doing so.

In current day times, there is too much distance between… too much space across so many arenas, and it is wreaking havoc. It can seem that there is not a lot that one can do. However, we can always decide what kind of channel we want to be, and we can always seek inspiration that helps us to shorten, or even close, the space between, and rise above the deficits that may be.

I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,
to go and bear fruit that will remain. – John 15:16

Peace Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

There’s A Hole…

As autumn makes her entrance, bursts of color begin to appear where once green was all around. Noticing an especially colorful section for so early in the season, I also see a gap within it… something missing… branches gone or somehow lost along the way.

As I look, I wonder. What could they have been? What would they have been? How the rest of the scenery is affected by their absence, also crosses my mind.

More than 204,000 people in the United States of America have died from COVID-19 thus far. That is approximately 21% of the 989,000 brothers and sisters across the world who have died from the virus. In the 196 recognized countries, almost 1 Million people have died since this pandemic began. While this is a statistic, it is far greater than a number(s).

What do we know about our brothers and sisters who have succumbed to this illness? The truth is, we know that they represented a wide range of age groups; came from various backgrounds, and political and religious affiliations; and studied or worked in all different kinds of occupations, to name just a few things. We also know, for sure, that they were not all advanced in age, nor did they all have pre-existing health conditions. Some, in fact, were closer to what would be considered the first half of life, physically fit, and/or not considered to be at a higher risk.

More important than all of that, they were fellow human beings. They were not just a number. They were living, breathing human beings, whose lives are not to be readily written off as dispensable to serve the interests of any one person or people in particular claiming to be “for” Life. Those who have died, loved, and were loved, and now, they are missed, leaving a gap… an emptiness, most especially for those who knew them best.

More than 204,000, and counting, brothers and sisters in the United States of America. More than 989,000, and counting, brothers and sisters worldwide. What could they have been? What would they have been? How is rest of the world affected by their absence?

Will we be driven further apart by lies, deception, and reckless disregard for life, or will we see what is truly going on, honor the lives of those who have died, and finally, come together?

Brothers and sisters:
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.
Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus. – Phil 2:1-5

Wag This Way…

A couple of summers ago, while visiting family, we decided to go out for ice cream. As we opened the back door of the mini-van, immediately, and with great enthusiasm, the dog jumped in, and was ready to go. Unfortunately, the dog could not come with us, and needed to be escorted back out of the vehicle. As disappointed as he seemed though, when we got back to the house, his excitement upon our reuniting was as if his disappointment or hopes dashed prior to our departure, had never occurred.   

It is interesting how dogs, act and react, especially when they are excited. Perhaps, jumping and bouncing, running back and forth, and/or wagging their tails furiously at the approach of a favorite treat or as a loved one returns home. Then there are the other times, when they might plant their paws and growl, preparing to resist, attack, or defend against something non-preferred, or a threat perceived. Regardless of the situation though, what is often most striking is the capacity of dogs to love without abandon.

Moving from wagging tails to wagging fingers, there is the human frailty that causes hearts to bruise, egos to rouse, and hurt to linger. This, all the while, the silent plea, “Come now. Come down off your high horse,” echoes deep within. But, which will win?

Sometimes, it’s time to stop stopping. Stop standing still. When stubborn, yet again, the wagging, it begins. There it is. Getting in the way, determined to carry on, refusing to give in.

At what cost?

So many things, taking up space, too tightly held. How can the space between us do anything, but swell? Wider it becomes… bigger… stronger… bolder it grows. Drifting… fading… falling, tell me, what is so appalling?

One can’t help but wonder, when will this nonsense stop? When will we heed the warning that echoes deep within, “Come now. Come down off your high horse.”?

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you. – John 13:34  

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
                        — Mary Oliver, Wild Geese

Catch It…

The love and mercy of God in all its brilliance,

Shines through to the heart that seeks it,

Captivating and enfolding it in all its glory,

Sending it forth with more than a shimmer,

Of the beauty that is Truth.

CatchIt

“For God delivered all to disobedience, that God might have mercy upon all.” – Romans 11:32

Resonance…

Recently, there have been a number of times, when looking out the window, the birds that are usually fluttering and moving from one spot in the yard to another, have been awfully still. They have been hanging around in one area of the grass or perched on a branch much longer than usual. Then yesterday afternoon, another of our frequent visitors, a rabbit, was not just eating, but was also sprawled out, as if reclining on the grass as it was eating. I had never seen that before and found it rather curious. Then I thought, it must be hurt, but it wasn’t. After watching for a minute or two, I went off to do something else, and when I returned, the rabbit was in its more usual, upright position.

Today, sitting at the kitchen island, it is not long before I become aware of the ticking of the clock or the buzzing of messages received by cell. Even in another spot, not long before there is something else calling attention or looking to be tended to, remembered not forgotten. And while I may perceive these all as I go about my way, sometimes at a quickened pace, sometimes still, others passing through and moving on, it is only when I really stop and take the time to listen, that my heart can open up not only to hear, but also to remember, the Truth beyond the mission.

Earlier this week, I came across the following prayer. A great reminder of all the reasons why—The Reason why. It is by John Henry Cardinal Newman, whose motto was “Cor ad cor loquitur” or “Heart speaks to heart.” It’s about all that matters…

Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go;
Flood my soul with your spirit and life;
Penetrate and possess my whole being so completely
That all my life may be only a radiance of yours;
Shine through me and be so in me
That everyone with whom I come into contact
May feel your presence within me.
Let them look up and see no longer me—but only Jesus.
Amen.

– Saint John Henry Newman

BlueJay1

Lines in the sand…

In the process of taking in and pondering the events that have been unfolding in the country and across the world over the past few months, memories of experiences come to mind. Most prominent, have been a couple from childhood. One was an instance in first grade. It was the beginning of the school year and we were outside for recess. After the summer months and spending a lot of time exposed to the sun, the tone of my skin was much more pronounced. My appearance, seemingly foreign, became the object of focus and made me the recipient of the taunting of a few classmates. Another experience, the sole girl joining in among boys and a few fathers playing basketball becoming the subject of ridicule as the tom-boy and for not standing on the sidelines and watching as all good little girls do. In the first situation, there was a classmate who stepped in and stood with me. He had often been the recipient of teachers’ reprimands for not paying attention. Yet, when it really mattered, he was paying attention and, not only that, he spoke up, he took action.

Thinking about these childhood experiences and the impact they had on me, as painful and confusing as they were, I know they are just the tip of what fellow human beings have experienced and continue to experience at the hands of lines drawn in the sand out of ignorance or self-interest, or perhaps both. As I think about back then, over 40 years ago, and then now, a couple of more recent situations come to mind. In particular, the response of the person in charge of a local organization to concerns expressed and experiences shared. It was along the lines of an “I see, but that is not what I am hearing from the people who talk to me. My experience is…”

In that moment, I just listened as I thought, “But you don’t see. Of course your experience and what you hear in your little circle of privilege would not be representative of the entire body of Christ.” Afterward, it occurred to me that not once did this person seem to even consider what I had shared. It was as if he wrote it off and dismissed it, as he immediately jumped to his experience in the vacuum of his comfortable existence. I left the experience feeling like it had been a waste of time trying to speak with this person. For me it was a tipping point after many efforts. A final straw. A reminder about recognizing when the time has come to shake the dust off one’s sandals and move on from places that are so insulated and blinded from Truth. For it is impossible to converse and have dialogue when there is no openness or room to truly sit with, and consider, the experience of others.

While these experiences were certainly not life threatening and may seem relatively harmless or even insignificant to some, they are the sorts of things that often lead to blind spots and greater or bigger injustices. In chapter 10, verses 37-42, of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus says,

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

In this passage, Jesus is speaking about the dangers of strongly identifying or fervently aligning oneself with anyone, or anything, other than God. Why? What is wrong with loyalty?

Nothing is wrong with loyalty as long as it is, first and foremost, to God. Oftentimes though, it can be tricky to distinguish when something that seems good starts to separate from being of God and slowly turns into something altogether different. In the Bible, there is account after account from the Old Testament through the New Testament that show the way people thought about God and how things ought to be, only for things to change or evolve, always expanding, becoming wider and more inclusive, and truly for the better.

How could it be any other way? God is constant, without being static or motionless, and with God, there are no barriers. For the one, great calling of all creation is toward embracing diversity and standing united.

… the imitation of Christ does not mean to live a life like Christ, but to live your life as authentically as Christ lived his, then there are many ways and forms in which one can be a Christian. ― Henri J.M. Nouwen

LinesInTheSand

Taken…

Taking in the scenery and the life in and around it, it is amazing to see the manner in which some travel back, some to and fro or here and there, and some not at all. It is also enlightening to watch as “homes” are built or tidied up, the hunt is on for a snack, or the landing as it’s time for a nap. So many things going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all.

Over the course of many weeks, it has seemed, more than ever in my lifetime, like all are relatively in the same boat. One can imagine or say with quiet confidence, throughout time, this is what it is like, whenever the world, as one and all know it, is turned upside down. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, even in scarce or scariest of times.

Why does it seem that human hearts grow closer when it seems that there is no other choice? As options grow, will the leanings toward each other fade? Oh Solidarity, when, ever, will students learn the lesson?

Feeling concerned… preoccupied, I seek space… a place, unoccupied. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it pushes lines across the water. The water where so many things are going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it lessens the lines in my reflection. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, at all times.

I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13

Taken

Easter Rising…

As rays of light penetrate the darkness, so to the love of each. And, through the shine and glow of the heart and soul, we know, our God is with us.

Having been at the foot of the cross, witnessing the crucifixion of Jesus, it seems likely that Mary Magdalene would have been overcome with emotion, confusion, and a sense of loss, to say the least. The circumstances in which she found herself had to be unexpected and vastly different than anything she could have imagined.

Yet, Mary of Magdala, held on. She did not become motionless or stuck in despair. Despite however she may have felt after the death of Jesus, and the magnitude of those feelings, she got up and went to the tomb in the days that followed.

Sometimes, like Mary of Magdala, we have to lift ourselves up, and do something. We have to listen to the Voice within, and “go out.”

Sometimes, we have to put ourselves out there, bearing our souls to each other, listening and sharing, trying something new or in a different way… connecting in ways that show we care, at whatever distance we may be.

Oftentimes, we must overcome doubt and fear, in order to experience the joy of being risen.

Oftentimes, when we lift ourselves, we lift others too.

On this Easter, and always, may the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the example of many, inspire all toward life everlasting.

Easter2020

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead. – John 20:1-9