To be
Radically, yet gently,
Influenced by, and
Utterly, without doubt,
Moved to, and in, the light of
Peace, love, and
Healing
“…I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” – Is 49:6
Into the night and all day too,
The glow of lights sprinkled here and there,
but really, almost everywhere.
This peace, this joy, ever present,
Sometimes noticed more than others,
Sometimes not at all,
Nevertheless, a presence always there.
The heart, holding all together,
Ups and downs, yeas and nays,
Judgments, and lessons learned.
Steady in the flow of life,
Brave but never brazen.
Standard bearer, but more,
Usher of truth and light.
There through it all,
From year to year,
And age to age.
Holy Spirit, help us turn the page,
As the bells ring,
And a new year begins,
Renew our listening,
Renew our resolve.
Show us love,
Show us kindness.
Bring us peace,
Bring us newness.
Help us to work with Grace,
To change what we need to change,
And to carry hope, wherever we go.
Help us, bit by bit, to turn our world around.
May God be gracious to us and bless us; may God’s face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:2
Approaching the intersection of two busy streets, cones and temporary stop signs come into view, and then fallen lines disrupting service to the traffic lights that normally direct cars safely from one side to the other. It’s interesting how in driving or using other forms of transportation, one not only learns to look for signs, but also to be guided by them in reaching destinations safely.
Similarly, as one journeys through life, guidance comes, and prayers are often answered through signs, coming in various forms of interaction with God and others. Sometimes, in both times of light and times of darkness, whether personal or societal, it can be easy to miss signs, lose sight of, or take for granted, experiences of grace. The scripture readings throughout Advent and Christmas, remind us of God’s faithfulness and guiding presence, especially to Mary and Joseph, leading up to and beyond the birth of Jesus.
Through allowing or inviting God to be the source of their path and the sustenance of their hope, Mary and Joseph were not only drawn into their God-given purpose, but they were also led all the way through to its fulfillment… teaching us that the path can be difficult, the road uncertain, but that there can also be great joy when we embrace the spirit of Christmas—a heart full of light, and hope in the Lord.
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. – Psalm 98:3c
A Christmas Prayer: Lord, help me to remember your faithfulness, and to be open to the signs and guidance you place along my path. Turn my gaze always toward you, Emmanuel, as the source of all hope, that my heart may faithfully embrace the spirit of Christmas all year long, leading me to notice and appreciate the beauty and goodness of all creation, and the heart and soul of those I encounter each day.
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.
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
This week, during a rainy, windy evening, suddenly there was a loud and thunderous noise. Jumping up to look out the window, the street and lantern lights made visible a blur of branches and leaves on a large oak tree as it made its way down to the ground. Thankfully, despite the cars traveling in both directions on the road, at the time, no one was hurt. Traffic ended up being re-routed and within hours the Department of Public Works pushed all the debris off the road so that cars could once again travel freely up and down the street.
Now, this tree had a very large limb dry up during months of drought in the area and in the weeks prior to this one, it had partially fallen away from the trunk. From the street, one could see it was resting on the ground while still hanging on, as if by a thread. However, it wasn’t until the remainder of the tree fell to the ground, that one could see the dried-out limb not only hanging on still, but also looking like a giant pair of legs, perhaps trying to run by or break free from the rest of the tree.
Today, taking in the sight that lies beyond construction barrels put into place to forewarn or keep back passers-by, but seeming more like a beacon calling forth, it’s interesting how these legs and their trunk appear so much bigger than they seemed when the tree was standing tall. It seems there’s so much more to discover about them now that they are down to earth, unmasked in a sense. Their depth, their breadth, their character, shine brighter than before… legs posing as if in an athletic move of some kind or another. Are they coming? Are they going? Maybe they’re doing both. Or, perhaps, it’s a maneuver, careful to resist trampling the branches and leaves all around them.
Shifting focus, fallen branches spread about, pointing in many ways; some with shriveled, brown leaves holding on, and then others with green or yellow leaves, holding on as well. Common ground on the ground, connected at the core, together. Next, a splintered trunk displaying hearty, woody layers that, though broken, still look fresh and full of life.
Imagine now, all these things once hidden, or less likely to be noticed, now laying on or partly resting on the floor, as if drawing closer to one another, to reveal an image not of heaven, but of faith on earth.
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:2
It’s said that only 10% of the energy received from the sun by a plant or tree (a.k.a. a producer) is transferred to the consumer of that plant or tree, and as one moves up the chain, although 10% keeps getting passed along to the next level, the amount of energy becomes less. This means that the further away from the original source one is, more consumption or effort is necessary to achieve or capture the same amount of energy that the plant or tree receives as a producer. As for the 90% of the energy that is retained by producers, it is used for growth and reproduction as well as some of it simply escaping as heat into the atmosphere.
It’s intriguing to think about only 1/10th of the energy received from the original source, the sun, as being passed along from the 1st level to the next, and only 1/10th of that lesser amount going to the next level, and so on. Yet, despite this comparatively small portion shrinking at each level, life not only goes on, but also evolves. It calls to mind last Sunday’s Gospel when in response to the disciples asking for an increase in faith Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this] mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Lk 17:5-6). It also leads to this Sunday’s readings and a key component of faith.
Although the way of the world might urge one and all to seek what is big, bold, or grand, and to make it known, the readings for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (shown below) offer an opportunity to contemplate humility. In the first reading (2 Kgs 5:14-17), Naaman, a successful and celebrated commander of King Aram’s army, is cured of leprosy by submerging himself in the Jordan seven times at the direction of the prophet Elisha. Yet, it is only by taking time to go back and look behind the scenes at the prior verses of this passage, that one can see or be reminded that it was at the urging of servants that Naaman made his way to Elisha, eventually overcame his notions and resistance to listening to the prophet, entered the waters of the Jordan, and was healed. Had Naaman dismissed his servants’ perspectives without consideration and continued to be bound up by his judgments, preferences, and ideas about the unexpected and less than grand actions Elisha instructed him to take, the healing would not have been possible. It’s important to consider humility as requiring an openness to considerations that originate and/or extend beyond oneself.
Turning to the second reading (2 Tim 2:8-13), St. Paul continues to exhort and encourage Timothy, to draw strength from the truth, keeping and carrying on the faith. While St. Paul is recognized for the tendency to be long on words, his point is always focused on the glory of God and eternal life. In this passage he writes, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.” (v. 8-9). What’s it like to reflect on this vision or belief that, even though forces that seek to hold back, limit, or impose restraints on God-given freedom exist, the word of God, and therefore God, remains unchained and is not held back. How do you invite or allow the ever-unchained God into your times of challenge to comfort, sustain, and empower you? What’s it like to embrace or re-embrace, “I can’t, but God can,” and experience humility in this way?
Now, moving on to the Gospel According to Luke (Lk 17:11-19), we come back to a passage involving not 1, but 10 lepers. Jesus meets them as he is making his way to Jerusalem. They all call out to Jesus, asking for pity and they all listen when he tells them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” (v. 14). However, only one of them becomes aware that he has been healed and goes back to Jesus to express gratitude. Jesus asks where the other 9 who were cleansed are, and goes on to tell the leper who returned, and whom he identifies as a foreigner, that his faith has saved him.” As you think about this passage, what is your first thought or feeling? What strikes you most?
It can be effortless to jump to a place of judgment either toward the one who returned or the 9 who did not. What happens though when you look again and shift your attention in this passage solely to Jesus? As you continue to reflect on this week’s readings, notice where you tend to look for or to celebrate examples of humility in your life? Share your observations with Jesus?
Humility beckons us away from focusing too much on thinking about who or where we are and draws us toward truth and unity. We are called not to shrink, but to open our hearts to all, to seek God (the Source) in all things, remembering to strive to embrace what is eternal while living within the limited reality of this world. Humility is not only letting God be God, but also asking for the grace to relinquish what we can, trust that we are more than what’s measurable, and that what’s left is and will be enough.
First Reading:
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives whom I serve, I will not take it;”
and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: “If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the Lord.” – 2 Kgs 5:14-17
Second Reading:
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself. – 2 Tm 2:8-13
Gospel Reading:
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.” – Lk 17:11-19
Heading out to somewhere that was new to us, we carried an excitement along the way. After quite some time on foot and feeling a little weary, we unexpectedly came to a tunnel. We had no idea how long it was or what was involved in getting through it. On top of that, all we could see was that it was pitch black inside. However, knowing it was part of the route and using one of the tools we had, a cellphone flashlight, we proceeded step by step, shining the light so we could see, and making our way through each curve until eventually we saw light coming from the opening on the other side.
However, if we didn’t have a flashlight, or a tool, to help us navigate through the darkness, I’m not sure we would have gone through that tunnel. Instead, we probably would’ve found a way around it or turned around and headed back to where we began. And, while finding a way around an obstacle or avoiding it, may be harmless in some cases, in others it is not. Sometimes the measures one may take to circumnavigate or escape a situation, may also lead to compromising, in one way or another, the well-being of oneself and/or others.
Considering the readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, they provide advice, wisdom, and encouragement to strive to serve God, not man, and to trust in God’s plan and in God’s ways. This is important no matter the time or place, but most especially in troubling or challenging times and environments.
If the knowledge that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and a way to make it through darkness, was enough to sustain courage, integrity, and faithfulness on its own, humankind would not fall prey to the shortcuts, traps, and tricks along the way. Faith is the tool that holds the keys and keeps one and all together; hearts, souls, and minds. It enables one “to be more than,” infused with grace, driven by truth and trust to face challenges, and find and follow the way through darkness; oftentimes leading one to discover a depth they never knew existed within them.
Take some time to read the Scripture passages from the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4, Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14, and Lk 17:5-10 – shown below). Contemplate them in relation to today’s world. What are your concerns? What are some of the phrases or images that inspire you? Allow your heart and mind to draw together. Invite Jesus into the process and see what happens.
How long, O Lord? I cry for help
but you do not listen!
I cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not intervene.
Why do you let me see ruin;
why must I look at misery?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and clamorous discord.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash one has no integrity;
but the just one, because of his faith, shall live. – Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the Lord who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
– Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Beloved:
I remind you, to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God.
Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me,
in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit
that dwells within us. – 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied,
“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
“Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?
Would he not rather say to him,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded,
say, ‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.'” – Lk 17:5-10
Facing the ocean from the walk above or the sand upon the beach it’s easy to stay in place and feel content, and to do so without anywhere near the effort taken to get there. Not only that, but also to slide toward becoming removed from reality—all the lives that exist in various states on and all around the beach and the city or town that encompasses it—and the opportunity to take a life-giving part in it. It’s interesting to think about how swiftly one can be transported to “a world without cares,” with the sound of each wave that breaks upon the shore or the refreshing feeling as each wave washes over everything in its path.
Now, what’s it like to imagine that perhaps this (being caught up in the surroundings) is what it was like for the rich man in the Gospel according to Luke (chapter 16, verses 19-31), before he died?
When we read the Gospel for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (below), we learn that a poor man named Lazarus was a constant fixture at the rich man’s door. However, we are not told anything about an interaction(s) between the rich man and Lazarus. This is likely because what matters more than whether the rich man was unaware of, ignored, was indifferent to, or held disdain for Lazarus, is the distance that his worldly aims and wealth put between his ability to help and his desire to do so.
While the rich man was alive, he experienced what is sold in today’s world as “the good life.” However, it led him to becoming insulated from a complete picture of reality (not everyone has it good). And without that, it’s understandable that it would be harder for him not only to choose more wisely, but also to recognize that his openness to, and desire for living in ways that are generative had become diminished.
Neither the rich man nor his brothers could learn from the past (Moses and the prophets), not because the knowledge and wisdom wasn’t available to them, but because their hearts were divided. This—the chasm—is what prevented them from receiving the grace they really needed and making choices for the greater good.
May we be more aware and set our hearts on God to strip away the falsehoods that lead us astray, and to close the chasm that pulls us apart.
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied,
‘My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'” – Luke 16:19-31
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
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