Thoughts and their deeds, running astray,
Turning hearts and minds inside out,
Reigning down waves of great mayhem.
No match, no matter, no chatter,
Can hold down the light shining through,
In lives that live and breathe true Truth.
Mustard seeds are in one and all,
Moving things like mulberry trees.
The mighty things that faith will do.
If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts. – Psalm 95:8
Working my way around,
whether by chance or fate,
again, once more, I hear,
reverberations of,
not stern warnings, but of
wise voices of the past.
Just as justice for one,
affects justice for all,
mercy and compassion
make the way to goodwill;
offspring of love, made by,
an even greater Love.
“From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us.” – Pope Francis
“Christ is risen from the dead, and by His death He has trampled upon death,
and has given live to those, who are in the tombs.” – the Troparion of Pascha
Taking it on the level,
as only You, Lord, can do.
Giving what humanity,
can only aspire to grasp.
Falling down, then getting up,
pushed time upon time again.
Light of Life into darkness,
You brought life—heart, mind, and soul.
Impostors come, and they go,
but Your Spirit, Lord, remains.
Waiting our reception, Lord,
not for one, but for the many.
The light, rising in the east,
Breaks over the water’s edge,
Reaching out to all.
Its glow carries warmth,
Its sharpness, an invitation.
Zooming in to look and listen,
It shimmers and it shines.
What does it mean?
What does it say?
The journey of day,
Darkness ever attempting
To be in life’s way.
Yet, some things are impossible.
Light, like life, is never ending.
Up and over,
Again, and again.
With this Light,
Nothing is impossible.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Walking alongside a beach, the sand is smooth and the waves gentle, like ripples in a lake, pond, or puddle. The path is peaceful and seemingly continuous, until the disruption up ahead; a trench created by water draining back toward the ocean. The chasm is too large to jump across, and there’s no way around it. Or at least no way to get to the other side without having to come off the beach and onto the cracked, uneven sidewalk, stepping through the cold water, or trudging down into and through the muddy-like sand. Pausing to ponder… how best to make it through what seems like the great divide?
In looking to the Gospel passage for the Second Sunday of Lent, Peter says, “Lord, it is good we are here.” This is because he recognizes the moment as a sacred one; something greater is happening here, and we need to take heed and behold it. As he continues speaking, the bright cloud appears, a shadow is cast by it, and a voice says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” With this, the environment shifts for Peter, James, and John, and their posture changes, but they still recognize the moment as sacred, “they fell prostrate.”
As we try to navigate this world, it can be tempting to shy away, to want to hide, circumvent, or look the other way, and to carry on insulated from the chaos and division that swirls around us. Yet, faith calls us to face the shifting environment by placing our hope and trust in Jesus. Rather than losing heart, we are called to take on the heart of Jesus. And in doing so, even when the reality in front of us may be unpleasant or seem bleak, we are able to face it through the Light of God who helps us to know when and how to rise, and to recognize each moment in these turbulent times as being sacred; holding hope and promise. This is simply because, God is with us, making the dark clouds become bright and spreading light in the midst of darkness, even when, like Peter, James and John, we don’t see it coming.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” – Mt 17:1-9
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
There was darkness all around. Not a sound, but that of waves gently breaking, making their way across the sand and rocks, back and forth, to and from. Not a sight, until the sun began its approach, gradually awakening the sky, before peeking up over the horizon.
Then what a sight. Silhouette or shadow? May be solo, but not alone. Freely flying, but in a line, parallel, heart of purpose and direction. Gliding, steady, peaceful, true in its presence… in its likeness… Silhouette.
“I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.” – Rev 21:22-23
HopeThatFloats 
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