Listening

The Raising of Lazarus

The Hope that Raises and Restores…

Approaching the Fifth Sunday of Lent, take a moment to consider the past few weeks and the times you have felt closest to the Lord as well as those times you have felt distanced. Of the situations that come to mind, what jumps out the most in terms of the characteristics of the Lord that you experienced and the ones that, in hindsight, you may have been seeking without knowing it at the time? Take what you notice to prayer, trusting that although the time has passed, conversation with the Lord can still bear fruit, providing insight, wisdom, and whatever else you may need at this moment, and going forward.

As you prepare to consider the readings for this Sunday, invite the Lord to continue the conversation and time together.

In the First Reading from Ezekiel 37:12-14, we have the ending verses of a section referred to as “Vision of the Dry Bones”. The passage is a conversation between the prophet and the Lord where the dry bones are likened to the loss of hope in the Lord, and Ezekiel is instructed as to what he is to tell to the people. As Ezekiel follows each of the Lord’s directives, the vision moves toward the bones being restored to life.

The directives to the dry bones spoken by the prophet are in Word:

“Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!” (v. 4);

and Spirit:

“Listen! I will make breath enter you so you may come to life.” (v. 5).

The dry bones come to life and the Lord says to Ezekiel: “They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off.’” (v.11)

This is where the First Reading starts. The Lord further instructs Ezekiel, giving him the words to address the need for restoration/renewal, hope, and connection.

Among the words of the Lord, in these verses, to be prophesied are:

“I will put my spirit in you that you may come to life, and I will settle you in your land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken; I will do it” (v. 14)

How are your mind and your heart touched by the words and imagery in this passage? Share what you think and feel at this moment with the Lord. Ask the Lord for openness to receiving his insights about restoration, renewal, hope, and/or connection in your life, your community, and the world at large.

Continuing to stay with the conversation, consider the response to the Psalm, “With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.” (Psalm 130:7). What are a few ways that you have received the Lord’s mercy and a sense of redemption? How do you feel as you recall those times? In what ways might they instill greater hope in you or inspire you today?

In the Second Reading (Romans 8:8-11), part of what St. Paul writes to the Romans is:

“But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” – v. 9-10

How do you desire for the Spirit of God, that dwells in you, to be with you and to help you to not only hold onto and connect to, but to also be energized by and to be a reflection of the Lord’s mercy, hope, and inspiration? Share with the Lord whatever is in your heart at this time. Also, take time to allow the Lord to reveal what’s on his heart.

The following verses are an excerpt from the Gospel Reading (John 11:1-45):

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him. – John 11:39-44

Contemplating this passage in the light of your prayers, conversation with the Lord, and what you noticed from the prior readings above, what is the stone that Jesus wants to take away? In what ways might Jesus want you to “untie” and “let go”?

As you pray with this, ask for openness to the Lord’s guidance and for whatever you feel you need to hear the Word of God, to listen, and to receive the Spirit of God. What does the Lord desire for you so that the goodness that dwells within you, continues to sustain you, your hope in the Lord, and extends to others.

The Raising of Lazarus

I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? – John 11:25-26

Path leading toward waterfall

Following Faithfully…

Beating still, beating quietly, beating nonetheless,
Attention becomes the disciple of intention.
A stir within, roars within, formation from within.
Look and listen closely as true passion is revealed.

Following the leader? Where? To what good do they lead?
Igniting hearts? Uniting hearts? On whose behalf?
All hearts can and must choose for whom and for what they burn.
Discern! Discern! Deception has so many voices.

Does the message uplift all of us, like the true one
Who gracefully overcomes the small, in all of us,
Helping the steadfast to be ready, set, and to ask,
How does this represent the good teacher serving all?

Path leading toward waterfall

The Lord keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets captives free.
The Lord gives sight to the blind;
the Lord raises up those who were bowed down.
The Lord loves the just;
the Lord protects strangers.
The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The Lord shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. – Psalm 146:6-10

Purple flowers among weeds

Let Peace…

Walking along the path, flowers sprinkled among the greenery on either side bring both brightness and variation to the scene. In the middle, one flower leans toward another as if reaching out to the one looking down at petals lost. Holding on, seeking comfort, seeking peace; providing both to those walking through or passing by.

Stories, so many stories, in the present and in the past. Living, breathing stories, held by many hearts. And then there’s Peace, held within those many stories, seeking hearts to hold them well, souls to glean their wisdom, and bodies with the mind to march peace forward.

Purple flowers among weeds

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. – Colossians 3:15a, 16a

Pink Carnation

Revisit…

For a time, many things are only for a time.
Some things forever gone, others, on hiatus.
Sometimes returning, welcome on arrival,
Sometimes returning, unwanted and in dread,
Sometimes slithering, seeping in, seeping out,
Creating a stir, unease or great unrest.
But Light, the Great Protector, shines thru,
Revealing all, shedding lies in time,
And casting out, what Time ordains as passed.

The Gospel passage for the First Sunday of Lent (Luke 4:1-13) is referred to as the Temptation of Jesus. After his baptism, Jesus is led into the desert by the Holy Spirit for forty days. And after these days of fasting, he is tempted by the devil in three ways:

First, to use his status as the Son of God to relieve himself of his situation of hunger.

“If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” (verse 3)

Second, to exalt himself by paying homage, or worshipping, the devil to receive earthly power and glory.

“I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” (verses 6-7)

And third, to show doubt in God, by throwing himself from the parapet of the temple, and thereby testing Scripture:

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” (verses 9-11)

Jesus responds to these temptations as follows:

“It is written, ‘One does not live on bread alone.’” (verse 4)

“It is written ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’” (verse 8)

And lastly, when the devil tries to zero in on and twist Scripture verses to tempt Jesus away from the truth of who God is calling him to be, Jesus, again focuses on God—a higher purpose—responding:

“It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’” (verse 12)

The “Temptation of Jesus” Gospel passage ends with, “When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.” (verse 13)

Oftentimes, after going through a challenging situation or event, it is common to be grateful for that time to be over. It can also be tempting to walk away with a notion of achievement or learning from it in a way that we see as being complete. Yet, whether good or bad, there are times when the same, or a similar challenge returns, offering an opportunity to draw even closer to God, and to see or learn even more.

Take some time to consider how open you are to remembering what you’ve learned as well as to learning something new when repeat or similar situations of challenge occur?

Reflecting on Jesus’s words in response to each of the temptations he faced in the desert, what invitation(s) are there for you and Jesus to explore? Allow your prayer to extend into these areas. Express your wants, needs, fears, etc. to Jesus, and allow Jesus to express His thoughts and wisdom to you.

Pink Carnation

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:1-2

Reverence…

In the second reading for this Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord, Peter says to those gathered before him, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35).

Fear (or reverence) of the Lord can be a challenging concept. In fact, it can be tempting to mistake reverence as only being evidenced in what one can see. It can also be tempting to shrink it down to a fixed notion of what reverence looks like.

However, our faith calls us to remember, that we do not have the mind, or the insight of God. It is important to keep in mind that in our humanity, we can get hung up in appearances or distracted in what we think ought to be, and in the process, lose sight of the heart of any matter. It is only God who can truly judge, and help us to know, when and what to say or do in response to a situation(s).

And God, as we learn in the Scripture verses leading up to this Sunday’s second reading (Acts 10:9-33), does exactly this for Peter. God helps Peter to see that the faith that he holds so dear, is not just for those like him, but also for the gentiles. His experience on a rooftop during his midday prayer reveals the following:

He was hungry and wished to eat, and while they were making preparations he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all the earth’s four-legged animals and reptiles and the birds of the sky. A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.” But Peter said, “Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean.” The voice spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.” This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into the sky. – verses 10-16

As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said [to him], “There are three men here looking for you. So get up, go downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” – verses 19-20

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.” While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered together and said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean. – verses 25-28

However, there’s more than that. God also helps Cornelius. Who like Peter, is not tethered to his own notions, and therefore is able to be open to being guided by the Spirit of God. It is written that Cornelius responds to Peter’s inquiry as to why he called him:

“Four days ago at this hour, three o’clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to listen to all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” – verses 30-33

During the midday and afternoon hours of prayer, Peter and Cornelius had experiences of God that were different, but the same in Spirit. God gave them both direction, and despite it being an unusual or unexpected ask (for a Jew and a gentile, given practices, tradition, and cultural norms), both men in their fear or reverence of God, allowed themselves to cling to God and this new or different way, rather than a choice rooted in their worldly understanding—one that would have kept them separated… continuing with a wedge in place.

What wedges do you desire God to help humankind overcome today? Knowing that God’s grace flows in many directions on both small and large scales at the same time, what personal wedges would you like to overcome?

Take some time to reflect on this Scripture and how it relates to your experiences, both personal and more community or world-wide.

What happens when you think about God as placing emphasis on internal disposition or drive and how it motivates, informs, and influences one’s actions?

Envision the peace of God embracing you, calling your name, and saying, “You are my beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22). Rest in the Lord and listen to what God desires for you.

When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. – Titus 3:4-7

Robed in Majesty…

Today is the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The response for the Psalm is, “The Lord is King; he is robed in majesty.” (Psalm 93:1a). Take some time to reflect on this. What is this King like?

As you continue to envision the Lord as King, think about what you have learned about Jesus through both Scripture and experience. How has his majesty impacted your life, and influenced your choices?

In today’s Gospel (John 18:33b-37), Jesus is being interrogated by Pilate. This is after Peter has denied knowing Jesus for the third time and the cock has crowed.

In response to Pilate asking, “Then you are a king?”, Jesus replies,

“You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” – John 13:37

Think about how Jesus testifies to the truth—to God—in his life, through his words and actions, and the choices he makes. What do you admire most about Jesus? And how does he inspire you?

Mindful of being someone who belongs to the truth, robed in majesty, and continuing to hold onto the qualities of Jesus that you admire and are inspired by, consider how you are listening to Jesus’s voice in today’s world, by entering into a conversation with Jesus. Invite him to show you the ways in which you are listening to his voice. Ask him to reveal any blind spots that may be interfering with your ability to listen and/or creating misunderstanding of his voice and to what it testifies.

After a sufficient period of time, when the conversation has run its course, what is your prayer to Jesus as you prepare to go forth?

Now, giving Jesus the last word, what is his prayer for you?

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty. – Psalm 93:1a

What Are Words For…

According to the Oxford English Dictionary there are around 170,000 words currently used in the English language. In addition, there are around 47,000 words that are now considered outdated or obsolete. In preparing for, and during Lent, there is often a great focus on actions and what one will do or perhaps not do over the course of these forty days. However, Lent is also a great time to consider the importance and weight or impact of words, and how they are used.

The Gospel Acclamation for the First Sunday of Lent is “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4b).

Consider things you have heard over the past week or so. How did you receive them? What words impacted you most? Now consider things you have said over the past week or so. What effects do you imagine your words have had? Invite the Lord into this process of remembering and discerning.

Whether in words heard or spoken over the past week, how did you experience God or characteristics of God’s word through the exchanges you had, words involved. and/or information received or given out?

In the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent, it is written:

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.” – Mark 1:12-15

In what ways would you like the Lord to help you when it comes to the word of God as you go about each day?

Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant. – cf. Psalm 25:10

Then, Look Around…

First, listen, and then, look around. Allowing one’s senses to take in and sincerely contemplate the happenings of a day can be challenging, never mind those of the times. Yet, it is these happenings that impact not just our own personal space, but also extend beyond what we might imagine. They are like sound waves rippling outward and amplified, stirring the air all around us.

The readings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time begin with a passage from the Book of Jonah (Jon 3:1-5, 10) where the initially resistant prophet Jonah warns the people of Nineveh of their impending doom. However, just like Jonah who was previously swallowed up and in darkness (in the gut of a whale), the people of Nineveh see it fit to change their course, let go of their way, and open their hearts and minds more fully to God.

In Psalm 25, the psalmist expresses a desire to understand and to live by the ways of the Lord. The psalmist prays for God, who is faithful, compassionate, merciful, good, and upright, to teach them how to embody and live by the same ways. For this to happen though, like Jonah and the people of Nineveh, the psalmist realizes they must let go of the old (acknowledge and turn over their trespasses to God) to be more fully open to God. And thus, to live more fully as one created in the image of God, abiding by, and living in God’s ways.

In chapter 7 of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, the people of Corinth are urged to pay attention as time is of the essence. The passage (verses 29-31) begins with, “I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.” and ends with, “For the world in its present form is passing away.“.  In between, St. Paul writes:

“From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.”

Perhaps what St. Paul is warning the Corinthians, and us, about, is being consumed by anything or anyone. He is calling us to be careful about what holds our attention, not to become self-consumed or fixated on anyone or anything earthly, as all of it is bound by time, is imperfect, and therefore passes away. Focus instead on that which is timeless—God and God’s ways.

This leads to the Gospel passage, Jesus’ announcement of the Kingdom of God as being at hand, and the call of the disciples Simon, Andrew, James, and John (Mark 1: 14-20). The disciples are busy, at work, mending their nets. This is useful work, but God had other work in mind for them at that time. Jesus reaffirms them in that yes, they are fishermen. However, he redirects them to being “fishers of men,” but again as we saw in the other readings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, only if they will it as well. With Jesus, as with God, no one is ever forced to choose God and God’s ways. And although the time is now, the essence of God is that Time is not rushed or pressured (there is no act swiftly or lose out), and perhaps most importantly, Time is faithful, compassionate, merciful, good and upright, patient, and always open to change.

Make known to me your ways, Lord;
teach me your paths.
Guide me by your fidelity and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your compassion and your mercy, O Lord,
for they are ages old.
Remember no more the sins of my youth;
remember me according to your mercy,
because of your goodness, Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord,
therefore he shows sinners the way,
He guides the humble in righteousness,
and teaches the humble his way. – Psalm 25:4-9

At First, Listen…

First there was one deer, nibbling on a nearby plant. Then surveying the yard, another on the other side. Finally, there appeared two more, subtly joining in from the woods behind. Gently they made their way around the yard, pausing at the slightest of noises to look around and assess their surroundings, their sense of being too. Discerning between the sights and sounds their eyes and ears receive, responding in ways both wise and worthy. Standing still in the face of sounds both soft and firm, but kind, while retreating from those loud and harsh, and well, unbridled. Their awareness so keen, their dignity unwavering, and their presence so peaceful. Life listening and living Life at its fullest—Spirit meeting spirit, Spirit leading spirit.

How do you receive and listen to the noises around you and across the world? How or by what are your reactions and responses inspired?

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord
where the ark of God was.
The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”
Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”
“I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.”
So he went back to sleep.
Again the Lord called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
“Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”
But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the Lord,
because the Lord had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The Lord called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.”
Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the Lord came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect. – 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

In the Light…

Standing up to take a break, stretch a little, and take a few steps around before returning to work in a temporary workspace for the day, the sign pictured below came into view. I read it and looked around some more. Taking in the environment and noticing more fully the ambience created by the natural light, gratitude and appreciation arose for the light and the souls who not only thought to share these interesting facts about sunlight and its benefits, but who also acted to shed the light, both in word and experience.

Oftentimes in the course of a day or week, we can be quick to move from task to task, and perhaps we miss the sign, put off the call, or rush through or past it, on the way to something else. Yet, much of the time, that thing, whatever it may be, that has a greater hold on our attention, robs us, “like a thief in the night,” of being present in a moment or for an opportunity to experience that which enlivens the soul, helps us to look beyond our own, often limited, schedules, scopes, or agendas, and reminds us of what’s really important—our connectedness, how we respect and appreciate each other—differences and all—and how we share our time and what we have, as blessings from Above.

The Lord is kind and merciful. – Psalm 103:8a