Revelation 1:8

Alpha to Omega Design on a Communion Pix

United from Beginning to End…

In the First Reading for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity (Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40), Moses reminds the people of how God has been present to them in Egypt and the magnitude of what God has done for them. He then implores them to use these experiences to remain focused on God as well as God’s ways thru adherence to God’s statutes and commandments. There can be a tendency to think of statutes and commandments as confining, but when taken into consideration along with the bigger picture of God’s dedication and love for all of creation, they can be seen as providing concrete ways to create unity and exercise respect and dignity with a goal of freedom and protection for one and all.

With God there is always more than one side. The relationship is mutual and considers all parties. There are statutes and commandments, but there are also God’s actions, not just telling humanity how to be, but also leading the way and showing us by example. The verses in the Psalm (Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22) describe the Lord’s words, actions, and persona as: upright, trustworthy, just, right, kind, effective, protective, and helpful. These attributes are also infused in the statutes and commandments. They are extended to us by God and in turn we are to extend them to each other.

In the Second Reading (Romans 8:14-17), St. Paul reminds us of our part in the Trinity. As “children of God” and “Joint heirs with Christ” we are not to be enslaved by fear, but rather to live in and be led by the Spirit of God. The passage begins with a salutation of “Brothers and Sisters.” This is not an uncommon greeting. Readings from the letters of St. Paul often begin with a salutation of “Brothers and Sisters,” perhaps to continually express the overall desire and focus on the goal of unity with the Lord and one and another. Imagine starting all your communications with “Brothers and Sisters” or adding “Brothers and Sisters” to communications you receive. How might that shape what you write/say and how you receive what is written/said to you?

Moving on to the Gospel passage known as the Commissioning of the Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20), the disciples, who have gone to Galilee as instructed by Jesus, encounter the risen Jesus. It is written, “they worshipped, but they doubted.” (verse 17). What’s it like to think that despite the existence of doubt, they were still seen as worthy, encountered Jesus, and were given the opportunity to serve as Jesus’ disciples? When situations arise, it can be tempting to give rise to doubt or to fall into a one thing or another, or all or nothing mindset. However, with the Lord, all are worthy, there are often many ways and different degrees to serve, and faith always triumphs over doubt.      

Overall, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity presents an opportunity to acknowledge, contemplate, and celebrate how one experiences the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. When you consider each aspect of the Trinity, what characteristics or attributes come to mind? How have you experienced these in your life and how has your prayer been influenced by them? In what ways are you inspired by the Holy Trinity individually and in your relationships? How might the Trinity influence you to overcome uncertainty or division and work toward unity, to better communicate or deepen relationships, or in any related discernment?

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.” – Revelation 1:8

Alpha to Omega Design on a Communion Pix

Gifts from Alpha to Omega…

Many of the tasks that come this time of year can be all encompassing. It can be tough trying to escape the frenzied pace and increased traffic volume, by both road and wire, created by the “shop until you drop” atmosphere that often rises to a peak and can easily over take one. A constant stream of advertisements, promotions, discounts, etc. seem to be blasted from just about every possible direction. Finding gifts, and if not gifts, even the words, that capture or convey one’s sentiment, can be challenging at any time of year, never mind what seems the busiest time of year. Perhaps because there is so much that can pull or push us to distraction. So much that can lead us to remain fixed on the questions of what, when, and how, rather than pondering that which begs our attention—why.

While there is nothing wrong with planning, strategizing, and taking steps to get a bargain, societal conditioning toward getting the best deal one can get and toward a mindset that more is better can lead one further and further away from the gift that is already there. Underneath the façade of all the hype synonymous with this time of year, deep down, there is a universal need… a need to cherish and to be cherished… a desire for Love; best served not from the wallet, but from the heart.

“The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing…” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays, Second Series: “Gifts”

Pix2

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God,
“the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”
– Revelation 1:8

Many Dimensions Make Music…

The auditorium was full of people of all ages and backgrounds watching, listening and taking in the music that filled the air. As diverse as the crowd, were the students on stage and the music they performed. Between all the different ensembles (jazz, camerata choir, concert chorus, drumline, orchestra, and concert band) that performed it was remarkable to experience the many dimensions of both music and instruments. It was also moving to witness the result, or the fruit, of the time and effort spent working, at times alone and at times together, to learn and perform musical pieces with melody and in harmony… supporting one another toward the same end. So many pieces, so many dimensions, yet all in unity. Truly beautiful, and so very soulful!

Like music, many things, including humanity, are at their best, inspirational and Spirit-filled, when they are multi-dimensional. The more single note or single flavor something or someone is, typically, the more it is also uninspired and on its way to becoming less than, stalled or altogether extinguished. This is not how it is intended to be.

We are all created with a body, mind, and spirit. We are multi-dimensional from the very beginning, before we can even really do anything. Not only that, we are also created in the image of a multi-dimensional God. A God whom we can experience through each of our senses, and in so many ways, through so many avenues (e.g. prayer, music, nature, art, literature, etc.).

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.” – Revelation 1:8

With a God who is all encompassing… the beginning, the end, and everything in between… a God who is in the past, the present, and the future, all at once—beyond total human comprehension—our faith is called to be the same—bigger and broader than we can imagine—multi-dimensional. For that is what faith, as well as each of us, is capable of, whether we believe it or not. With and through God, and each other, we are always more… always greater than what we could ever be on our own.

Just like the music student who is called to learn and practice the piece of music both on their own and together with their fellow student musicians, we are called to learn and practice our faith on our own with God as well as together. In this way, we allow our hearts and souls to be moved, and our minds to be stretched, so that each breath that stirs us into action may arise from the depths of our being, guided by a Love so profound and beyond understanding, that all we can do is our part to listen in order to be in harmony, and in awe, of the beautiful music.

In each moment, in every situation, with each day, there is music waiting to be made.

MusicStaff