Trust

Through the Tunnel…

As we drove into the darkness of the tunnel, the bright, sunny day behind us, I lifted my sunglasses, resting them on top of my head. Now what had been too dark, was still dim compared to before, but bright enough to see with the lights along the inside walls. We traveled forward, staying strictly within one lane, continuing at a steady pace, and eventually we could see sunlight once more as we neared the other end of the tunnel and the road opened up before us.

Sometimes, among the mountains, hills, and valleys of life, there are the plateaus, pitfalls, and tunnels too. Through it all though, the grace of God lives and breathes. It seeps into each and every crevice, pours into spaces that are wide, washes over and takes root wherever there is a soul willing to give into it… ready to succumb.

The goodness of God exists from beginning to end, in every place, and at all times.

1_HarborTunnelVision

2_SunriseBaltimore

3_Broccoli

4_Butterfly2

5_Doe

6_FerrisWheel

7_Flowers

8_ManMadeNature

9_Shenandoah2

10_Woodchuck

11_Carousel

12_DrivingByPotomac

13_PurplePrickly

14_Shenandoah5

15_Shenandoah

16_SunsetCanobie

Trust and You Will See…

Yes! I can see it! Something new!

Noticing the flowers that were in full bloom among those that were just breaking out of the bud, and alongside those that were still tightly wound, enclosed in leaves of green, it was easy to take in the beauty of what was there and find joy in the anticipation of what seemed sure to be… more flowers.

When my children were much younger they had a few classroom activities throughout their preschool and early elementary school years that highlighted the cycle of life for plants and animals. I remember both their interest and their awe at each new stage or milestone. I also recall their lack of interest during the times of “stagnancy”… when it seemed nothing was happening.

One year there was the small clay pot filled with soil that eventually sprouted a stalk and green beans. For what seemed like an eternity to my children—two weeks—the pot of soil seemed the same, day after day. However, with care and proper attention, beneath the surface, buried in the soil, the seed was changing and growing the whole time. Then one day, the stalk was there. It seemed like it came out of nowhere.

It is so much easier to trust that something worthwhile lies ahead, is coming into existence, or is already happening when one can see or sense even the tiniest of signs. This is no secret. Not only do we know it, but so does God.

Seek signs, but first ask God for them.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
delivered me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:5

TrustAndYouWillSee

145 Reasons, and More…

As they sing, the birds convey a sense of joy as if to say, “All is well,” with a confidence that comes from deep within and extends far beyond the earth and sky. Listening to their song is like listening to a parable, a more basic or simple presentation of the message at hand. Divine messages, signs, evidence, or assurances are all around, all the time.

Despite this, human nature is consistently tempted to tend toward throwing up our hands when situations seem impossible or the odds seem stacked against us. Yet, time and again, and perhaps when we least expect it, the stars align and “I Am” shines ever bright, reminding us that all things are possible for and through God.

The disciples, Philip and Andrew, basically tell Jesus that there are too many people, too little money, and too few items of food (John 6:1-15). They believe the situation is impossible and that there is no way for them to make a difference. Instead of forgetting themselves (and what they may be capable of, or limited to, on their own), they forget who is with them—Jesus!

This reaction or response, when faced with needs that are greater than what is known or visibly available to meet them, is nothing new. In the Old Testament in the second book of Kings, it is written, “A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing the man of God twenty barley loaves made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, ‘Give it to the people to eat.’ But his servant objected, ‘How can I set this before a hundred?’ Elisha again said, ‘Give it to the people to eat, for thus says the LORD: You will eat and have some left over.’ He set it before them, and when they had eaten, they had some left over, according to the word of the LORD” (2 Kings 4:42-44).

Faith calls us to remember and to grow strong in our belief that when genuinely striving to be faithful to God, ultimately, the odds are with us. Faith calls us to think beyond ourselves and to say with our entire being, “I believe. Show me how. Show me the way, Jesus,” and then to listen, trusting as we follow, “The hand of the Lord feeds us, answering all our needs” (Psalm 145:16).

BlackbirdBerries

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

– John 6:1-15

Packing for the Trip…

From the first days of school I remember carrying with me a lunch box and backpack. Over time, the backpack got bigger and heavier as the items needed for each day became more numerous… a variety of school supplies for writing, calculating, and measuring; more books and folders; outer wear, sports gear, etc. A major part of being prepared and ready to go each school day, which eventually turns into each work day, involves packing for “the trip.”

It is hard to imagine going out for even a few hours, yet alone a whole day or more, without taking a bag and bringing along some provisions. However, Jesus instructs his disciples to carry only the clothes they are wearing on their backs, refraining from the business of traveling with a packed bag. He tells them to focus not on what they think they need—security (food, luggage, clothing, and money), but rather on what is really needed for any journey worth taking—trust.

While security offers a path that is thought to be safe and perhaps predictable, it often comes at the expense of what is good for the soul. On the other hand, trust, when placed appropriately… prayerfully, leads to a path that not only preserves the glory of God within, but also lifts the soul to new heights.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

– Mark 6:7-13

RedBackPack

Sowing Seeds…

If I take a stone and throw it across the top of still water, immediately I can see the ripples caused by the impact of the stone. Depending on how quiet my surroundings are, I might also be able to hear the impact. Furthermore, having previously experienced the sight and sound of a stone skipping across water, even if I could not see and hear the affect, I would still be able to envision it. The way the mind works is interesting, and our ability to remember, to make associations, and to imagine, can be of great value.

As we enter Father’s Day weekend, I find myself thinking about the fact that so much of life comes down to what one values. Whether working independently, with a partner, or in a larger group, it is always that which is valued most, that has the greatest impact on what you sow, and therefore, what you reap. In chapter 4 of the Gospel of Mark (verses 26-34), Jesus is essentially telling the crowds, when you sincerely respect and value God, what you sow, that is both your words and your deeds, reflect God’s ways, producing more than you can envision and reaching much farther than your wildest dreams.

Whether or not you can see the ripples in the water or the fruit from the seed, have faith, they are there.

TheSower

Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and through it all the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”

He said,
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

– Mark 4:26-34

 

On the Edge, Greatness…

At the beginning of the week, as I looked out the window and scanned the back yard, I spotted a doe, yes, “a dear, a female deer,” at the edge of the grass path that leads to the woods. Although tempted to step away to get my camera to try to capture the moment, instead I stayed and watched. For quite some time the doe just stood there in its peaceful, patient way, nibbling at the leaves of a branch. Every so often it lifted its head to glance all around, surveying and taking in the environment with its big, beautiful, pensive eyes. Then, in what seemed like a flash, it was gone, heading off deeper into the woods.

Thinking about this experience, I am struck by the faith that is needed to go into, or to return to, the wilderness. Yet, it is this very same faith that calls creation to the place that is less familiar, less comfortable, or perhaps altogether unknown. Even more, it is the same faith that assures us, moving us toward peace and patience, and helping us to know, we are never alone.

True faith awakens and arises us, calling us closer to the edge, and whispering: Come. Come deeper into the mystery that is God.

In Every Age – by Janet Sullivan Whitaker

Long before the mountains came to be
and the land and sea and stars of the night,
through the endless seasons of all time,
you have always been,
you will always be.

In ev’ry age, O God,
you have been our refuge.
In ev’ry age, O God,
you have been our hope.

Teach us to make use of the time we have.
Teach us to be patient even as we wait.
Teach us to embrace our ev’ry joy and pain.
To sleep peacefully,
and to rise up strong.

In ev’ry age, O God,
you have been our refuge.
In ev’ry age, O God,
you have been our hope.

You have been our refuge
You have been our hope.

OnTheEdgeGreatness

Because it’s the right thing to do…

“Why? I don’t understand why we have to do this?” To which the father responded, “Because, it’s the right thing to do. I can do my best to explain it, but whether or not you, I, or anyone understands, we are doing it, because right here, right now, it’s the right thing to do.”

We all experience moments in life when it can be hard to put something into words or to provide reason or logic. However, even when one cannot understand, there is always a reason. At those times, the challenge is to take what is felt in one’s bones and trust it. Give it whirl, allowing it to have a voice, letting it come to life, and seeing what happens.

Oftentimes, sticking to what we “know,” what we think we know, or what we have been told, takes us further away and pales in comparison to what we may be headed toward or on the brink of discovering… learning… experiencing.

In June of 1949, Cardinal Emmanuel Suhard was buried in Notre Dame Cathedral, alongside archbishops by whom he was predeceased. He had entered formation, despite not having the support of his pastor. He went on to become a priest in 1897, professor, bishop, and eventually Archbishop of Reims in 1930.

In 1942, Cardinal Suhard found his way to using his voice publically against the Vichy government, its deportation of the Jewish people of Paris, and essentially its collusion with the Nazi government. The Cardinal was detained for his actions which went against the clergy and the government of his time and place. However, this was not the first time, he paid consequences for the doing what he felt was the right thing to do.

In his lifetime, Cardinal Suhard was also instrumental in the creation of what was referred to as the Worker-Priest movement. Although the movement was originally supported by the church hierarchy as a means to bring people, specifically the French working class, back to the church, it took on a life of its own.

The priests were sent out into everyday life in the everyday world. The ones who participated in the movement worked in the factories of Paris and other cities. As they experienced the environment and conditions of their fellow workers, they could not help but become involved in trying to make things better. In doing so, they came to be seen by the factory owners, and were reported to the church, as being divisive for their efforts to improve the injustice and wrongdoing they saw and experienced. As a result, the worker priests were told to return to their churches. Some did, and some did not. As for the movement, it went through various stages, including some years of being halted altogether, but has essentially carried on in one form or another.

Emmanuel Célestin Suhard became aware, discovered, and listened to what was in his bones, his God-given purpose. It is always the right thing to do.

“To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.” – Emmanuel Célestin Suhard

Hope Restored… Bridges Rebuilt… No Thing Impossible…

These days there is much that can cause one to say, “I see it, but I don’t believe it!” The unbelievable and unreal seem so common place. It is so much so that the far out or absurd is no longer shocking, but rather quietly, silently absorbed into what seems like the disintegrating fabric of society. However, amidst the clouds of confusion and within the fragments of sense and sensibility, there is faith. Sometimes waiting to be discovered or rekindled, sometimes on the verge of becoming more broad or deepened.

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need. – Acts 4:32-35

Unbelievable! Not only a community of believers, but one of the same heart and mind working and living side-by-side. Unity… accepting differences, learning from each other, and using the ways in which we are unique (our God-given gifts and talents) to strengthen us as we strive toward a common goal (to love God, and to love one another). Unity! So wonderful, but seemingly impossible in our times. One might say, “I won’t believe it, until I see it.”

The disciple Thomas essentially said, “I won’t believe it, until I see it” (John 20:19-31). Perhaps all that he had experienced and witnessed in his life along with his knowledge of Jesus and the crucifixion, coupled with dashed hopes and shattered expectations, led Thomas to the conclusion that things were broken beyond repair. Perhaps, “I won’t believe it, until I see it,” was, “My hopes have been crushed…my trust broken. My heart cannot take any more… I need to see it (proof) for myself.” And what is Jesus’ response? He gives Thomas what he needs, and then reminds him, as well as us, to keep the faith—believe. Despite what you may or may not see, believe.

With God, there is always hope and, where there is an open heart and mind, there is nothing… absolutely nothing beyond some kind of repair.

Our life is full of brokenness – broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives.

– Henri Nouwen

Bridge

Just Like That…

Ready to pack up and go, the automatic start button was pressed, the lights came on, but the engine did not. I thought, oh no! Not now! But now it was.

The events that unfolded from a number of failed attempts to start the car, the roadside technician whose heart led him to look and work where the company’s book says not to look and work, and through the remaining tasks of the day were all unexpected. However, the initial sting and set back on time, gave way to a number of experiences of the kindness of strangers, of both those helping and those in need of help, and the gift of joy waiting to be recognized as the hand of God, providing a lift for each and every one of us.

So often, things happen just like that.

Just like that, Jesus breathed his last breath and it was over (Mark 15:37). One can only imagine what it was like for those who believed. Certainly, they did not expect what had happened to occur.

Despite Jesus’ words and the foretelling of his death and resurrection, clearly, it seemed more than they could understand. Prior to his last breath, Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) What did those closest to Jesus think, and how did they feel about what was happening? We all experience moments of feeling surprised, shocked, blind-sided, or abandoned. After some time to absorb what has transpired, though, there is the important question of “What now?”

It is in looking to, “What now?” that those among the closest to Jesus discovered that what may have seemed like the end was rather the beginning of something new. Not only that, but they were also reminded of the truth. To talk the talk is important, but to also walk it is difficult, impossible without sacrifice, and at times, may also seem like it is not worthwhile.

As you approach each day, remember:

While there may be lots of big, bad, bloated wolves in the world, their power is far outweighed by those who are kind, honest, caring, and wise;

Seeking to truly put God’s will first in both word and deed enables faith, hope and love to achieve all that otherwise may seem less than worthwhile, useless, or even impossible;

Light always conquers darkness, often in ways that we could not imagine, understand, or design on our own;

When being truthful with oneself, it is clear that the ends does not justify the means;

Every breath that any one of us takes is precious; and

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118).

Praise God!

Sunrise_Easter2017Post

Seek Face…

In times when violence and injustice seem so prevalent, one can become disheartened, disappointed, and/or a number of other words that could aptly describe the different levels and ways that the human spirit can be affected. Disturbing news comes at us and is thrown in our faces over and over through various forms of media. Amongst all the mayhem that seems to abound, it can be challenging to see or to be aware that God is continually sowing, and bringing to life, seeds of love, hope, and faith.

When Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus up the mountain (Mk 9:2-10), they had no idea what was in store for them. They did not know what they would encounter as they journeyed or when they reached their destination, or what would happen afterward. They did, however, have faith… a faith that led them to recognize and to walk with the Lord. In doing so, they were not alone. God also gave them each other to lean on and to help along the way. Similarly, God gives us each other.

Together there is so much we can overcome and achieve. Together, the face of God shines more brightly and can be seen in and through each of us. To seek God’s face is to seek the best in each and every face… in each and every situation… to trust that God is with us as we walk up the mountain and back down, or through the valley, into the woods, and out the other side.

“Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me.” – Cf. Psalm 27 (26):8-9