Greetings!
Over the past several months, we as a community have seen more than a few changes. But isn’t that just like life – changing, never stagnant, moving and growing and stretching – sometimes in obvious ways but many times in quiet and hidden ways? So too, the Spirit, the Advocate, moves and breathes in ways that are many times unseen or even go unnoticed.
The other day I was listening to a presentation on spiritual guidance and was fascinated by one comment that was made. The woman remarked that at one point in her life she came head on to the realization that she was not the Holy Spirit. Now, that may seem a rather strange thing to say, but she was speaking in the context of control.
In this day and age of control – “I have to get control of my life”, “I need to control how this or that will turn out”, “I have no control!” – it seems almost odd to be asked to surrender our wills, not to mention our hearts and minds, to anything beyond our control. And yet in faith, that is precisely what we do in order to hear the voice of God deep within. We are moved, nudged, prodded by the Spirit to take time amid the busyness of daily life to enter into a holy and silent listening. May we always take time to notice, to listen for, the voice of the Spirit in our community and our lives!
Peace on the Journey
27 April 2008
20 April 2008
20 April 2008
Greetings!
Choices…there are so many these days! In our younger days, perhaps one of the BIG choices was what to wear to school (unless we attended a school that required we wear uniforms). Life seemed simpler when there weren’t so many choices to make. Way back when I was contemplating what to go to school for beyond high school, the solid choices for females (according to my dad) were either nursing or teaching, and he wisely counseled that it would be easier to get a job if I chose nursing because the teacher “market” was pretty flooded. These days our teens have many more educational choices. I’m not sure if more is better, at least for me. But it is what it is.
The readings today speak about choices; choosing to be more specific. The apostles were made aware of the need for help in tending to the needs of the people and chose seven from among the community to fill this need (Acts 6:1-7). Peter writes that Christ was chosen and precious in the sight of God and that we too are God’s chosen – God’s own people (1 Peter 2:4-9). The gospel asks us to make a choice – to choose to have faith in Jesus and to believe in him (John 14:1-12).
So…what does all this have to do with us and our community of St. Thomas? We are a community that firmly believes God is deeply in love with us. Each person is made in God’s own image and God dwells within everyone. This is not by our own design but is the choice and will of God. We are God’s chosen and respond by reflecting the light of Christ through our love and care for each other and all of creation. Among all the other choices we make, big and small, every day, we are also asked to choose to share life and love – God’s love – with those who cross our path. May we always make that choice!
Peace on the Journey
Choices…there are so many these days! In our younger days, perhaps one of the BIG choices was what to wear to school (unless we attended a school that required we wear uniforms). Life seemed simpler when there weren’t so many choices to make. Way back when I was contemplating what to go to school for beyond high school, the solid choices for females (according to my dad) were either nursing or teaching, and he wisely counseled that it would be easier to get a job if I chose nursing because the teacher “market” was pretty flooded. These days our teens have many more educational choices. I’m not sure if more is better, at least for me. But it is what it is.
The readings today speak about choices; choosing to be more specific. The apostles were made aware of the need for help in tending to the needs of the people and chose seven from among the community to fill this need (Acts 6:1-7). Peter writes that Christ was chosen and precious in the sight of God and that we too are God’s chosen – God’s own people (1 Peter 2:4-9). The gospel asks us to make a choice – to choose to have faith in Jesus and to believe in him (John 14:1-12).
So…what does all this have to do with us and our community of St. Thomas? We are a community that firmly believes God is deeply in love with us. Each person is made in God’s own image and God dwells within everyone. This is not by our own design but is the choice and will of God. We are God’s chosen and respond by reflecting the light of Christ through our love and care for each other and all of creation. Among all the other choices we make, big and small, every day, we are also asked to choose to share life and love – God’s love – with those who cross our path. May we always make that choice!
Peace on the Journey
13 April 2008
13 April 2008
Easter Greetings!
As we continue to celebrate this great season of Light – the Light that is Christ; the Light that cannot be dimmed, we have begun to see anew an increase in the length of the physical light of our days. Signs of new life are emerging all around: the red-winged blackbirds have returned as have the robins and various other species of birds absent during the long winter months. The deer are grazing in fields (probably to the dismay of our sisters and brothers who farm), the geese are already vying for their nesting spots, tulips and crocuses are pushing shoots out of the ground, those huge piles of snow are nearly gone, and there have been days when those infamous words of spring have been heard: “Cooler by the Lake”. After the long winter, spring holds a sense of wonder as once dormant life awakens, and yet, the changes of spring are familiar – we might even say constant. We know what to expect of spring even with the uncertainty of the weather, we know what spring is all about.
Looking back at our childhood days, there were also things that we expected and just “knew”. Most can admit at a very young age we recognized the voice of our parents – when we were called by name (especially when mom or dad used our FULL name!). Their voices were very familiar; we did not follow, if we listened to what we were told, strangers. And in following, we had a sense of belonging.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says he calls his own sheep by name, they recognize his voice and they will not follow a stranger (John 10:1-5). The sound of Jesus’ voice to those who follow him is familiar, recognizable. There is great comfort, and awe, in believing and knowing, Jesus too calls each of us by name – that Jesus knows us so intimately and loves us so deeply. He desires us to follow him with all our hearts and find abundant life in him. May we listen with all our hearts to the voice of God within and around us.
Peace on the Journey
As we continue to celebrate this great season of Light – the Light that is Christ; the Light that cannot be dimmed, we have begun to see anew an increase in the length of the physical light of our days. Signs of new life are emerging all around: the red-winged blackbirds have returned as have the robins and various other species of birds absent during the long winter months. The deer are grazing in fields (probably to the dismay of our sisters and brothers who farm), the geese are already vying for their nesting spots, tulips and crocuses are pushing shoots out of the ground, those huge piles of snow are nearly gone, and there have been days when those infamous words of spring have been heard: “Cooler by the Lake”. After the long winter, spring holds a sense of wonder as once dormant life awakens, and yet, the changes of spring are familiar – we might even say constant. We know what to expect of spring even with the uncertainty of the weather, we know what spring is all about.
Looking back at our childhood days, there were also things that we expected and just “knew”. Most can admit at a very young age we recognized the voice of our parents – when we were called by name (especially when mom or dad used our FULL name!). Their voices were very familiar; we did not follow, if we listened to what we were told, strangers. And in following, we had a sense of belonging.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says he calls his own sheep by name, they recognize his voice and they will not follow a stranger (John 10:1-5). The sound of Jesus’ voice to those who follow him is familiar, recognizable. There is great comfort, and awe, in believing and knowing, Jesus too calls each of us by name – that Jesus knows us so intimately and loves us so deeply. He desires us to follow him with all our hearts and find abundant life in him. May we listen with all our hearts to the voice of God within and around us.
Peace on the Journey
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