Awakenings

Wisdom: 13 June 2010

2010-06-13T13:24:00.003-05:00

"I give you a heart so wise"
1Kings 3:12

As I watch the movements of the birds, I muse about the decisions they make. Oh yes, animals function on instinct rather than rational decision making as we humans are capable of doing. But it's intriguing to think of the birds actually making decisions: Whether or not to migrate; where to nest; how many eggs to lay; how to teach their young to fly and survive the elements; where to find shelter in a storm; when, where, and what to eat; who and what to stay away from to keep them safe. It's also amazing this year the different species that have been regularly visiting the hummingbird feeder. There have been not only a multitude of hummingbirds and the usual Baltimore and Orchard orioles but also the yellow finches and just yesterday even a Downy woodpecker! All this to say these birds hold within their beings a great deal of wisdom - even if it is pure instinct.

When God told King Solomon to ask for anything and it would be granted, the king asked God for only two intertwined things: for an understanding heart to judge (rule) well and for the ability to distinguish from right and wrong. In other words, Solomon asked for wisdom and that is just what God granted him - "a heart so wise".

Wisdom...What does that mean to us? What does it mean to be wise? Some say wisdom comes with age, and in part that is true. We grow into wisdom and for a good many of us any wisdom we may gain is the result of trial and error - making mistakes and learning from them (the key point is learning from our mistakes). When we make poor choices that hurt us or others, it serves no purpose to place blame on someone else - we make our own choices just as everyone else makes their own choices. A phrase that gets attention in our house from time to time is this: We are all in the place we are right now because of the choices we made. Now this is not necessarily true in all cases - such as being afflicted with a hereditary disease or ailment, but for the most part as adults we make choices that, good or not so good, impact our lives (and many times the lives of others) either positively or negatively. Again the point of wisdom is to be able to choose well, to distinguish right from wrong, and to learn positive lessons from our poor choices or mistakes so as not to repeat them or pass them on to younger generations. Easy? Nope. Doable? Yes; perhaps not alone but with the wise counsel of others. AND doable when we put our trust and faith in God, who loves us so deeply and unconditionally, walks with us through the good times and our troubled times and who, if we ask and listen closely, is forever willing to forgive and grace us with wisdom.

Peace on the Journey

Memorial Day: 31 May 2010

2010-05-31T12:30:00.004-05:00

Just the other night we were looking through some old U.S. coins - some dating from 1903 and the 1920's - and I could not help but notice the familiar words on each and every coin: "In God We Trust". And I wondered just how often we stop to think of those words as we hand over our money to various cashiers while shopping. Probably not often, maybe not ever.
This nation was founded in part on that trust in God. A great many of the people who immigrated to this country at its beginning did so because their religious faith and/or beliefs were being suppressed or condemned in their country of origin. These ancestors of ours were not only seeking a new life for themselves in a new land, but also for the freedom to openly practice their faith.

Memorial Day - this is the day dedicated to the remembrance of all who served to defend and protect the very freedom all of us in this country are fortunate enough to have. We remember those who died in service during WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan... We remember those who served in foreign lands, Europe, Guam, Philippines, Korea and other countries during times of peace and died in later years. We remember all the men and women who are currently serving both here at home and abroad. And we should be grateful for all our veterans and current service people's dedication to protect our freedom not only on this national holiday but each and every day.

Yes, we owe a debt of gratitude to all those brave women and men. We also owe a debt of gratitude to those who were the first to proudly and rightly imprint on our coins the words "In God We Trust". Yes, the same God who surrounds us every moment of every day.

Peace on the Journey

Sustenance: 23 May 2010

2010-05-22T10:57:00.002-05:00

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Matthew 28:20

The bird activity has been abundant over the past weeks. As soon as the little Eastern bluebirds left the nest in the little white birdhouse, the tree swallows claimed it, laid their eggs which hatched a few days ago. The hummingbirds and the orchard and Baltimore orioles are hot and heavy into what I refer as the feeding frenzy wars. Ah, let the games begin! The hummingbirds chase the orioles from the feeder; the orioles chase the hummingbirds from the feeder. It's quite an amusing sight to behold several times a day but particularly for our suppertime entertainment. And yet, with all this chasing each other about, each species does get the sustenance they seek (and need) from the feeder in abundance.

Sustenance...nourishment, necessities, requirements, provisions, getting or receiving what we need. Lately I've been pondering yet again the difference between what we need and what we want. There IS a huge difference. Wants are all those things we sometimes think we need but in fact really are the frills - those things or possessions we think we can't live without; those things we think (falsely) that will bring us happiness and joy but that happiness and joy we come to find out is quite fleeting. What good are all those things going to be to us after we no longer walk on this earth in this life?

True needs do vary somewhat from person to person and in pondering true needs, there are the obvious basics of food, water, air, shelter, clothing. But we people are social in nature and need others as well - to love and love us back, to respect, to trust, to seek counsel from. We need people, particularly those we are in a relationship with, to treat us with dignity and, when difficulties arise (as they will and do) we need understanding particularly that there are two sides to every story and "blame" or hurtful words/actions are rarely if ever one-sided. I have learned through experience that some torn relationships can be repaired but some cannot particularly if the effort to repair the relationship is one-sided and rejected by the other. I have learned through experience that some relationships become toxic - detrimental to one's well-being because of things like anger, lying, placing blame, one person thinking they can control the other by laying guilt trips or being emotionally, verbally, and/or physically abusive.

I wonder if at times we rely too heavily on only ourselves or others to provide us with what we truly need. I wonder if at times we are all too willing to neglect thinking about, or remembering, that we all have a God who loves us so very deeply, is so ready and willing to help us carry our burdens if only we believe and trust and ask for Sacred Guidance and Companionship, and who has promised to be and is with us deep inside and all around us every moment of every day and every step along the path of our life.

Peace on the Journey

Quiet Prayer: 9 May 2010

2010-05-09T11:21:00.003-05:00

...when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you."
Matthew 6:6

A Prayer Meditation:

Tranquil. Calm. Pleasant. Serene. Contented. Restful. Soothing. Peace and quiet. Alone yet, not alone.

Contemplation. Visualization. Meditation. Prayer.

Sitting alone in the still of the evening, eyes closed, breathing deeply at first then quietly and evenly, a picture comes to mind: a favorite place, a fantasy place. Thoughts of a busy day slowly fade into complete tranquility. Gone are the telephones, pagers, and cell phones. Gone are the computers and the paperwork. Gone are the traffic and the noise.

The minds’ eye slowly wanders over every detail of the landscape. Behold the shades of blues, oranges, pinks, purples in the sky, the ball of orange fire on the horizon, the stillness of the waters, the gentle swaying of the reeds in the cool and mild breeze. The ears hear nothing but the sound of silence. All of creation is quiet. It is as if time has stopped, if only for a little while. At peace at last.

The mind and the heart and the soul and every fiber of the being stretch, reaching out in hope, in love, in belief, with trust. The layers of humanness slowly dissolving until all that remains is the core, the essence of the being, and God. Naked. Vulnerable. Comfortable.

It is in this place where the soul lays bare. It is in this place where the Spirit dwells. It is in this place where God speaks. Inspiration. Revelation.

It is here where the words, “I will be with you always” are heard over and over again. No talking required. Listening is the only rule. Gentle. Loving. Consoling.

Touched. So deeply touched.

Peace on the Journey

Fear: 2 May 2010

2010-05-02T12:36:00.001-05:00

Yesterday morning as I gazed out the window toward the little white birdhouse watching and waiting for the Eastern bluebirds to appear with more food for their three little ones, I was shocked to see a tree swallow perched on the birdhouse. And then, to my horror, the swallow went inside! Fearing the worst, I grabbed a sweater, slipped on my sandals and rushed out to that little birdhouse. The nest was empty! But...there were no signs of trouble; no signs that anything bad had happened to those three little precious ones; no mess of feathers either inside the nest or on the ground. Then it occurred to me that I had not seen the adult bluebirds for a day and a feeling of relief welled up inside as I realized those little ones must have gotten big enough to learn to fly and they all had left for the woods.

Fear - being afraid - is a terrible feeling. Fear can paralyze us or...it can push us into action (albeit sometimes unwise actions). In many ways, President Roosevelt was right when he proclaimed, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". But we also have Sacred Words of comfort and assurance. The phrases: "Do not be afraid" or "Fear not" (and other similar variations) are likely among the most abundant phrases in the entire bible - both Old and New Testaments!

In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (43:1-4), we are asked to "Fear not" for God has called us by name and we belong to God, who will be with us, walking with us every step of the way through the hard trials in our life. What a blessing in gift we have been blessed with in our Loving Creator who calls us precious, glorious and who loves us so much; so deeply.

Peace on the Journey

Food...for Thought: 25 April 2010

2010-04-24T16:47:00.004-05:00

Give us each day our daily bread
Luke 11:3

While mowing the lawn on Thursday I paused to take a peek inside the little white bird house. On Thursday while mowing the lawn, I noticed the Eastern bluebirds flying in and out of the little white bird house rather frequently. When I worked my way to the back of the yard, I paused to take a peek inside the little house hanging on the tree. To my surprise and utter delight, the eggs had hatched and the three little ones were snuggled down in the nest with beaks wide open! Sure enough, that explained the numerous trips by the adult birds to and from the bird house - they were busy gathering food and bringing it back to their young ones. And this will continue each day until the young ones are big enough and old enough and strong enough to leave the nest and learn how to find food for themselves.

When we pray the Lord's Prayer I often wonder if we take the time to truly ponder the words we are speaking. It's such a familiar prayer and perhaps it becomes easy to simply recite it without much thought (or heart) put into it (hopefully that is not the case). In part we are asking that we be given our "daily bread". What does that mean?

Answers to that question are likely as numerous as the numbers of those who wish to ponder it. To me, praying for daily bread means I am asking God to grant me and those for whom I pray all the blessings, courage, and strength to deal with whatever may come into life today. It means I have faith that God knows what we truly need (rather than what we think we need or merely want) and will feed us with just the right "food" to nourish and sustain us. Our task is to simply notice and gratefully receive the Sacred generosity and Love.

Peace on the Journey

Tapestry of Life: 18 April 2010

2010-04-17T10:51:00.005-05:00

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
Matthew 6: 26, 28-29

Over the past week I've noticed how much more alive nature has become. Almost daily different species of birds arrived at the feeders along with those downy and red-bellied woodpeckers who frequented the suet cages all winter. The Eastern bluebird couple completed their nest in the little white house and now there are three blue eggs incubating. It won't be long before they hatch and mother and father bird will be kept busy fetching food for them all day long. The trees have started to bud out and some even have leaves forming already. Daffodils and crocuses are in full bloom, the tulips have buds that will soon open and...the first crop of dandelions for the season is starting to speckle lawns and fields with their yellow glow. The frogs are serenading us with their joyful music in the pond each evening and long into the night. All this by the movements of nature and the grace and care of the Sacred One.

And yet, we are so apt to worry about "what's next" - what to eat, what to wear, what new "gadget" we should or will buy, even who says what to whom. Putting our faith in God's abundant Love and care for us is often times easy to forget, or dismiss. We tend to focus on the "things of the world" (not necessarily a bad thing when we use our gifts and talents wisely) at the expense of taking stalk in the abundant seen and unseen ways our Sacred Provider loves and blesses us daily with so many wonderful gifts and talents. All too often we may focus our minds and hearts on all those tomorrows and we miss the Sacred touch of this day, this moment.

Yes indeed, how much more does the Heavenly One care for us than the birds of the air and the lilies of the field? Ponder with me, if you wish, the sacred movements in our lives and discover anew how beautifully the hand of our Sacred Creator is woven into the very tapestry of our lives and all of creation.

Peace on the Journey

Expectations: 11 April 2010

2010-04-10T20:07:00.001-05:00

Just a week or so ago the sights and sounds of spring were so abundant. The warm, sunny days helped to open up the blossoms on daffodils and crocuses. The tulips popped out of the ground and the trees started budding out. The pair of Eastern bluebirds that claimed the little white bird house in our yard completed their nest. Every morning we awoke to the music of the chirping birds. And then...two days ago we got three inches of snow in our area. So typical of spring in Wisconsin. After days of gorgeous spring weather I suspect many of us had the expectation of no more snow. Ha! Mother Nature fooled us yet again.

Pondering expectations...

In any society people are expected to act in certain ways - obey the laws of the land - so as to live in a peaceable way. That only makes sense. However, expectations place upon us by others, perhaps in our circle of friends and acquaintances and/or family regarding how to live, what to do and when, what to believe, who to believe, etc. can be something else all together. When we base and live our whole life trying to live up to those kind of expectations others place upon us are we really living our own life; following our own path? Or are we living a life someone else thinks we should live?

I have long ago come to the conclusion that there is only One whose expectations are important: those of our Sacred Creator. Knowing we cannot live up to those Holy expectations perfectly, we should still have the courage to do the best we can. And even though we will most likely still come across situations where our "buttons" are pushed or at worst, times when someone talks or acts in a hurtful way toward us we can rest assured of the deep and unconditional Love of the Sacred who dwells within and around us.

Peace on the Journey.

Captivity: 21 March 2010

2010-03-21T14:43:00.001-05:00

"Untie him and let him go."
( John 11:44)

Now that spring has officially arrived, yard clean-up time is once again upon us. Our clean-up efforts are in full swing here along with beginning to get the flower beds and raised vegetable gardens in some sort of eye-appealing order. After all the snow melted in our yard it was amazing how much "crud" and gravel and chunks of dirt were piled up on the lawn as the result of snow plowing - both the driveway and from the township road plowing. It would be so easy to procrastinate and save the yard work for another day, or week, or month but it does need to be done so that new growth of lawn and plants and flowers can emerge and be suffocated out by lack of sunshine and nature's nutrients. As I looked at the all too many piles of dirt and stones scattered about our yard, the phrase "Set me free" popped into my head. And I ponder being set free.

There may be a great many things that can cause us to feel "bound" or captive. Things like dysfunctional and/or broken relationships, guilt trips, being caught in the trap of thinking we have to live up to someone else's expectations, regrets of past choices, doing certain things merely out of a sense of obligation with no real "heart" in it on our part just because someone or some entity says we have to, and on and on. All these things and attitudes have the potential to suck the life out of us and deter or prevent us from being our true selves - the beloved creations our Sacred Creator intends for us to be.

As Lazarus was raised from the dead and called out of the tomb, he had to have the burial wraps untied to be set free once again; to live new life once again (John 11). What actions can we make to loosen any ties that negatively bind us - in our thoughts, our actions, our relationships and from our relationship with the Divine Presence that is so deeply and lovingly woven into the tapestry of our lives? It may be hard and painful inner work, but just as the blisters from all the raking will heal, the reward of healing and wholeness is well worth the effort.

Peace on the Journey.

Seeking Clearer Vision: 14 March 2010

2010-03-12T17:30:00.021-06:00

"So they said to him, 'So how were your eyes opened?'"
John 9:10

While traveling east on one of the county highways into town early this week, an SUV closed in behind me. We were coming up on an intersection and someone in a pickup truck was at the stop sign signaling to make a left turn to head west. He had plenty of time and distance to do so safely before my car reached the intersection. Suddenly a dark flash appeared in my side view mirror and I realized, just as the pickup truck was making the turn, the SUV was passing me! Realizing the very real potential for disaster, I slammed on the breaks in hopes the SUV could get past me and pull back into our east-bound lane without hitting the truck. I was shocked to quickly notice the person driving the SUV had also slammed on the brakes, as did the man in the truck. And for a split second it felt as if we were all in some sort of suspended animation. I hit the accelerator, the SUV quickly pulled back in behind me, the truck complete the turn and headed west. Accident and injury avoided. At the next opportunity the SUV passed me, speeding ahead into town. I found it almost comical, as all traffic was stopped at the second set of signal lights, I was now once again ahead of this same SUV and thought to myself of the SUV driver, "So much for being in such a hurry".

Over the past few days we've been hit with some pretty dense fog, making driving necessarily slow and seeing most any distance very difficult. Again headed into town I was amazed, and pleased, at the care with which other drivers cautiously moved along in their vehicles.

Both these instances causes me to ponder our ways of seeing and relating with others and our world and brings to mind several tough questions to reflect upon.

First of all, what's the rush? Do we have to be the first, the best, the fastest all the time? In the fast-paced frenzy of life can we remember there is also value in slowing down and taking notice of the other and the beauty that surrounds us - both very much gift and blessing?

Do we outwardly proclaim things we do not necessarily live up to? There was a religious "slogan" on the back of the SUV mentioned above and I can't help but wonder in general once again, how often do we attend that one hour of worship service and then live the rest of the week as if we hadn't been in some way inspired to strive to be more caring, compassionate, loving and respectful?

Does it really have to take adverse conditions - in weather, in our lives, in our world - to cause us to recognize our care and concern is warranted with respect to all of life? Can we come out of our own fog of presumptions and move toward a genuinely respectful and generous understanding of others' diversity, beliefs, values, spiritual practices even though they might be different than our own?

Finally, can our eyes, our ears, our hearts be opened to see, hear and feel more clearly the presence of the Sacred Light that forever resides within and around us loving us unconditionally...always?

Peace on the Journey.

Transitioning: 7 March 2010

2010-03-05T17:13:00.003-06:00

On Monday, the first day of March, as I was eating lunch and glancing out the window, there he sat. I was sure of it but got up and slowly moved to the window to take a closer look. Sure enough, it was indeed an Eastern bluebird perched on the deck rail. Perhaps they do arrive this early but as long as I've enjoyed watching for the return of migrating birds I've not ever spotted one in our yard before April. As soon as I got to the window, he flew away. Lo and behold, two days later upon arising to the familiar and long-awaited sweet sound of birds chirping near the window, my eyes and spirit were delighted to see three pairs of Eastern bluebirds fluttering around the yard and checking out each of the three now vacant bird houses. Later in the day one pair had claimed the little white one in the tree, flying in and out of it or landing on its perch. They've been back to visit daily. Given the "dryness", "barrenness" of winter I've been writing about, seeing these beautiful birds again turned my thoughts to the onset of spring and the re-emergence of nature's activity, growth and beauty. And I officially declared, to myself, that spring had indeed arrived. Oh yes we know all too well that winter's furry can come again before (and after) the calendar declares it to be spring but...catching these glimpses of springtime life reminds me that dry, desert time - winter's rest - will indeed transition into new growth and life. So too our inner desert times can transform us when we look for the and find the Sacred - even in the most unexpected places.

The story of the woman at the well (John 4:5-42) find Jesus in conversation with a Samaritan woman - a woman who comes to the well in the intense heat of noontime to draw water for the day when no one else from her village is there; when she will not encounter the harsh judgment of others because of her "lifestyle". The gospel tells us the "Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans" (4:9). In fact, the Jews of the time strived to avoid the Samaritans all together and Samaritan women were considered by the Jews as ritually impure. Imagine how isolated the woman must have felt in her everyday life.

This week I pose these questions to ponder:
Has there been a time in life when we have been the woman at the well? Have we ever felt isolated from friends, family, community because of how we live, what we believe, who we associate with? Are there times we have experienced intense thirst for the life-giving water of community, compassion and understanding? And...have we been/are we now open to the signs of the Sacred dwelling in and all around us waiting to comfort, guide, and delightfully surprise us with Divine Love?

Just as winter turns into spring, may our spirits transition toward finding anew the presence of the Sacred One - even in the most unexpected places - in our lives, in others and in our world.

Peace on the Journey.

Pondering Discomfort: 28 February 2010

2010-02-27T12:08:00.009-06:00

"The Lord is my light and my salvation."
Psalm 27:1

Winter is a "drier" time of the year - not much appears to be happening in the way of nature's activity outside my windows. Oh yes, we've had some snow storms, ice and rain, strong winds. But the past few months the liveliness and abundant activity of animals and birds in this rural, natural habitat has diminished greatly. Even the all too abundant cloudy days of this season contribute to its feeling of dryness - a desert sort of time of the year. And it becomes uncomfortable - the waiting for spring with all its warmth, refreshing rains, and the reemergence of a more colorful landscape filled with a myriad of colorful plants and birds.

So too it is with this season of Lent - a desert time of watching and waiting, a time of withdrawing into our hearts and the very core of our being to reflect in deep and meaningful ways on our life and the meaning the sacred holds for us in our lives. And the searching of our hearts and taking an honest account of ways we may have not lived true to who we are intended to be - caring, compassionate, giving, loving people both individual and collectively as societies - can be uncomfortable too. Perhaps it should be uncomfortable, even disturbing...

Today's news is flooded with distressing stories: a massive earthquake in Chili early this morning along with the threat of wide-spread tsunami destruction, an already devastated Haiti bracing for another blow as the income from their rice crops is threatened by the exportation of "cheap" rice from the U.S., yet another story of child abuse and torture as a baby and toddler in California have been found bound and gagged with head and face injuries, acts of racism against African American students at the University of California in San Diego, child sex abuse scandal by a Pediatrician in Delaware, and the recent stories of clergy sex abuse in Ireland. These last few are all too vivid examples of the devaluation of human life by some in our society and...we should feel uncomfortable and disturbed! These heartbreaking stories should cause us as a society, as a community, to reflect and dialogue on the value of human life, the values we hold and to strive to be good and faithful people working for justice and peace in compassionate and caring ways.

So too church officials, across many denominations, are uncomfortable and disturbed as they lament the vast decline in attendance at worship services. One commentary alleges this is happening because some people have "turned away" from their faith. I wonder...could it be more a case of people being driven out/made to feel they no longer belong because of some "transgression" as defined by the church leadership, or find the turn toward more conservative structures and restrictive rules and regulations and obligations for them really have little or nothing to do with living as faithful servants of our Sacred Creator? Perhaps our churches are half empty week in and week out not because people have lost their faith. Perhaps might it be more a matter of faithful and faith-filled people who continue to hold onto faith and belief in the Almighty One, as the psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is my light and salvation" while finding sacred meaning and connections and spiritual nourishment outside the structures of the institution as well as (for many) within it?

There are indeed a great many things to ponder during this desert time of Lent - in our lives, in our communities, in our world, in our faith, in our churches, in our very way of being. We know from lived experience that spring will indeed will arrive and "new life" will once again delight our eyes and ears and perhaps our hearts and spirits too. In the silence of our hearts, if we take the time to truly listen, we will come to hear the Holy Whispers of the Sacred One who constantly abides in and within us giving us strength and guiding us with abundant love and graciousness.

Peace on the Journey.

Desert Times: 21 February 2010

2010-02-19T17:52:00.004-06:00

"(He) was led by the Spirit into the desert”

Luke 4:1

Even though I've been to an actual desert in the southwest where the landscape and plant life was amazingly quite beautiful and abundant, I still have the image of the deserts in those old movies in my mind - nothing but sand, blowing sand, everywhere; a truly desolate place where one's throat gets bone dry and thirst is abundantly present. I imagine all sorts of thoughts would run through a person's mind if he or she were in such an environment for any length of time. Things like longings and plots and plans and perhaps regrets may emerge. Being in such a barren environment, isolated from other people, can cause us feel quite helpless - quite alone.

There are very real times in life when we may feel as if we're in a desert - times when we feel dry, barren, unsettled, isolated in our inner being, our spiritual dimension, and/or life itself. The reasons for or causes of these desert times are many. Perhaps we have lost our job, experienced the death of a loved one, been rejected by someone, have seen a dream or goal we had disappear beyond our reach. Finding ourselves in a spiritual desert, as with any life "desert times", we most likely experience feeling a loss of connection with people and things that hold meaning for us in our lives. In a spiritual desert we can feel disconnected from our prayer, church, the Sacred One, even ourselves.

Finding ourselves in a desert time, however long or short the duration, can be a very lonely and scary place where we truly go alone. We can choose to experience this time as a vast wasteland, a waste of time, or a place filled with demons of regrets, temptations, guilt, and our own imperfections. Or...we can choose to enter into and experience our desert times as filled with abundant opportunity. When we willingly go into the seemingly barren and deserted place of our inner being as uncomfortable as it may be, if we quiet ourselves and minds and listen closely to our heart we can come to discover anew that we are not alone after all. It is there in the silence we encounter the presence of the Sacred who abides within each of us; it is there in the silence where we will be able to open ourselves to the Holy Whispers; it is there in the silence where we will begin to be molded and shaped anew by the Divine Fire that burns within us always - even during the driest and darkest of our desert times.

Peace on the Journey.

A Lesson of Candles: 14 February 2010

2010-02-13T08:09:00.003-06:00

As I read through the passage from the prophet Jeremiah (17:5-8) this week, I couldn't help feeling how deeply it resonated with the "funk" I've been feeling the past few days - " like a barren bush in the desert...standing in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth". I think many of us can relate to that same feeling at times for a variety of reasons. My reason at this point in time is the nearness of the anniversary of deaths of dear ones in my life and the memories evoked of both the lives and deaths of these most loved ones and the pain of grieving. But, like the "tree planted beside the waters" moving through the grief process, for me, eventually provided the opportunity to discover anew that the "roots" of my whole being could indeed once again be "stretched out to the stream" of Love and Companionship of the Sacred One and trust that the Divine was, and always will be so very close deep within the core of my being. And so this week I offer a different twist to my posting:

It was by pure chance (or was it Divine intervention?) that the trio of candles were lit one night as I sat in deep, numbing grief following the death of a loved one. No other lights were on in the house and I sat in loneliness when slowly my eyes focused on the candles across the darkened room. Watching the movements of the flames, so different yet burning and reaching high and low in unison, imaged for me the presence of the Divine in this deepest and darkest of life times. To truly behold something, to take in all that is visible both outwardly and within, has the potential of transporting the heart and mind to a place where Divine Love speaks within the inner recesses of our spirit. If we dare to listen and be open to the Holy whispers, we will begin to be molded and shaped by the Sacred Holy Fire that burns within us always - even during the driest and darkest of times.

Beholding the Divine Fire

God in the flame of the candle
burning in the dim light –
quietly molding, shaping,
changing the center –
the core.

Oh to be the wax
that yields so willingly
to the dance of the Flame.
To be shaped and reshaped;
created anew!

Flame of Light with burning desire
for one purpose –
to melt away the darkness
into a new creation
that needs only the Flame
to be whole.
And in that wholeness
to dance the eternal dance
of Light
and Love
together.

Peace on the Journey.

Will We Remember?: 7 February 2010

2010-02-06T11:31:00.006-06:00

"Here I Am" I said; "send me!"
Isaiah 6:8

Though winter is still upon us, nature is quite busy. The coyotes continue to prowl the woods and howl each night, the trees are resting but gaining strength and sustenance through their root s systems, the birds are still frequenting the suet cages most of the day, the deer wander about (mostly at night now) as evidenced by the numerous tracks seem in the snow. And Mother Nature has reminded us of winter anew (when many of us are longing for spring) as she provided us with a fresh covering of two to three inches of "lake effect" snow this morning. That's one thing about nature - it does not forget what season it is and what is supposed to be happening.

My little bird friends - the downy woodpeckers and chickadees are such a delight to watch. The other day I observed them once again during one of many daily trips to the feeders and suet cages. The woodpecker, at first perched high on a branch, appeared to be watching and waiting for the chickadees to show up before fluttering down to begin feasting on the suet. Sure enough, by the time Mr. woodpecker began his suet meal the chickadees had arrived and took their posts on the snow at the bottom of the tree awaiting their dining pleasure. I mused that this little woodpecker had not forgotten his other feathered friends and their need for nourishment.

It's pretty much a given that our lives get busy, either by design (our own making) or circumstances that simply happen or change, or both. And many times we come to discover we have been so caught up in what we're doing and what is happening to us that we lose sight of what is going on in the world around us - our immediate surroundings, our communities, our world. But sometimes we just forget about, or become desensitized, or even ignore what is happening to our sisters and brothers of the world. The new stories of the devastation in Haiti have diminished greatly over the past week. This morning there was one lone, small article placed near the bottom of the page of the New York Times online. Maybe it's that the media just doesn't want to "dote" on the Haitian stories any longer but...the "buzz" of the national media is in part focused on the upcoming Super Bowl and those oh so expensive commercials. Though entertaining, it does give one something to wonder about: how can we (compainies/insudtries/media) really justify the astronomical costs and spending on advertising for this one "main event" when that same money could be put to so much better use in helping others in need? How about the Haitians who continue to struggle so desperately for life and health and shelter? How about the people in our country and world who live in severe poverty day in and day out? How about the school systems in our communities, states and country who are struggling with budget deficits causing even more upcoming job and program eliminations? And so many more...

Would we as a nation or a society really rather focus only on ourselves, our busy lives, and our own needs (real or perceived) and look away pretending those issues/people do not exist ? Or... as a nation founded on Christian values, might we resolve to live those values and, like my little woodpecker friend who offers daily sustenance and nourishment and life to the little chickadees, give as we are able and of ourselves with care, concern and compassion for the benefit and very life of those who so desperately need what we have to offer?

Peace on the Journey.

The Cost of Love: 31 January 2010

2010-01-30T10:59:00.004-06:00

(Love) bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things
1 Corinthians 13:7

A few things witnessed, heard, and read this past week: The President's State of the Union address in which he highlighted many points with the economy being among them and a call for more cooperation between political parties for the benefit of the people of this country. A conversation with friends who just lost a loved one with the heart-breaking grief so evident on their faces and in their hearts. The nightly scenes and stories of the continuing devastation in Haiti and its effects on the lives (and deaths) of a still countless mass of people. A news story reporting the halting of airlifting severely injured Haitian earthquake victims to the U.S. (in particular Florida) for proper and necessary life-sustaining medical care because of a dispute over who will cover the cost of that care. All these things are at first glance seemingly unrelated but, are they?

How much, in dollars and cents, is a life worth? The life of a victim of natural disaster; the life of people struggling economically to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, pay for basic necessities, find employment; the life of a loved one so dear who has died no matter the length of their life. Can we really put a price on life?

A while back I heard a story about trees - perhaps it was a certain species of trees but memory isn't serving me well right now. In any event, the story related that in a grouping of trees when one tree is struggling for survival, the more healthy trees surrounding it will reach out with their roots and provide nourishment to their "companion" so that perhaps it may indeed survive. Now, my mind knows trees do not feel emotions but...if they did, I would say this is an act of love - to reach out and care for a most vulnerable neighbor.

What is the cost of love? Perhaps it's in sharing the burden of bearing another's pain through our care and compassion. Perhaps it's believing that all good things are possible when we reach out and touch someone or a group of people, through our cooperative efforts and the sharing of our gifts and talents. Perhaps it's our clinging to the hope that with our help, however we are able, that goodness will prevail. Perhaps it's enduring some hardships of our own in the name of assisting others in distress. Yes, there is a price to pay for Love - in time, energy, even money - but let's ponder this: isn't the "cost" just too high for the alternative: abandonment?

Peace on the Journey.

We Are One: 24 January 2010

2010-01-22T17:01:00.008-06:00

As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many,
are one body

1 Corinthians 12:12

Living out in the rural area surrounded by farms and fields, hills and valleys, wooded areas and natural ponds and rivers offers the opportunity to daily witness the movements of a wide variety of birds and animals (both wild and domesticated) giving one so much more than a glimpse of the interconnectedness of nature. It also serves as a constant reminder of how caring (or destructive) human actions can impact the natural environment in which we live. Truly we have an investment in tending to and caring for our environment because we not only live in it, we interact with it and are ultimately one with the multitude of creatures and plant life of the world in which we live.

This past week, Catholics were urged to observe a week of "Prayer for Christian Unity". Though a noble idea, I found myself pondering this concept and literally scratching my head. We all know there are beliefs and/or doctrines and dogmas that serve to divide different Christian traditions. But I just have to wonder if designating a week to pray for Christian unity is a bit too exclusive. Shouldn't we be striving for unity, understanding and acceptance of all people no matter their faith tradition?

When something in nature is out of balance, Nature takes care of itself and takes corrective action. For example, efforts to divert a river around a community may ultimately be in vain when torrential rains come and the flooding river reverts back to its original locale. The things that divide us as people are many: ethnicity, language, rank, status, title, economic status, education, beliefs, values, etc. But what unifies us is our common bond as children of our Sacred Creator. Perhaps we would do well to focus our attention and hearts and minds on our "oneness" with each other and all of nature rather than on our differences.

Peace on the Journey.

Judging: 17 January 2010

2010-01-15T14:35:00.001-06:00

Every time as I head into town, I look for him. He is not seen very often but when he is, his bright colors bring a welcome and vivid contrast to the snowy white background. This lone male pheasant occasionally makes a habit of rummaging for food alongside the road a mile from our home. Just a week ago he showed up in a different location and was, of all things, in the company of several crows. I remember thinking, "What in the world is that pheasant doing with those crows - those scavengers?" How quickly we judge at times. There surely must have been something there that attracted the pheasant because it sure didn't look as if he was the least bit bothered by his black feathered companions.

So too at times we are very quick to judge others - how they look, how they live, where they live, if they have the "right job" (or no job), what their beliefs are, how they raise their children, how much "stuff" they have or do not have, who they hang around with and call friends, etc. perhaps without taking the time making the effort to gain an understanding of the other person, group of people or even a nation of people. The recent recounting of a conversation with an acquaintance a couple of years ago comes to mind. The topic of discussion was the tsunami that hit Somalia and the money donated to aid the people devastated by that disaster. This acquaintance boldly announced that people should give their money to causes in the United States and not to some foreign or remote country because "you don't get anything back" when donating to a cause outside of the U.S. Hmm...is the point of helping someone by whatever means and abilities we have really to get something back???

We live in a very global community and are connected almost immediately by technology to what is happening to our sisters and brothers in nearly every corner of the world. Just minutes after the very recent earthquake and massive devastation occurred in Haiti the beginnings of the story was already in the online version of the New York Times. And the media continues to keep us updated on the continuing tragedy as it unfolds. Oh we could make judgments; we could find fault in poorly constructed buildings that were flattened in a matter of minutes (or seconds), or in the "ignorance" of people who live there in poverty. But (hopefully) for most of us in our society we become acutely aware of our connection with the people of Haiti especially because we all share a common bond as children of our Sacred Creator. They are not "those people"; they with us are "we people" worthy of care, compassion, concern, and love. The Haitians, as is true of each and every one of us, have something of value to share with the world. At the very least, in their pain we learn compassion anew.

"To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit" (1 Corinthians 12:7). Those of us who have wisdom to share, let us share it. Those of us who have knowledge, let us share it. Those of us who have the ability to provide healing, let us share that gift. For those of us who embrace faith, and hope and love as the cornerstones of our lives, let us hold onto that for strength and always remember we and all of creation are so deeply connected and loved by the Sacred One.

Peace on the Journey.

A Lesson from the Birds: 10 January 2010

2010-01-08T17:31:00.004-06:00

Yesterday's snowfall covered the few bare patches of ground under the trees in our yard, leaving the little chickadees in a foodless quandary (or so I thought) as they have often come to peck and poke at the ground over the past couple of weeks since the last snowfall. This afternoon I watched as the downy woodpeckers frequented the suet cage and, lo and behold, the chickadees were on the snow down below feasting on the seeds that were dropping from the suet block as the woodpeckers nibbled away nearly cleaning out the suet cage. One of the cool things about noticing what's going on in nature is how a sight or sound can echo an experience in human life.

Watching the birds reminded me of what I've been doing these past several days: cleaning out - closets, bookshelves, cupboards, drawers - sifting through the "stuff" that has accumulated over the course of several years. Gosh, I even found stuff I had long forgotten we had! Everything from coats and boots and clothes to books and kitchen items and odds and ends got the once over and what we no longer have use for (and is in good condition) got packed up in boxes and donated to the thrift stores so that someone else could make good use of the items. It's amazing how much clutter can build up over a period of time leaving little, if any, room for storing the more important things. The same is true of our inner, spiritual life.

There no doubt are times when there is so much going on in our lives, we have difficult emotions tugging on our hearts and/or are barraged by a myriad of thoughts cluttering our minds that we don't pay much attention, or have the energy or desire, to engage in practices that nurture our connection with the Sacred. I wonder...perhaps we could take a cue from the woodpeckers who so diligently tend to cleaning out the suet cage and at the same time offer the little chickadees the opportunity to also gather sustenance for themselves. When we weave some time for spiritual enrichment into our daily routine, whether through prayer, journaling, reading, meditating, etc., we will find the strength and desire to sort through our inner clutter and begin to feel more spiritually in balance. As we nurture and take in nourishment for our spiritual dimension, we just may find ourselves more able and willing to give, to share, to love those who need just what we have to offer.

Peace on the Journey.

Getting Our Attention: 4 January 2010

2010-01-02T19:34:00.001-06:00

The other day as I was working at the computer I heard a rather loud knock on the window. The thud resembled the familiar sound of a bird hitting the window but I thought that couldn't be; not at this time of the year. It's a rather common happening in spring and summer but not during the winter months. After only a few moments there was a rapid succession of taps that called for investigation. Carefully and slowly I peeked through the blinds and there he was - a downy woodpecker tapping on the window trim. Thinking it odd, as to my knowledge it was the first time it ever happened, my eyes moved to the suet cage which was empty. It was as if this little bird letting me know he was hungry and I had better get more suet out there for him. I promptly went to the cupboard and got out a fresh block of suet and put it outside for my feathered friend, who quickly went about feeding on it. As I watched, I was reminded that he is important and worth my attention because he is a part of the great many sights and sounds of nature that bring sheer joy to my heart and spirit.

As we Christians celebrate the feast of Epiphany, the manifestation or appearance of the Lord, we are reminded that there are absolutely no limits to the love of our Sacred Creator - all are loved deeply and unconditionally no matter by what name we call our God: Allah, Yahweh, Elohim, Jehovah, Adonai, Abba, or simply Higher Power. To the Holy One we all are important. A question to ponder: Who in our world, our neighborhoods, our circle of acquaintances is in need of our attention and how can we respond?

Peace on the Journey.

Rhythm and Celebration: 27 December 2009

2009-12-26T12:36:00.005-06:00

Living in this part of the country we see the distinct movement of seasons - from fall with its brilliant colors to winter with snow and ice to spring and the re-emergence of new live, to summer and garden growth. Many of the birds follow the seasons migrating to warmer weather in the fall and back again in spring. Gone are the orioles, Eastern bluebirds, and hummingbirds and now the frequent visitors to the feeders and suet cages in our yard are the woodpeckers and chickadees. We have long grown accustomed to the definite rhythm of seasons in this corner of the world and it all makes sense to us.

These few weeks of the year when it comes to celebrations in the church (particularly the Catholic church) I've long been perplexed about the out of sync designated Sunday gospel readings. First on Christmas, of course, we celebrate and rejoice in the wonder of the Incarnation - the breaking into the world of the Sacred in human form; the Word made flesh. This Sunday, all of a sudden, our gospel reading tells us of a time when Jesus was twelve years old. And then next weekend the gospel takes us backward in time to the story of the Magi when Jesus was an infant again. My thoughts return again and again to the opening line in chapter three of Ecclesiastes: "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens" and the lingering question becomes: how does the movement of our gospel readings over these three church-designated celebrations make sense?

Whether or not it all makes sense to our twenty-first century minds, the message of the season remains clear: The Sacred One came to dwell among us, each of us is a child of our Holy Creator and we all have been blessed with gifts and talents meant to be graciously shared. And...we are so deeply and abundantly and unconditionally loved by the Holy One. Now that something to celebrate!

Peace on the Journey.

Blessing and Gift: 20 December 2009

2009-12-19T09:55:00.002-06:00

Out in our little corner of the world we rarely see a variety of birds during the winter months. The Downy and Red-bellied woodpeckers are abundant and frequent visitors to our three maple trees and the Chickadees gather from time to time. But that’s about it since the woods is a ways from our house. However, on rare occasion if lucky, one just might catch a glimpse of another species of bird that ventured all too briefly out of the woods into the yard. Such was the case the other day when I just happened to look out the window and catch sight of a Blue Jay that had come for an all too brief visit to one of the trees near the house. Now, on walks and drives near and through the woods they are much more abundant. But I cannot remember ever seeing one in our yard the almost 20 years we’ve lived here. My appreciation of the wonders and beauty of nature has grown tremendously over the past few years and seeing this Blue Jay was pure joy and delight – it was such a blessing and gift.

That got me thinking about Christmas. We’re on the home stretch now with our holiday preparations. Most likely the tree is up and trimmed, the house is decorated, some of the baking is done, hopefully the shopping is done too and the presents wrapped and tagged, the Christmas cards have been written and mailed, and on and on. Yet there feels as if there’s still so much to do in the next four or five days. As I listened to Christmas music on the radio while making a final trek into town this week to pick up more wrapping paper I couldn’t help wondering why most of the music I was hearing really doesn’t have anything to do with what Christmas is really all about. There are the songs about St. Nick, having a white Christmas, jingle bells, how it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and more. I really listened to the song lyrics that day and was saddened by them – almost all of them played on the way into town and back home again had more to do with Christmas trees, snow and presents under the tree. Granted we also have the more “holy” songs too but none were played on the radio that morning. Now I have come to understand all the things and “traditions” like trees and snow and presents have long been a part of celebrating Christmas in our lives but…what does all that really have to do with the true meaning of Christmas?

Pure joy and delight…blessing and gift. In all the preparing we put ourselves through each year getting ready for Christmas do we also take the time to reflect on just what it is we are preparing to celebrate? Whether or not we consider ourselves to be “church goers” or “religious”, when it comes to Christmas this IS a very sacred time. Christmas is less about trimmed trees, snow on the ground and presents under the tree (not to mention who buys or gets the biggest and best retail gift) than it is about the joy and delight and graciousness of our Sacred Creator. Christmas is all about the awesome blessing and gift of Holy love made real by the Divine breaking into the world by becoming human.

As Christmas draws very near, I extend an invitation for us to pause a bit and what our celebration of Christmas will be all about for us this year.

Peace on the Journey.

Black and White?: 13 December 2009

2009-12-11T19:48:00.003-06:00

Just three days ago winter came to our corner of the world in a furry with the onset of a blizzard transforming the landscape from the various shades of brown to what I refer to as a world of black and white. At first the snow fell gently covering the ground little by little. But soon the storm really hit and as travel became down right dangerous the task at hand was to try to keep up with shoveling a path from the house to the garage. Before long the strong winds kicked in causing various heights of mounded snow everywhere (especially in front of our door). The pile of plowed snow on the side of our driveway is at least half the height as it was last year…in February!

As the snow began falling and despite the increasing accumulation and wind the chickadees showed up for the first time at the feeder and the downy woodpeckers flew in often for sustenance at the suet cages. At first glance it appeared both species only added to the black and white of the winter landscape. I couldn’t help thinking with this being the first significant snow of the season, it’s going to be a good long time before Mother Nature graces us with the vibrant colors of spring. But as the woodpecker moved around on the suet cage, the small tuft of red on his head gave a welcome reminder that, as with most things in life, not all is black and white.

Such too was the case for the people Israel in the prophet Zephaniah’s time – not all the prophet preached was doom and gloom. The hallmark of the biblical prophets was their gift of being able to keep an eye on the past reminding the people of where they came from and how the Sacred One moved in their ancestor’s lives, to be keenly aware of what was going on in society in the present time, and to look toward the future and offer both warnings and comfort and hope. Though Zephaniah openly pointed out the people’s transgressions – smugness, rebellion, treachery and lack of faith – the book of this prophet ends with the foretelling of a hopeful future for the people - a joyful song (3:14-20)!

Although the long, harsh, black and white winter has just begun, the promise of spring’s return with all its vibrant and colorful life awaits us. I wonder…amid all our hustle and bustle of holiday preparations can we pause a while to ponder the miracle of that first Christmas and how it still provides the promise of a hopeful and bright future of many colors for us all?

Peace on the Journey.

Mountains and Valleys: 6 December 2009

2009-12-04T23:18:00.003-06:00

Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. (Luke 3:5)

Well, it finally arrived last evening: the first snow of the season that actually stuck to the ground. And then today there were snow flurries off and on all day long. At one point memories of last year’s abundant snowfall and how little by little the pile of plowed snow along side our driveway grew into such a huge mountain that I was certain it wouldn’t all melt until July. As the years come and go I gain an ever-growing appreciation of the saying, “Snow is pretty to look at if you don’t have to travel anywhere”.

An abundance of snow has the capacity to change the landscape – drifts mound high on level surfaces, ditches are filled to the brim and the high spots in the field that surround our abode do not look quite so high. A heavy, blustery snowstorm puts us all on an even level as far as making it difficult, or impossible, to travel anywhere.

Many of us come to discover over the years that an abundance of snow also has a way of changing our inner landscape as well. Too many snowy days in a row, or too long of a wintery weather season brings about that feeling of cabin fever – those times when we may just want to shout out “Get me out of here!” Title, status, wealth, social position, etc. sure doesn’t matter to Mother Nature’s winter fury. Hmm…why is such importance placed on those things by so many people in our world? Deep down in the core of our being are there inner mountains of lofty attitudes we cling to that need to be made low? Are there valleys such as feelings of guilt, unworthiness, sadness or spiritual dryness that need filling?

Perhaps during this Advent season of preparation something worth our time is to pause a while and reflect on the shape of our inner selves – the heart and soul and spirit part of us that connects with our ever-present and indwelling Sacred One who loves us so completely and unconditionally.

Peace on the Journey.

Reality Check: 29 November 2009

2009-11-27T19:39:00.005-06:00

As I write this evening, I can well imagine there are a great many shoppers who are now home, exhausted from the shopping frenzy of the day, searching for parking spots, weaving in and out of the way of other shoppers in the stores, waiting in long check-out lines. Even though most all the stores have had Christmas displays and items out for weeks already, this day dubbed Black Friday has become the official kick off of the holiday shopping season. A great many years ago I did venture out to the stores the day after Thanksgiving like so many others and vowed never to do that again. I returned home bumped and bruised from getting banged into with shopping carts. Since that time I prefer to call this particular holiday shopping day “Black and Blue Friday”.

No doubt a great many people found some good deals on items on their shopping list. From the brief images shown on the local news this evening, the parking lots and stores were filled. One woman reported being hungry after shopping and waiting in line for so long (hmm…how many people go to bed hungry every night?). Another couple of people got into a “fight” (argument perhaps) over a GPS system and the store management had to call the police for “crowd control”. It gets me to wondering… Why do we put ourselves though all of this? What are we trying to accomplish or prove? Is all the excess spending really necessary to celebrate Christmas?

There are a great many people who are without employment in our little corner of the world, who are finding it hard to pay bills, put food on the table, afford the basic necessities of life, or do not have a place of their own to call home. Here are a few statistics I found today: Christmas shopping this year is expected to amount to $21.5 billion spent on electronics, $3 billion spent for gifts for pets and $145.5 billion spent on holiday celebration (yes, billion)! A few other numbers: 300 million children in our world do not even have one pair of shoes to wear, 3 billion people around the world live on less than $2 a day and over 100,000 people die each year from parasite infections (because they have no shoes). These staggering numbers of excess and poverty should give us pause – be a reality check for what is going on with our holiday preparations and with our sisters and brothers around the world.

As we begin this Christian season of Advent, a time of preparation, perhaps we can pause a while to remember and reflect on just what it is we are preparing for. Is it really that big bucks celebration or…is it something more – something much more valuable and lasting? The prophet Jeremiah foretold of the coming of one who “shall do what is right and just in the land” (33:15). An often heard comment to justify much of our excessive holiday spending is: “Christmas is for children”. Well, yes it is - for each and every one of us is a child of our loving Creator. As richly blessed and holy children, perhaps this year while we are going about our holiday preparations this Advent season, we will be moved to participate according to our abilities in co-creating a safer, more secure, just world…one person at a time.

Peace on the Journey.

Giving Thanks: 22 November 2009

2009-11-20T23:15:00.003-06:00

While on our daily walk through the pasture on Wednesday the Eastern bluebirds were once again spotted fluttering around the field and nearby trees. It just feels so unusual to see them this time of year. Surely they should have been long gone to a place of warmer weather. For their lingering I am thankful. As we approached the woods, a very familiar rustling sound was heard. Though I didn't see it, I knew from past experience it was the would of a deer moving through the trees just beyond the rise of the hill safe for a few more days from the avid hunters in the family. I've grown very fond of these daily walks in the wide open spaces of nature - the changing colors of the landscape, the crispness of the air, the distinct smells of crop harvesting and field plowing, the sound of honking geese flying in V formation high in the sky. For all this wonder I am truly grateful.

After having observed the beauty and abundance of spring and summer it is so appropriate we celebrate Thanksgiving this time of year for there is much to be thankful for: life, health, love, home, comfort, children, grandchildren, family, friends... Even the struggles and challenges and sadness that may have come along this past year are events that warrant gratefulness for they do have a way of moving our hearts and minds closer toward the Holy, if we open ourselves to their gentle nudging (or pushing).

As we sit down for our holiday meal, let us consider all the people, things, and events that have graced our lives and join our hearts and thoughts with the psalmist with gratitude in saying, "I thank you, Lord, with all my heart" (Psalm 138:1) for all the ways our Sacred Provider abundantly loves us and blesses our lives.

Peace on the Journey.

Paths: 15 November 2009

2009-11-13T16:20:00.001-06:00

You will show me the path to life.
Psalm 16:11

It is the time of year when many of the fields are prepared for the winter and next spring’s growing season. The barley field surrounding our house was harvested a couple weeks ago and this morning it was plowed leaving a rather dismal looking dark brown landscape. If my recollection of the cycle of plantings in this particular field is on target, next spring it will be planted with corn. As much as I appreciate and respect the gift and toil of farmers, I can’t help feeling disappointed that the field is now plowed because when the grain was harvested it provided an extremely accessible short cut to the pasture where I take my daily walk with the dogs where I can let them loose to run freely and safely. That convenient “path” across the field is now gone.

On the plus side, the paths winding up and down and around the hills in the pasture are quite accessible. And…there is certainly an alternate route to take to the pasture other than the short cut through the now plowed field.

Our spiritual life mirrors the image a path. Sometimes we see the path, or way, clearly and it becomes familiar and comfortable. At other times our preferred spiritual practices just don’t reap the connection with the Divine we have grown to find comfort in and we may experience much difficulty, or even find it next to impossible to find comfort and peace and rest and nourishment for our weary souls. What was once consoling or enriching becomes dry or stagnant. We find it hard to know which path, or spiritual practice, to take to renew our spirits. As a result we may frantically go about searching for other options based on what others tell us (which may or may not be in our best interest) and perhaps make choices on impulse rather than listening for the voice of the Holy within.

When we come to realize it is our task to trust in our Sacred Guide who will indeed show us, as the psalmist writes, the path to life, we take a huge step in letting go of our human desire to be in control of everything. What a blessing and gift it is to let go our human desires and rely on the graciousness of Divine Love to show us the way and guide us along the path created just for us.

Peace on the Journey.

Outward Appearances: 8 November 2009

2009-11-06T17:01:00.003-06:00

While out for a walk this afternoon I was captivated by the sight of a soaring red-tailed hawk. The scene evoked an ever growing appreciation of nature’s beauty. Standing atop a hill I watched as it gracefully glided up and down and around above and below the tree tops at the edge of the woods with wings spread out wide and barely flapping in the strong wind and I couldn’t help thinking about the elegance of its movements. But all is not as it appears. Though the hawk’s flight was a joy to behold, we know it to be a large and aggressive sharp-taloned bird and what we may view as a splendid and glorious air show is in reality a search for prey – an unsuspecting rabbit, vole or mouse. (If you ask me, a few less mice in the world would not be a bad thing.)

We can ponder how events or sights in nature can image many experiences in our own lives. The apparent effortlessness of the hawk’s flight evokes a bit of envy – life for us humans is rarely all that easy. And the sheer beauty of the graceful flight is in part a deception for the intent is the destruction of life. Yes, it’s all a part of survival in the animal world but it is not appropriate or acceptable behavior to prey upon one another in the human world.

Jesus cautioned the people of his time to beware of those who outwardly appeared righteous and honorable and yet have the inner intent of causing hardship to the vulnerable (Mark 12: 38-40). There are times when we too need to be cautious of those who would deceive us by singing their own praises with flashy words, promises and titles and those who may attempt to lead us away from our true identity and responsibility as beloved creations of the Sacred. Each of us is richly blessed with our own talents and gifts not to be flaunted but to be unselfishly and humbly shared – to uplift and to care for others with compassion, mercy and love...just as abundantly as we are loved by the Holy.

Peace on the Journey.

Remembering: 1 November 2009

2009-10-30T14:38:00.002-05:00

When I was quite young we had one black and white TV in the living room of our house. Grandma and Grandpa were the first in the whole family to purchase the latest technology of the time: a color television. There was such excitement when visiting them as we watched programs “in living color”. It felt as if we were seeing programs and actors in a new way and for the very first time. But alas, when visiting time was over and we returned to the drabness of black and white.

The view from my window on this cloudy, rainy and windy afternoon is a stark reminder that autumn is waning and those long, cold winter months will soon be upon us. The lush green of many fields has turned to various shades of brown, the colors of foliage have dulled considerably, and the leaves on the trees in our woods have thinned so much so that in many places one can see clear through the woods to the other side. All too soon the predominant colors of our Midwestern landscape will become black and white. This particular time of year, when our natural surroundings begins to look so barren on the heels of providing us with such splendid colors, gives us the opportunity to pause and consider endings and memories and…beginnings.

According to the Christian calendar we celebrate All Saints Day on Sunday and All Soul’s Day on Monday. We remember all those who have gone before us from this life. Did they make a difference? The saints, the canonized ones according to the Church, certainly did. But I suggest we consider all our dear departed loved ones as saints in their own right. Were they perfect? No, just as we are not perfect, but neither were most of the people officially declared as saints by the Church! Those with whom we had a connection during their life certainly had an influence on us – whether the relationship we shared with them was good or strained, they made a difference in our lives and our world if only through helping to shape who we have grown to become.

On Sunday and Monday consider joining me in celebrating the lives of our dear departed loved ones. Pay a visit to the cemetery or mausoleum. Flip through old photo albums. Ponder and savor the memories. Gather with family and tell the stories of their lives. Light a candle in remembrance. Because of the death of our loved ones life has truly changed but it just as certainly not ended – for us or for them. Jesus said: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me” (John 6:37). How comforting it is we have such a loving and gracious Creator who turns what we feel as an ending into a whole new beginning…much like the promise of spring’s new life awaits us after the barrenness of winter.

Peace on the Journey

In Sight or Insight?: 25 October 2009

2009-10-23T15:55:00.002-05:00

Upon awakening few mornings ago and looking out the window I was hard pressed to see our neighbor’s house through the thick fog. Since we don’t live in the city, the neighbors houses aren't only a few feet away from ours, but there is such an uncomfortable feeling of being so isolated when I can’t see their house or the woods that grace our property or even the road as has happened on occasion. It’s glorious and pure gift to see all the beauty that surrounds us on a clear day, especially this time of year. Last week on a drive to a friend’s house I spotted an eagle’s nest. I pondered its location high up in a tree and thought about what a marvelous view there must be from that vantage point. Just imagine how far and how much one could see from way up there!

Those of us who don’t see well can feel isolated and uncomfortably dependent on others when poor eyesight strips away at our independence in the form of no longer being able to drive safely. We may take our ability to see for granted but it is a huge blessing and it’s comforting to know we have the capability to navigate our way by sight.

Bartimaeus knew well the physical and social distress of blindness. Destined to life as a roadside beggar he was seen as an outcast – one who did not merit the common decency of kindness when he called out to Jesus as he and his disciples were passing by. The gospel says “many rebuked him”. Rebuked – reprimanded, scolded, admonished, chided, ridiculed – when he was merely asking for pity; for someone, anyone, Jesus to notice him and his plight. His only request: “I want to see”. We know from the gospel Jesus healed Bartimaeus’ blindness (Mark 10:46-52) and forever changed the life of the man once born blind.

What is it we want to see? Here’s what I want to see: A society where children are not abducted or are horribly abused but are safe and cared for and loved, where jokes about people of different ethnicity's cease, where workers are paid a just wage for a good day’s work, where people drive like they own the car not the road, where each of us is respected as equals. I want to see a world without war, discrimination, and terrorism and a world where women are valued members of society. I want to see (and breathe) clean air. I want to see a prime time television show that is not filled with violence, sexual innuendos or “reality” that really isn’t reality for most of us. I want to see politicians and leaders of nations, states, cities and yes, even some churches, cease to use power and control as their governing agenda. Will I ever see all this? Probably not but…I truly believe if we sincerely strive to live as people wonderfully and blessedly made image of our Sacred Creator, we will have a good chance of being able to see beautiful things all around us…maybe clearly for the very first time.

Peace on the Journey.

Who’s Got Talent?: 18 October 2009

2009-10-16T16:06:00.000-05:00

This is such a beautiful time of the year here in NE Wisconsin. The fall foliage is now at peak color and the landscape dances with brilliant oranges, reds, yellows amid the green of pine and spruce trees. Taking a glimpse at the woods on our land from the house I can see some red and a few splashes of orange foliage but to my dismay the most common color is yellow. I know that just on the other side of the woods there are plenty of trees with vibrant orange leaves but the view cannot be seen or enjoyed from the house – it remains hidden (unless I take a drive around this country block). And I ponder things that are hidden.

Though not the gospel for this weekend in most Christian churches, I cannot help thinking about the story of the servants who received talents from their master – five, two and one – and the servant who received only the one talent going off and burying it so as not to lose it (Matthew 25:14-18-25). What are the things, the qualities that make up who we are and what we enjoy that we hide from others and sometimes even ourselves? Our Sacred Provider lavishes each of us with rich blessings and talents meant not to be hidden away for safe keeping but to be enjoyed and shared. Oh, we may think we don’t really have any special talents or anything of value to share with others, but we do! By working on a hobby or learning to become more proficient at a craft honors our Sacred Gift-Giver who has bestowed upon us the ability to create, whether it is making something useful, writing, photography, or any number of leisurely pursuits. And we can brighten someone’s day merely by sharing the gift of ourselves – our time, care, compassion. It costs us nothing but the returns are abundant.

I snapped this picture on today’s rainy and dreary afternoon. To my delight, the various vibrant fall colors of the woods, when taken in as a whole appear to be hidden from sight as compared to the view on the back side of the woods, are amazingly abundant with color when captured on film. When another looks at us, what do they see? William Shakespeare wrote: “To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man” (Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3). If we are to be true to who we really are, the beloved of our Sacred Creator, will we strive to develop and use the gifts and blessings we have been given to benefit the lives of others and our world?

Peace on the Journey.

Possessions: 11 October 2009

2009-10-09T11:55:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered about dreams? Not those stop in the middle of the day to let your mind wander off daydreams or the hopes and dreams we have for our future, but the dreams we encounter during our night’s sleep. I don’t pretend to be at all skilled in dream analysis, nor do I take the time to sit down and try to figure out what a particular dream meant or what may have prompted the dream. Of late I’ve been conscious of dreaming nearly every night. Most of them have been rather disturbing and some were down right nightmares. As a child, as I suspect with many children, there were a lot of nightmares. Those scary dreams I have in the wee hours of the morning are easy to remember (for a while) and most often cause difficulty in returning to sleep. But more often than not once the alarm goes off in the morning I have trouble remembering most if not all of the dreams. What little I can remember, the main theme of many usually plays out to be someone trying to take something away from me – a valued possession, a person in my life, or even an unknown villain trying to threaten my life or that of someone I love.

In real, waking life it’s difficult to say the least to have something or someone loved and integral to our life taken away from us. But how very hard it is to willingly give up things we value and prize – things that may mean nothing to anyone except us, things that visibly show us and the world we are successful and well off, things that in reality can well be viewed by ones so immersed in poverty as wasteful excess. The story of the rich young man who approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do, besides already having kept all the commandments, to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-22) is a great lesson in what really matters in life: to treat others with respect, to place much value and importance on assisting the poor of our world to the best of our ability and in doing so honoring our Sacred Creator and living as the caring, compassionate and loving people we are intended to be. Unfortunately for the young man, he went away sad because he had many possessions – things that defined who he was, things he was not ready or willing to give up.

This story gives us cause to ponder: what excess are we living with; what are the things we really do not need that would be of benefit to someone else and help to ease their lack of basic necessities? It all boils down to how we define ourselves – by our possessions or as the Sacred’s beloved.

Peace on the Journey.

Harvesting and Sowing: 4 October 2009

2009-10-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

Living in or traveling through the rural areas of NE Wisconsin this time of year, one cannot help but notice the signs of fall and approaching winter: corn fields are in the process of being or already have been harvested, some fields not long ago abundantly green are already plowed and barren of plant life, flocks of geese are beginning to head south, even the number of various bird species has decreased as they too have headed for warmer weather. Just yesterday I noticed a flurry of Eastern bluebird activity in the back yard; today they are gone, presumably until early spring arrives again. Outside our home is a field of barley, planted as a late crop after the winter wheat was harvested. The past couple of weeks a pair of sandhill cranes has visited daily to partake of the barley almost ready for harvesting. They are a curious pair – when I leave the dogs out the cranes squawk loudly and dance around in a frenzy probably in an effort to protect their bountiful territory. Otherwise they go about quietly reaping and eating some of the handiwork of the farmer’s planting.

Late last May when I planted the garden, the tomato plants looked so fragile and tiny. The growing season, although quite dry, proved to be a good one and the tomato harvest has been quite abundant. So much so that a good many quarts of tomato juice have been processed to date with more to come. By my estimation there already has to be enough to last through the winter, into spring, and maybe even until next year’s first tomato ripens on the vine. It’s a wonder of nature, with little skill on my part, to be blessed with a harvest plentiful enough to offer one enjoyment of the fruits of her or his planting, weeding, watering and preserving handiwork for months to come. The saying “We reap what we sow” literally rings true for us gardeners this time of year…in a very good way!

“For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork” (Psalm 128:2) is a good reminder that although we can take this verse literally, as I wrote in the paragraph above, it also moves us to look deeper into how we live and relate to others. Our handiwork bears fruit when we set aside our own “vices”, perhaps those of conceit, arrogance, indifference, intolerance, bias, etc. to place our focus on building bridges and relationships with open and honest and caring and compassionate communication. A good turn done for another in need does indeed return to us in abundant ways – a smile, a thank you, a kindness returned – the fruit of our handiwork of kind generosity. The psalmist also reminds us that it is not by our hands alone that we prosper but also by our faith in and reliance on the grace of our Sacred Creator’s abundant Love and blessings.

Although it’s now harvest time, I wonder…what is it, at this very time that we now wish to sow and watch as it grows?

Peace on the Journey.

In or Out?: 27 September 2009

2009-09-25T14:36:00.004-05:00

A group of kids head out to the playground for a game of kick ball. The captains, usually two of the most popular kids, choose players for their team typically based on who they like. A family is gathered for a holiday celebration and after the meal, one group of people (the original family members) is seated at the table engaged in conversation and around the perimeter of the room are the in-laws…separated. Oddly enough, these two brief scenarios have something in common: who’s included and who’s not.

I’m not sure just when it happens during the course of our childhood socialization – what I call the discrimination factor – but at some point we do learn the concept of “us and them”. Taken to the extreme, as fairly recent history in our own country has taught us, this discrimination factor has produced judgments and segregation of people based on their ethnic origins that still have not completely dissipated. We are keenly aware of the tensions between people of different cultures, beliefs, even religious traditions. And if we listen closely to the language, at some point in life we will likely hear comments that include the words “those people” or “it’s us against them”. With healthy, playful competition we learn how to be gracious winners and not sore losers. But competition becomes unhealthy, even hurtful, when it serves as a means of deciding who is superior or worthy – who’s in and who’s out, who gets our attention and care and who does not.

Just because someone may not be at the “right” place at any given time as were Eldad and Midad (Numbers 11: 26) or the “right” station in life does not mean he or she is less blessed, less gifted in unique ways or even less of a person. I haven’t decided which, but I do muse whether our Sacred Creator is color blind or delights great variety when it comes to people. Maybe it’s both! What I do believe is that the Divine One lavishes each of us with unconditional love.

Perhaps one day all the lines of intolerance and prejudice in our world will be blurred and we will begin to see each other more clearly – as wonderfully made in the image of our Creator.

Peace on the Journey.

Sustained: 20 September 2009

2009-09-18T15:29:00.001-05:00

This is such a beautiful time of year. Being out and about several times over the past couple of weeks I’ve had the opportunity to watch as little by little the vibrant colors of the landscape begin to emerge. With each day the various wooded areas change in appearance showing bright and muted oranges, yellows, reds, and browns. This is also a busy time of year for those who are gardeners. Much of the late vegetable harvest is ripening and all too soon the gardens will need cleaning out. Leaves have begun to fall from the trees, some would say littering their yards, and so the seemingly unending fall task of raking begins. All too soon that first “killing” frost will arrive and this season of beauty will fade into the deep, long rest of winter.

It has become uncommon to hear the psalm of the day as it is written in the lectionary proclaimed or sung at Sunday service in the Catholic Church (at least in our area). Often we are blessed with hearing another psalm or the same one but with slightly different words sung by cantor or choir. I write this not make a judgment but merely to state an observation. This week I made a point of reading the psalm for this Sunday and found in it one line that really sticks in my mind and heart: “…the Lord sustains my life” (Psalm 54:6). Through all the seasons of time and life no matter what they bring, our Sacred Creator, Companion and Protector is always so deeply intertwined in the fabric of life sustaining all that is with gentle care and love.

We have become so prone to turn our thoughts toward the future, wondering what the next day, week, month, season or year will bring. We plan, make preparations for gatherings and holidays, schedule vacations and appointments. But for all our careful planning, at times life just doesn’t go according to plan; we find out we really aren’t the ones in control. Sometimes we may feel so overwhelmed – with work, busyness, grief, sadness, disappointment, even with the sameness of our daily routine. But there are other times, if we happen to take the time to observe, when we are delightfully surprised at something so ordinary, almost routine, and yet at the same time a most profound sight, insight or revelation it simply takes our breath away. And when we do take notice, we come to realize how blessed we are – how we can feel so utterly sustained by a Sacred sunrise masterpiece.

Peace on the Journey.

Balancing Act: 13 September 2009

2009-09-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

A buzz word I’ve heard many times over the past months is balance. We balance our checkbooks, gymnasts balance on beams, there are scales that balance. From what I’ve observed, our four-legged and feathered friends who live in the elements of nature instinctively know how to achieve balance. For example birds migrate at the appropriate times of the year and other animals hibernate during winter. They just know when it’s time to head north or south or when to rest. But when it comes to us humans and our lives, having or feeling an inner sense of balance can be so illusive.

We sure can be a driven people – always doing, working, engaging in some or another activity. Then throw in an unexpected crisis and we are called upon to navigate our way through difficulties that in a flash drains any sense of balance we may feel. As we get older and our children have grown, left home and started families and/or careers of their own we find they are no longer so dependent upon us. For us, we thought this would be a time of “clear sailing” freeing us up for enjoyable and relaxing times. Like many, we found out that though our nest was empty, our family elders needed us to tend to them. It is a blessing to be able to do so though our energy level certainly isn’t as high as it was in our twenties. And we soon came to discover finding balance in our lives at times became more illusive as ever.

At first glance the author of James (2:14-18) appears to be writing a back and forth on which is better – to have faith or to do good works. But in reality this is not a written balancing act of either faith or good works. It’s yet another both/and. Our Sacred Creator calls us to tend to our world, our sisters and brothers in need and to each other. And indeed we do demonstrate our faith in the Sacred and the blessedness of all life by our works; the ways we spread goodness and love.

Our preferences for finding or making time for relaxation and renewal are as individual as each of us. So too are our daily tasks; activities; and ways supporting, caring for and encouraging our loved ones and those we encounter. What is common to all of us is our need to find rest for ourselves – to offer thanks for our blessings, to refresh our spirits and to find a sense of inner peace and…balance.

Peace on the Journey.

Being Opened: 6 September 2009

2009-09-04T15:33:00.007-05:00

There’s a lot that grabs our attention during the course of any given day. If we work outside our home perhaps we focus on things such as the work in front of us, what our colleagues are doing, phone calls, meetings, schedules, agendas, appointments, deadlines, etc. Work days can become a frenzy of activity and at times leave us feeling exhausted at the end of the day or the work week. Those of us who are no longer working by choice or because of circumstances beyond our control can be no less busy during the day as our fellow nine-to-fiver’s. We may very well find our days filled with a great many activities some of which may range from tending to elderly family members or perhaps job hunting to running errands, babysitting the grandkids, garden and lawn maintenance, keeping up with housework, and so many other activities that we too can find ourselves quite drained at the end of the day. We certainly are a people who tend to focus on doing something…anything to stay busy. This is not necessarily bad or wrong but we can miss much when we so often immerse our selves and our minds in a flurry of activities day after day and…at the end of the day find ourselves vegging out in front of the TV or busying ourselves with even more activities. After all, grandma used to say, “Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork”. Another saying I often hear is: “If you’re standing still, you’re falling behind”.

Imagine the following scenes: First we have a family with kids in school. After school a son is busy with sports practice, a daughter has dance lessons and of course, neither of which happens at the same time. Their mother is constantly on the go providing transportation to and from her children’s activities. Their father often works late. It is a very rare occasion when all their schedules coincide so that they can, as a family, actually sit down and enjoy a meal together. In another household husband and wife both work and here too their schedules and activities do not always offer them the “luxury” of being able to spend evenings truly connecting with each other. They both get home from work, the TV gets turned on to catch the evening news, the woman begins to prepare the evening meal (most often a quick and easy “packaged” sort of meal) while her male partner may bury his attention in the newspaper or go off to do a “quick” something or another that needs tending to before supper is ready. (At our house there is no such thing as a “quick” project.) Oh, the members of these two families do talk to each other but more often than not the focus is on doing, keeping busy and with different schedules, not to mention that TV blaring in the background. All this hectic busyness of these two fictional families should cause us to wonder just how often, at times, we deliberately/intentionally stop our busyness and open ourselves up to good old fashioned communication and really concentrate on hearing and listening to the dear ones with whom we live.

And the people brought to Jesus the deaf man with a speech impediment. Two little but oh so powerful words from Jesus: “Be Opened” offered this man both a cure and great opportunity (Mark 7:32-34). No longer could this man be labeled as “the deaf man” – he could now speak, hear, tell people his name, carry on a conversation with anyone and for the first time really listen to others. Not only were his ears and mouth opened, his whole life and way of being was opened to great and wonderful possibilities to connect with people in ways that were previously not available to him.

Amid the busyness of all our doing, how open are we to the many opportunities we are given each day for rich and meaningful connection and communication with those closest to us? And how open are we to looking for, seeing, hearing, taking into our hearts the multitude of Sacred wonders all around us? The already bright orange leaves on one tree in the woods at the edge of the pond and the little fawn prancing effortlessly across the field this morning caused me to pause a while for they truly imaged to my eyes and soul the great abundance of sacred gifts all around!

Peace on the Journey.

Following the Rules: 30 August 2009

2009-08-28T15:30:00.002-05:00

If we think back to the days of our youth, I’m willing to bet most if not all of us can remember mother often saying, “Wash your hands”. Wash your hands before lunch, wash your hands before supper, wash your hands after playing outside, wash your hands after rummaging around in the basement. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. In our house, it was almost a mantra heard several times a day. And…more often than not, I would roll my eyes (because after all it was only dirt) and then dutifully go wash my hands sometimes even using soap. In later years I had many times said the same thing to my daughter and now to my grandson: “Wash your hands”. It’s not just one of those “mom rules”, though I do think moms say it the most; it’s a “rule” that simply makes a whole lot of sense and does prevent the spread of germs.

We live by a whole lot of rules and laws. Many of them make sense to us and help to keep us safe – like look both ways before crossing the street. Others we may have a bit of difficulty with. For example, who’s in charge of letting family members know when mom or dad has a health crisis? Is it the eldest son or daughter? Is it appropriate for one of the in-laws, who has first-hand knowledge of the situation, to alert the rest of the family? Well, I guess it pretty much depends on the “rules” or “traditions” of the family.

When it comes to church, a frequent comment in our house has been: “It was so much easier back when I was a kid and you knew what the rules were” (as opposed to really thinking and praying about what is the morally right and just way to be and live). In a perfect world everyone would just follow all the rules to the letter and we would all would live happily ever after. But…whose rules?

I think one of the main points Jesus was trying to get across when he responded to the Pharisee’s complaint that Jesus’ disciples did not observe the tradition of the elders by washing their hands before their meals (Mark 7:1-8) was to get the Pharisees and us really thinking about whose laws we should be following. Like the Pharisees of the gospel, at times we may outwardly appear to be following all the rules (many of which have been humanly constructed) and yet on the inside feel quite self-righteous about doing so, perhaps going so far as to think or even point out to others how much better we are because we follow the “rules”. But is looking good in fact what truly matters? Doesn’t it all really come down to the intention of our heart – what propels us to follow the rules? Is the reason we strive to observe the traditions and doctrines, “the rules”, merely a sense of obligation or a way to show off to others? Or…do we do so out of love and respect for our Creator and one another. Hmm…and isn’t it written that the greatest commandments, the most important rules to follow are to love our Creator with our whole mind, heart and soul and to love one another as ourselves? I’m going to think about that the next time I wash my hands.

Peace on the Journey

Protective Companion: 23 August 2009

2009-08-21T15:27:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

In recent weeks Mother Nature has provided our country and world with a variety of what the meteorologists all too often refer to as “weather events”. It’s an almost comical term in that any given “event” can last for days, weeks, or even months. There have been stories of devastating forest fires threatening communities, homes and lives; a typhoon hitting Japan and Taiwan; tropical depression Claudette bringing torrential rains to the panhandle of Florida and Alabama, severe drought in many areas of our country and flash flooding in others; tornadoes; hail; damaging winds; dangerously hot temperatures in the southwest; deadly lightening strikes; hurricane Bill is threatening to provide storm surges to the east coast as early as this weekend and more. Recently in this corner of the world we’ve received some much needed and welcome rain over the past few days. Such a variety of “events” – some welcome but many downright dangerous and potentially life threatening and changing.

As I ponder these active weather “events” I can’t help thinking how much they echo the patterns of our lives. There are times when life goes along on an even keel – all is in place and all is well. Then there are other times when storms hit us and seeing the signs of difficulty ahead we have prepared our hearts and minds for the inevitable – braced ourselves for the storm. And then there are life-changing events we just didn’t anticipate or see coming: a deadly car crash, violent crimes, a sudden illness, a devastating diagnosis, a death of someone dear, the loss of job and/or home, the disintegration of a relationship, etc. Life can certainly bring “events” – many twists and turns to our lives, some coming “out of the blue” and, admittedly, some as the result of our own choices. But the one constant, through the good, the rough, and the bad times, is that we are not alone.

Just as the people of the tribes of Israel proclaimed being accompanied by the Lord God as they escaped from Egypt, witnessed great miracles and were protected and provided for in the desert (Joshua 24:17), the same is true for us: we are not alone on our journey. Despite the events of our lives – both the good and the devastating, our Sacred Guide and Protector walks with us every step of the way. Often the challenge we face is realizing, feeling, knowing, embracing the constant, loving presence of our Holy Companion.

I wonder…when life gets tough (and even when things are going along well) is our oasis of comfort and compassion found exclusively in the reality that we are unceasingly companioned by the Sacred One throughout life or…do we actively and intentionally seek out ways to invite the Sacred into our lives? Ah, isn’t the answer yet another Both/And? And are we not also invited to be companion to others as well?

Peace on the Journey

I Am: 16 August 2009

2009-08-14T15:30:00.006-05:00

Dear Friends,

Sometimes the people close to us, our friends and colleagues and at times even our family, can be oblivious to who we are. We tend to see people on the surface – by what they do, how they look, how they dress and act - and can overlook the deeper qualities that make them who they really are. Though it’s difficult, if not impossible, to get into someone’s head and heart to really know what they are thinking and feeling (and why), one would think those closest to us in a friend, colleague and/or family relationship would have the wisdom to at least be supportive and understanding – especially when things “go wrong” in our life.

Example: Imagine the woman (or man) who has just experienced the death of a dear loved one. Their emotions can be all over the place and their words and actions can appear out of character to us on the “outside”. She (or he) returns to work and life feeling raw, devastated, exhausted…grieving…and are met with a variety of responses. Some people in her (or his) life may wonder, even out loud, “Why don’t you just get over it?” Some may not even acknowledge the person’s loss and grief and ignore the person all together. Others may simply do everything they can to avoid any contact with the person. And yes, there are some, if only one, who is there willing to listen, support and try to understand all that is going on on the inside. We really cannot judge a book by its cover. We have to open the pages – our eyes and heart and take a closer look at what is hidden deep inside – to begin to understand who this person is now; this person who finds every fiber of their being screaming with pain, a deep sense of loss, and may be silently saying "I am in need at times to be alone and at other times to have the company of a sympathetic, empathetic, supportive, compassionate listening ear". It’s a sad truth that when times get tough in life we find out who our true friends are.

All major life changes, be it a death, loss or change of employment, the kids growing up and leaving home, etc. affect us at a deep level and...if we think about it, will cause us to ask ourselves, "Who am I now?"

The gospel this weekend begins with one of those “I am” statements of Jesus so familiar to the gospel according to John (John 6:51). The “I am” statements are, in simple terms, the author’s way of revealing and asserting Jesus’ true and divine identity. Many of the people of the time, “the Jews” in John’s words, apparently are able only to see Jesus on the surface – who he is as a person based on where he came from (Nazareth) and who his earthly family is. But there is so more to the “book” that is Jesus, as with all of us, than what is outwardly seen. His invitation is to dig deeper, gain understanding, and find in him – his words, actions, and who he really is – the very life-giving sustenance we all truly desire.

Are we willing and able to set aside our judgments of others based on what we see on the outside in order to recognize the whole person for who they are: one who is so deeply loved by our Sacred Creator and who, like all of us, at times is in need of understanding and gentle care?

Peace on the Journey

Left-Overs: 9 August 2009

2009-08-07T14:15:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends,

Last Friday the winter wheat field near our house was combined, harvesting the grain and leaving the long, topless stalks piled in rows. Yesterday the farmer came back and gathered what was left into chopper wagons. To this once very much a city girl, the field appeared to be completely stripped of its crop and once again awaiting cultivation. But early this morning as I stood by the window soaking up the morning sunlight and the beauty of nature surrounding our humble abode, I was met with a sight that dispelled the notion of this field being barren. Geese were everywhere! There were at least seventy-five or more of them covering the landscape of the field, grazing and feasting on the left-overs. (Click on picture for a better view, then click the back arrow on your browser to return here.)

Left-overs do provide nourishment. It’s pretty common in our household to whip up a big batch of some or another main entrée at the beginning of the week and partake of the left-overs for a meal or two (or three) during the rest of the week or…to freeze some for later use. But there’s something about that first meal that just tastes so much better.

Elijah, while fleeing into the desert for his life, found a hearth cake and jug of water provided him by God to strengthen and sustain him for his journey to the mountain (1Kings 19:4-8). Our Sacred Provider gives life-giving nourishment, the Bread of Life, to enrich and sustain us for our own journey in the person and actions of Jesus (John 6:41-51). These are not left-overs presented to us. We are continually offered the blessing of receiving the first plateful of sacred sustenance.

Not that there’s anything so wrong with partaking of or serving left-overs, but it gets me to pondering: What do I, what do we offer to others? Am I, are we, so caught up in the flurry of life, activities, schedules and agendas leaving little, if any, room or energy to offer anything but our left-over time or gifts and blessings or talents? Or…Is it a portion of the best we have that we offer – in our relationships, in giving of ourselves and our time, in charitable acts, in kindness to a stranger, in tending to the best of our ability to those in need of basic human needs or providing a compassionate listening ear that will serve to ease, heal or comfort those in need?

Peace on the Journey

Daily Sustenance: 2 August 2009

2009-07-31T10:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Every evening, as we sit at table for supper, we witness a flurry of activity at the hummingbird feeder. Even though there are eight feeding holes at the base of the feeder, each evening there were at least five or six hummingbirds vying for a spot at the feeder for refreshment and nourishment. Two will approach and upon seeing each other, will make a frenzied and usually successful attempt to prevent each other from gaining their intended sustenance. Though it doesn’t happen often, on occasion I have seen two or even three hummingbirds feeding at the same time, apparently unaware they are sharing the same food. A most common occurrence is the early arrival of the male I have dubbed “the sentry”. Each evening his appearance at his post on top of the feeder hanger signals the onset of this most active feeding time. He watches for approaching hummingbirds and when they come near he darts off after them, chases them away and then returns to his post. I wonder if the other hummingbirds grumble about being hungry and unable to reach the feeder while “the sentry” maintains his post. Eventually though, he does leave and the others come by, one by one, and are able to receive their evening sustenance.

After leaving Egypt, where they lived in slavery but at least knowing where their next meal was coming from, and wandering in the hot, dry, barren desert the Israelites began to grumble about the lack of food (Exodus 16:2-3). It was as if they viewed Moses and Aaron as my little sentry hummingbird - as leaders who prevented the Israelites from receiving daily sustenance. The story is a familiar one – God provides manna, bread, each morning, enough to fill and sustain each and everyone. It’s truly a test of human faith but more significantly it is a sign of the mercy, care, compassion, grace, blessing and love of the Sacred Provider.

Who or what in our life and relationships, our community, our world symbolizes “the sentry”, preventing those in need of receiving daily bread – be it in the form of food, employment, justice, mercy, compassion, understanding, spiritual nourishment? Are there ways we too may at times be “the sentry” obstructing others from obtaining such daily bread? What are the signs, both subtle and visible, all around us – in our lives, in others, in nature – that point us toward seeing and receiving and even being the grace and peace and nourishment we and others yearn for and need to feed our very souls?

Peace on the Journey

Bread: 26 July 2009

2009-07-24T16:30:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends,

As a child, I spent a great deal of time “out in the country” at grandma and grandpa’s house, particularly during the summer months. Back in those days it was pretty common for Saturday to be designated as baking day. Grandma spent the morning whipping up tasty treats like pies, cakes, sweet rolls and, of course, big batches of bread dough. She baked white and rye bread every Saturday – enough to last all week. The mouth-watering aroma of bread baking in the oven filled the whole house and we had a really hard time waiting for that first slice of buttered freshly baked bread. Grandma’s caraway rye bread was my all time favorite. One day when I was around eleven years old, I asked grandma if I could help her make the rye bread. Grandma added and mixed all the ingredients and my job was to knead the dough and eventually shape it into loaves, of course under her close supervision. And, as usual, that first slice of freshly baked bread was so yummy. When we had the kitchen all cleaned up, I asked grandma if she would write down her recipe for rye bread so I could make some at home. Now, grandma was the sort of baker who didn’t use a written recipe, adding “some” of this and a “pinch” of that, so my request had her scratching her head searching for a way to tell me the amounts of each ingredient she used. Then she hit on an idea, pulled out one of her old church cookbooks, found a recipe for rye bread and let me take the cookbook home with me.

The following Saturday, with all the ingredients spread out on the kitchen counter, I proceeded to measure and add the ingredients until… There was one thing about the recipe I just didn’t understand. It called for “5¢ worth of yeast”. In panic mode, I got on the phone and asked grandma “How much is 5¢ worth of yeast???" She laughed for a long time and finally told me to use “half of a small cake of yeast” (back in those days there was no such thing as dry yeast). My first solo attempt at making rye bread was fairly successful – not as good as grandma’s bread and the loaf turned out a little lopsided, but that familiar mouth-watering aroma while baking was there and…it was actually edible. That evening I proudly placed a plate of the bread I baked on the supper table and shared it with my family. There’s something about bread that satisfies – making it, smelling it baking, sharing it…

And “Jesus took the (five) loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those (the five thousand) who were reclining” (John 6:11). In the blessing, breaking and sharing of bread, and himself, the people were filled - satisfied. Just as Jesus was blessed (as the son of the Most High), broken (rejected, condemned, crucified), and shared himself and his message of love and compassion, are we not also in our own human and unique ways to be living examples of bread? Are we not all blessed as wonderfully made in the image of our Sacred Creator? Who among us has not had life experiences that caused us to feel broken – both through circumstances that happen to us and our intentional choices to let go our egos and own comfort for the sake of another? Do we not also have a responsibility to share of ourselves, our blessings and talents, so that friend and stranger alike can be fed and satisfied – perhaps not with actual food but certainly with the rich nourishment of our care, love, and compassion?

Being bread can make all the difference in the world.

Peace on the Journey

Being Fed: 19 July 2009

2009-07-17T17:40:00.005-05:00

Dear Friends,

This past week I noticed a different sort of bird perched on the crossbar of our close line post. At first glance it appeared to be one of the male orchard orioles who frequent the hummingbird feeder. But its colors were much darker and I could see not even a hint of the deep orange belly coloring characteristic of this species. So, I got out the binoculars to take a closer look. Still I couldn’t tell what kind of bird it was but it definitely was not an orchard oriole and…to my surprise, instead of seeing one bird, there were two sitting very closely side by side. I went to fetch the camera, hoping by the time I returned to the window they would still be there. They were. I zoomed into Macro for a close-up and concentrated more on holding the camera steady than the image in the view finder, though I was certain when I snapped the picture the image of those two little winged creatures would be recorded. Reviewing my digital “masterpiece”, although it was a bit fuzzy, I was both surprised and delighted at what I saw: not only could I identify these birds as barn swallows, which I have never before seen perched anywhere in our yard, but mother swallow had swooped in to feed her young! (Click on picture for a larger view, then click the "Back" arrow on your browser to return here.)

That got me to pondering ways in which we are nourished, or fed. Physically, of course, there is food – the meals and snacks we eat. Some are healthy and nutritious concoctions; others are, well, just plain junk food that contribute little to our physical well-being but can be oh so tempting and tasty treats. Our bodies are also nourished and rejuvenated by rest, relaxation, and activity. Emotionally we are nourished through our relationships with others, provided those relationships are life-giving. Engaging in reading, stimulating conversations, learning new things nourishes our intellect. Spiritually we are nourished, or can be, in a variety of ways – taking time to notice the wonders and power and play of creation while walking in the woods or on a beach or even in our own back yard; reading books or articles by authors we find inspirational (Henri Nouwen, Parker Palmer and Thomas Merton come to mind); scripture reading; engaging in spiritual practices such as meditation; centering, breathing, or any kind of prayer; journaling; attending a church service; taking time away from our busy, activity-driven lives to rest and renew; seeking out a spiritual companion with whom we can delve into our deepest desires and questionings; etc., to name a few. Unlike those two little swallows, we humans do not always have to depend on others to force-feed us spiritually, though a relationship or a connection is integral to our sense of spiritual nourishment.

After a time away engaging in getting “the message” out, “The Twelve” returned, probably both excited by their experience as well as exhausted. And Jesus said, “"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). He well knew the value and necessity of rest to renew and restore physical stamina as well as, and importantly, the opportunity solitude presents for an intimate, life-giving connection with not only each other but our inner selves and our Sacred Creator as well. Unfortunately for them at the time, their popularity was well known and the crowds actually beat them to their intended place of rest. But that this occurred is ultimately fortunate for us in that we become able to inject ourselves into the story and identify with that crowd who intentionally sought out the “food” that would nourish and sustain their spiritual hunger.

Unlike those little swallows that waited patiently for their mother to bring food to them, we are invited to seek out ways to nourish our very souls. Because each of us is wonderfully and uniquely created and though we may have had similar but clearly distinct life experiences, there is no one “right way” or path or practice for everyone that will lead us toward spiritual enrichment, for there exists many ways. I believe the key to seeking spiritual nourishment for ourselves directly relates to the depth of our commitment and intentional desire for interconnectedness and relationship with The Divine and with all of creation.

Peace on the Journey

Chosen: 12 July 2009

2009-07-11T06:07:00.008-05:00

Dear Friends,

There is a very large tree just outside the side door of my mother-in-law’s house that the family calls “the bean tree”. It’s the last tree (that I know of) to get its leaves every year and in fall it produces very long bean-shaped spikes that dangle from the branches. Last weekend my grandson brought to me a branch of blossoms from this tree: beautifully delicate trumpet shaped white blossoms highlighted with hints of yellow and purple. Even though we put the small branch in water, the blossoms very soon wilted. So I was glad I snapped a picture of them when they were still in good shape. This branch of blossoms was chosen by my grandson because, as he put it, “Grandma will like this”. And he was right! I do so delight in the beauty of nature.

Throughout our lives we make a multitude of choices. Some are rather ordinary and made almost without being conscious of them – what time to get up in the morning and when to head to bed at night, how far we let the gas gauge in our vehicles head toward “E” before we fill up the tank again, whether to throw a load of whites in the washer before the load of colors or the other way around. Other choices are more important: who we will associate with and call friends, where we will go to school, the type of employment we will seek, where we will go on vacation. And still other choices are much more integral to our life as it unfolds: whom we will marry (if we do indeed intend to marry), how we will raise our children (if we do and are able to have children), if we will dare to follow our dreams and passions at the risk of criticism, ridicule and/or lack of understanding by those we are close to. But making choices is not the same as being chosen.

One year, way back in my grade school days, I was determined to try out for the cheerleading squad. My best friend and I faithfully practiced the moves and jumps for week and weeks every afternoon after school. The day of the try-outs arrived and I thought we both performed pretty well. I remember wanting so very much to be chosen for the squad and had high hopes it would happen. After the try-outs, one of the judges, a very popular girl, asked me in a rather condescending way, “Do you REALLY want to be a cheerleader?” Hmm…it wasn’t so much what she said, but how she said it that caused my shyness and sense of unworthiness to rise up and I replied, “No” (though I really didn't mean it). In the end I was not chosen for the squad and ultimately, at the time, felt devastated. I dare to suggest most if not all of us have had some type of experience that left us feeling let down as the result of not being chosen for something.

Being chosen can take us out of our comfort level. The prophet Amos found that out. Amos lived and worked in Judah (the Southern kingdom) and yet it was to Israel (the Northern kingdom) where he was commanded to prophesy. He came to realize he was not wanted there and the Sacred message he proclaimed was not accepted (Amos 7:12). The “Twelve” were chosen by Jesus and sent off to preach and heal with the warning that there may be places where they and their message and works are not wanted (Mark 6:7-13). Sometimes people cannot or are not ready to embrace the truth or the person sent to proclaim the truth.

Jesus is known by many names, The Chosen One, being one of them. Though we read in the gospels of miracles, healings, teachings, preaching and reaching out to the outcast, in the end Jesus too was often criticized and ultimately abandoned and rejected by many of his own people. But because of and out of his short life of ministry Christianity was born and continues to this day.

We too are chosen by our Sacred Creator; we all have a divine purpose and mission in life. What that is for each of us is unique just as each and every of us is uniquely and wonderfully made. It’s pretty much a given that because of our being chosen we will be nudged (or pushed) to places we would rather not go. Places like forgiving those who hurt or reject us, letting go of our ego and tendency to have it our way for the sake of the other, giving of ourselves – our time and blessings – to show compassion, care and comfort toward others, even speaking the truth as we have come to know it. Gosh, it’s so much easier to just go about not making waves and being concerned only with and taking care of ourselves! But... is that really the meaning of our being chosen?

Peace on the Journey

Going Home: 5 July 2009

2009-07-03T10:27:00.005-05:00

Dear Friends,

Our yard is abuzz with bird activity of late. The hummingbirds and orioles are still vying for a spot at the window-mounted hummingbird feeder nearly all day long, the deck rail is a favorite daily perch for various species of sparrows, the finch feeder is extremely popular, and for the first time ever a couple of immature cardinals have ventured out of the woods and are often showing up on our deck. Lately the Eastern bluebirds have returned after a few weeks absence adding some beautiful color to the yard. Apparently it’s time for their second nesting. The other night I noticed one pair favoring the birdhouse where the tree swallows nested in spring. The male bluebird disappeared inside the birdhouse and almost immediately a tree swallow showed up perhaps thinking the house was his. Such is not the case as for the past few days the bluebirds have claimed the house, probably to the dismay of the swallow that had designs on returning back home. Circumstances change.

Many years ago, after my first round of continued education beyond high school, I returned to live at home for a year having secured my first job in the area. It was the first of several similar eye-opening experiences on the effects of going back home. Even though I had been away at school for three years, living in a dorm, finding my identity as young adult and feeling oh so very independent, I was amazed (or was it shocked or disappointed?) at being treated as if I had never left: I was still the child. Not much had changed in my parent’s eyes yet I had changed and grown. That saying about never being able to go home again rang true. Yes, I was back home again, but life there was certainly not how I had hoped it would be. Instead of being seen as an adult, I was for all intents and purposes still very much their “little girl”. It appeared the circumstances changed, but only for me. It wasn’t until a year later, when I moved on to another job and another city that I was able to find myself anew and live my independence once again. There’s much value in being able to be who we are.

When Jesus returned home, he was rejected to so speak. At least his message was rejected with the words, “"Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" (Mark 6:2-3). Apparently in his home town he would always be known for who he was during his growing up years. But circumstances had changed. Even though the people of Nazareth appeared to lack the faith in order to truly see Jesus for who he had become – who he really was – he did not allow their “offense” to alter his image or his mission.

It’s probably a given that people from our past – family, friends, classmates – will in one way or another keep us confined in a “convenient” little box by viewing and treating us as we once were without taking into account our growth, change and development through the course of our years of lived experience. The good news is that we are all wonderfully and uniquely made in the image of our Sacred Creator, who is woven so lovingly into the tapestry of our being and who, if we have the courage and faith to listen and follow the Holy Whisperings, fashions us into becoming who we are intended to be.

Peace on the Journey

Touched: 28 June 2009

2009-06-27T08:17:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends,

This week I finished reading a novel loaned to me by a friend. I’m still marveling at having actually read a novel. After nine years of courses and textbooks, this was a real treat. One of the story lines in the book dealt with a group of women making shawls for a women’s shelter. They called the shawls “hugs of comfort”. That got me thinking of hugs. What’s that statistic? A person needs 5 hugs a day. Hmm… I grew up in a family that did not hug or give out much affirmation or compliments. Hugging used to be a very foreign concept to me. Over the years I’ve become good at giving hugs but receiving them still causes me to stiffen up lots of the time. I’m pretty free with hugging my grandson, who at age ten does not always appreciate them or return them. I guess it is part of being a boy and part of growing up.

It’s no secret that the touch of another person can do wonders for one’s well-being. Touch is physically therapeutic, such as massage, and can also be very emotionally healing – hugs, a comforting touch on the shoulder, holding hands. The sensation of being touched in a loving, healing way by someone who truly cares for and about us transcends the senses and heads straight to the heart, warming us in comfort. It feels great to be on the receiving end of such tender touch; it feels great to be on the giving end too.

In the Christian lectionary this weekend we have a healing story within a healing story: the woman with the hemorrhage (Mark 5:25-34). With faith she touched the cloak of Jesus and felt herself being healed. Jesus also felt something: power flowing out of him at the woman’s touch. Though the gospel does not relate whether or not Jesus actually touched the woman, but he did speak to her, it definitely demonstrates the healing power of being in the presence, being touched, by the Sacred.

At the end of last weekend, as we took our grandson home after a camping trip, I gave him a big hug right there out on the sidewalk and told him I love him. To my surprise, and delight, he returned the hug and the sentiment. Hmm…maybe, just maybe he’s getting the hint that hugs are comforting and healing (and not just something his “old” grandma does).

We are always in the holy presence of our Sacred Touch-Healer – there is literally nowhere we can go where we are not wrapped in this presence. The challenge for us many times is to realize this on a conscious level.

Peace on the Journey

Needs and Wants and Faith: 14 June 2009

2009-06-19T08:31:00.009-05:00

Dear Friends,

I don’t like to watch the news these days; I do watch in an effort to keep informed of what’s happening in our country and our world, but I don’t like much of what I hear and see. My heart aches for the great many people who have been, are, and will be affected by the state of the economy in this country: the loss of employment, the foreclosures on homes, the deep cuts out of retirement investment funds, to name a few. The “real people” stories are the most distressing – how this (to put it nicely) “economic downturn” has deeply, adversely affected so many not only financially but in ways that have deteriorated or destroyed family life and relationships.

Admittedly, I have not researched any statistics probably out of fear that this “crisis” is worse than I think it is. My comments are based on what I see and hear both on the news, from others, and by observing what is happening in this corner of the world.

As a child, the end of the school year and looking forward to a whole three months of summer vacation was an absolute delight. There was no getting up early to trot off to school, no homework to get done every evening, no sitting in crowded classrooms for seven hours (with the same teacher), and the freedom of being able to stay up later at night. Last night on the National news I watched a story of a school that will be closing for good. But not only that, some of the older students of this elementary school who were interviewed commented on their sadness concerning the end of the school year. Why? Because, as one young lady put it, being able to go to school every day was an escape from the reality she lived in at home: a two-bedroom house with one bathroom housing not only her family but a total of 11 people, some of whom are relatives who have lost their jobs and their own homes. Another commented on what can be interpreted as the inevitable reality that he and his family will soon be homeless. School for many of those students provided a great sense of stability in their lives where outside of school abides chaos and instability. Schools are closing their doors, not only for the summer, but in some cases for good as educational funding from States has declined. In other places, our own surrounding area included, some education cuts have been in the form of teacher and staffing cut-backs: more people out of work.

One of the mantras I have heard from the financial “wizards” through all this economic mess is in order to boost the economy we have to spend, spend, spend. Hmm…I wonder, isn’t perhaps that same line of thinking the very thing that got us into this in the first place? Not only that, but our society’s tendency toward “bigger is better”, “more is better” consumerism fed by the “keeping up with the Joneses” trend begun decades ago has contributed greatly to society's current economic dilemma. Why would we “need” to purchase a brand new vehicle when the ones we own are in good working order? Why would we “need” to build big, fancy houses when more modest ones suit our needs nicely? What “profit” is there in having the biggest and best and newest of everything when so many in our country are, and have for a very long time been struggling to even put food on the table for their families or are homeless? Is there really justice in that???

From where I sit, in this tiny slice of the greater world, it all comes down to a skewing of needs and wants. Society has worked hard to convince us that wants are needs. And I propose the source of this line of thinking is based on greed – over time the greed of the wealthy has trickled down to so many of us in this country. I see the current state of the economy as a huge wake-up call for us to set our priorities right and rediscover the difference between what we really, truly need in order to survive and those “would be nice to have’s” that are not real needs.

The other day, as I took our dogs for a walk, I noticed a few things: the two flocks of geese that were born on our pond, thirteen little ones in all, were carefully tended to by their parents. As we approached, they were all sprawled across the road. As the “elders” caught sight of us, they carefully and systematically guided the little ones back to the pond and swam off in a group…TOGETHER. We took a detour and headed up the field that used to be a pasture. Once up the hill, the sight was absolutely beautiful. Some would call them weeds, but…the array of colorful blooms was a beautiful sight to behold. And the bobolinks were filling the air with their joyful song. It got me to thinking about the tapestry of life woven by the Sacred and how each weed, each bloom, each bird’s song was carefully and lovingly intertwined into the design of the landscape. It’s such a simple image but also a very profound one. The nature surrounding us has everything it needs, despite the varying and sometimes devastating weather conditions that come. It really wants for nothing and survives nicely, not through work of human hands and despite human interference, but by the touch of our Sacred Tender.

Can we have that same kind of faith imaged in the beauty of our natural surroundings?

Peace on the Journey.

Covenant: 14 June 2009

2009-06-13T06:39:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends,

A pair of tree swallows has nested in one of our birdhouses. Most days, nearly all day, the male can be seen perched either on top of the birdhouse or on the garden flag pole very near by. His mate faithfully stays sitting on the eggs in their nest. When I water the garden, the male does fly off, but not far, and the female pokes her head out the entrance, I imagine to watch what I’m doing or to see where her mate has gone. In human terms, I would say that these two tree swallows have a covenant between them.

Once again I consulted the dictionary and discovered its definition of covenant is a “solemn agreement”, one that is binding on all parties. Synonyms include words such as pledge, bond, pact. It would appear, in the bird world, that our two tree swallows actions do fit this definition. They most certainly have a bond or a pact with each other – the female tends to the nest and the male keeps watch and gathers food.

Once upon a time a teenage girl asked her mother what she would think if there ever came a time when the daughter wanted to live with a man she loved but not married. The mother thought for a while and replied, “Well, I’m not fond of the idea but when you’re an adult, if that’s what you want to do, it will be your choice”. The daughter looked surprised that her mother was so accepting of this life-style and asked if it would make her mother feel better if she and the man were engaged. Once again the reply was, “That will be your choice, not mine”. And once again the daughter was surprised at what she heard. However, the mother was not finished speaking on the subject. Going on she said, “Although I personally did not and would not have made that choice, you will have to make those types of life decisions for yourself. I just want you to know that agreeing with someone to live with them and even an engagement are promises the two of you make to each other. Although each person has the best of intentions to keep those promises, sometimes they don’t and then things can get messy. Marriage on the other hand is much more than a promise. It’s a vow you make with each other in the presence of others and it’s a three-way covenant: between you and your love and God. Covenants are not something to take lightly." Thus ended the conversation…for that day.

Covenants between God and people are relatively common in the Hebrew Scriptures – Noah, Abraham, the whole people Israel (to name but a few). During the Last Supper, the words of Jesus in breaking the bread and sharing the cup (Mark 14:22-24) are interpreted as the institution of a new sacred covenant which will be accomplished through Jesus’ passion and death. As theologically significant as this is for Christians, I believe we also need to remember those covenants that came before – how God cared for, loved, forgave and never abandoned the Israelites. This too is the substance of the very same covenant our Sacred Creator makes with each one of us. It’s more than a promise. If we stop and think about all the ways each of us has been blessed, perhaps we will come to realize the movement of the Spirit in and around us is a continual renewal of the Sacred One’s holy covenant with us.

Peace on the Journey.

Promises: 7 June 2009

2009-06-05T21:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about how people come into our lives. Certainly there’s family and at some point we grow and leave home. There have been the neighborhood kids we may have played with. Then there are the friends we made in grade school, high school, perhaps college. At work we are introduced to colleagues. If and when we meet that special someone, we are introduced to a whole new set of friends.

When I was 5 years old, our neighbors at the time also had a five-year old daughter. We played together sometimes and got along pretty well for the most part. I remember one day in particular as we sat on the curb talking. I had just learned to ride my bike without training wheels and was telling her about it. The memory of what she said is still so clear: “I could ride MY bike for a long time”. Hmm…my first lesson in how others may not rejoice with us in our joy. Funny, but I don’t think we played together much after that day.

Sometimes we out grow some of our friends or move in a different direction – physically, intellectually or in our belief system. Sometimes we promise to keep in touch. Whether or not that actually happens, well, I think depends on how strong the relationship is or was and what it was based on. Still, I do believe our promise to keep a connection alive is at its core sincere…at least initially.

And Jesus said, “…I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20). Now, that’s a promise we count on and one that we can actually see and feel. All we need do is stop and take a look around to see the signs of the Sacred Presence: the colors of the sunrise and sunset, the beauty of the changing seasons, the laughter of a child, the stars in the night time sky, a rainbow, the kindness of a stranger, and so much more. Sacred Love promises to abide within and around. We only need the eyes to see and ears to hear.

Peace on the Journey

Wind: 31 May 2009

2009-05-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

When you think of the wind…what comes to mind? A cool, gentle breeze on a hot summer night? A strong, whipping wind reshaping the landscape of the winter snow? A forceful hurricane? Wind can be soothing, calming, cooling, warming but it can also be frightfully sudden and strong. We sure can’t see the wind but we can see and feel its effects. I believe the same holds true for the movement of the Spirit in and around us.

Sometimes the nudging and tugging of the Sacred on our hearts fills us with calming warmth – a knowing that we are deeply loved by our Creator just as we are. Sometimes those tuggings are more disturbing – to us. Those are the times we feel pulled to go out of our element – to try something new, to move in a new direction, to risk – for the sake of goodness. And sometimes it takes a very strong wind, so to speak, for the Spirit to get our attention. But…

The Breath of the Sacred calls to and is within us all. It doesn’t matter who we are, what beliefs we subscribe to, what our status or position in life may be, we are ALL infused with the Sacred Wind within and around. What are the signs in and around that will cause us to notice that just as “he breathed on them” (the disciples in John 20:22) he also breathes on us every single day?

Peace on the Journey

Remembering: 24 May 2009

2009-05-22T15:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

With Memorial Day being celebrated this weekend, cemeteries are busy places this week. Many go to replace winter decorations with new ones or plant flowers at the graves of their loved ones. Tombstones of veterans are marked with the country’s flag. As I made the hour and a half trek to pay a visit to my dad’s grave this week for that same purpose, I couldn’t help being flooded with memories – some difficult ones but many good ones. I feel a connection through remembering that will never be broken. And as I stood there remembering, something inside pushed me toward the here and now.

In Acts (1:9-11) Jesus ascended and while his disciples were watching intently, two men clothed in white appeared and asked, “Why are you standing there looking at the sky?” My initial reaction to the question is, “Why not?” Their friend, teacher, mentor had just vanished from their sight and they would not see him again. Why do we go to visit our departed loved ones at cemeteries and mausoleums and perhaps linger for a while? I think to remember – them, their life, their connection with us that continues through our remembering. Ah, but there’s more to the question of the white-clad men than the simple and obvious. Perhaps it’s an invitation to take our memories and remembering and put them into action – to continue the good of the life that once was physically with us.

Especially this weekend, may we be grateful for all who served to ensure our freedom and for all no longer with us in this life as we decorate and plant and linger and remember.

Peace on the Journey

Love: 17 May 2009

2009-05-16T06:17:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

A few weeks ago I watched as the pair of Eastern bluebirds diligently went about building their nest in our little white birdhouse. All day long they went back and forth from the birdhouse to points in our yard bringing new pieces of dried grass and tiny twigs for the nest. In a days’ time they had filled the birdhouse and the female had fashioned a wonderful nest in which to lay her three small, blue eggs. Now that the female spends most of the day in the house, keeping the eggs warm, her partner busies himself by continuing to keep watch and bringing her food. If bluebirds can feel love, this dance of working together for one purpose, imaged love to me.

Yesterday the oriole pair that nest in our neighbor’s huge elm tree paid a few visits to my window-hung hummingbird feeder. It’s a pretty comical sight to see these huge, colorful birds (as compared to the tiny hummingbirds) land on the feeder and attempt to drink the nectar. The male appeared to be quite the gentleman, allowing his lady to repeatedly land on the feeder while he stood watch on the deck rail. If orioles can feel love, the male’s act of chivalry in allowing his partner to gain the sustenance of the nectar first imaged love to me.

The second reading and the gospel from the lectionary this weekend speak of love (1 John 4:7-10 and John 15:9-17). We find in these scripture snippets the beautiful words that God loved us first. We did nothing to earn this Sacred Love; we were born out of and into it. Our task, and response, is made pretty clear: we are to return this love to our Creator and spread our love around the world – our world, however large or small that may be for us.

Sometimes it’s difficult to wrap our heads around the deep and unconditional love of our Sacred Lover – for us, for others, for all of creation. There will pretty much always be people in our lives who push our buttons – perhaps through actions and/or words that are not kind or helpful, thus betraying or destroying our trust. We live in a society that thrives on competition and humanly-defined success. At times, often perhaps, we can fall into the trap of doling out our love and trust to those WE deem worthy – by OUR standards. After all, who wants to feel hurt and betrayed?

But…those are the times I take a look at the nature surrounding our rural abode. It is in the beholding of the rhythmic movement of seasons and activities of creatures and plant life that reminds me of how sacred and cared for all of life is. The lawn is filled with weeds. The dandelion crop is especially abundant this year. And yet amid the sea of green grass, even these dandelions, which many people strive so hard to eliminate from their yards, are a sign of the beautiful and colorful tapestry of the Master Weaver of life and love. Even, and perhaps especially, what we see as weeds are but another reminder of how much we and all of creation is loved.

Peace on the Journey

Vines: 10 May 2009

2009-05-08T23:06:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

It felt right to change the title of this blog to “Awakenings” (though the web address remains the same). After all, as noted in the description on the left, what is written here seeks to invite us to ponder and discover how the sacredness of all that surrounds us and how the Sacred One connects and intersects with our life. In our contemplation of what we see and experience as we seek deeper meaning and spiritual comfort, nourishment and growth on our journey I believe we all experience some level of new awareness in heart and soul. Sometimes it may be barely noticeable but at times there are great “Ah Ha!” moments – our own awakenings and epiphanies.

A good many years ago, as a novice gardener, I noticed a vine of some sort growing and taking up much space in the vegetable garden. It grew so quickly and appeared to send out new shoots from its massive root system almost daily. It was really difficult to keep this vine under control and soon it threatened the growth and very life of the tender vegetables plants despite my continuing attempts to “weed it out”.

Way back in the 1950’s my grandmother had another vine. This one was growing on a trellis on the south side of her house. It also flourished and brought forth beautiful flowers upon which I caught sight of the first hummingbird I had ever seen. Grandmother had deliberately planted this vine and trained it to climb the trellis. It provided nourishment – for the hummingbirds that frequently visited its flowers, for the eyes of the beholders through its beautiful and colorful display, and for this young child who first awakened to the interplay and inter-connectedness of nature.

This weekend the gospel (John 15:1-8) is a snippet of a much longer discourse and in the piece we read today, we learn about vines and branches – Jesus the true vine, nurtured so to speak by the Ultimate, Sacred “vine grower”, and we in turn the branches. And fruitful branches at that when we remain faithful in following our Sacred Gardener and grow to be our authentic selves, casting off (or pruning away) all that binds us to hiding behind our false selves – ego, power, control, arrogance, etc. Not an easy or particularly painless task given our society’s push toward achieving success (defined in many ways) in our own right. And once again this too is a life-long journey for there are people, places and things – even ourselves – that will attempt to obstruct us along the way in our search for our true selves – who we really are and who our Sacred Creator intends us to be. There will be those who entice us with the “right/proper” way to be and live and worship…by their standards, because of their status, in the name of their rules, and in the process creating an either/or dilemma for us – one in which we may be drawn away from growing as a branch on and finding nourishment and meaning from the “true vine” into a game of “following the leader” of human construct. Hmm… The choice is ours…who shall we follow? Which vine do we choose?

Peace on the Journey

Questioning: 3 May 2009

2009-05-02T06:46:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends,

There are times in life when we take pause to ask ourselves some really tough questions. Sometimes the questions have to do with our life as it is or as it was – How did I get here? Where am I going? What direction should I take next? Sometimes our questions are deeper because we find our previous belief systems do not fit as perfectly now as they did when we were younger. Questions may arise such as: What is my image of God now? Where are places to go or people to connect with where there is freedom of thought and expression? Sometimes we find ourselves enmeshed in deep grieving, desperately searching for answers to: Who am I now? Who am I now without this (person or thing) in my life? Where is the Sacred Comforter? We search and search for answers and perhaps go looking in places where we think we’ll find them – in other people, in books, on the Internet. It’s amazing how much “self-help” media is out there promising all the tools and answers for us to have a good and/or successful life. I say, yeah right. In our search for meaning, the first place to consider beginning (and maybe ending) looking is within ourselves. Deep inside we know who we are (we don’t need anyone else to tell us that) and what we are able to do. Deep inside we already know it is not the latest fad or flashy speaker or writer that will provide us with what we seek. No one can even pretend to know these answers for us, and if they say they do, consider that it may be their means of controling us. Our deepest questioning is a journey we take alone, though we can, at times and if we are willing, ask a trusted companion to walk along with us.

At some point we may come to realize we do have a constant companion – the Sacred One always walks with us no matter our circumstances, no matter how good (or bad) we or others think we are. There is NOTHING that can separate us from our Creator.

The image of the Good Shepherd in this weekend’s gospel (John 10:11-18) prodded me to consult the dictionary. Good: of high quality, suitable, skilled, kind, virtuous, honorable, pleasant, beneficial, favorable, genuine, obedient. Shepherd: one who provides guidance and care. These are among the dictionary definitions of those two words.

If we truly believe we are eternally connected to the Creator of all, we have at our constant disposal the One who will perfectly fit these human-constructed definitions and provide us with the comfort, care, guidance and love we seek.

Peace on the Journey

Noticing and Inviting: 26 April 2009

2009-04-25T03:23:00.005-05:00

Dear Friends,

On any given day our minds are bombarded by a multitude of information. Some information we take in consciously and some we are vaguely aware of and still others we do not consciously recognize unless or until someone or something points it out to us.

A few evenings ago, after a cloudy and rainy day, there was a break in the clouds to the west and I caught sight of an amazingly colorful sunset. We’ve all witnessed beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but do we really notice them? Do we interpret each one as unique? Do we marvel at the changing and deepening and fading of colors? Or does such a witness evoke an “Oh yea, just another sunset; happens every day” kind of response?

A couple of days ago we awoke to snow on the ground – yes, snow. And this, after a few days of 70 degree weather! Again, what was our interpretation of this event of nature? A sigh of dismay (or disgust)? Or a prompt to ponder the ever changing and vacillating springtime weather in our area of the country?

Last night when I took the dogs outside before heading to bed, I heard the sound of the peeping frogs singing loudly in the back pond – more information for my brain. Hearing this “noise” could have evoked in me a feeling of being annoyed that the quietness of rural life is now invaded by the sound of these frogs, which will only continue to grow louder and louder as spring progresses and summer begins. OR, as in my case, I rejoice that those frogs still inhabit the pond, are a vital link in nature’s ecosystem and delight in the sound of their joyful music.

And then there’s a meal – in many ways so very ordinary but containing more sensory input. After all, we eat meals every day! We’ve prepared the food, set the table, seated ourselves with others (or alone), perhaps recited from memory a traditional meal prayer and commence to eat. Sometimes we converse with our dining companion(s); sometimes we simply watch the news while eating. In many ways it's just an ordinary meal like so many others. Hmmm…is it?/does it have to be?

Luke’s gospel this weekend begins with the end of the Emmaus story (24:36); the story of the two disciples having their eyes opened – becoming aware of the presence of the Sacred One (Jesus) among them, as they sat at table, in the breaking of the bread. I wonder…is it not possible for us, here and now, also to partake in and share a sacred meal in our own homes? Can we allow ourselves to be really, fully aware, in mind and heart, of the food before us as gift and blessing? When we gather in our homes (or in a restaurant) is it possible to open our hearts (alone or together if we’re dining with others) and not only see the food set before us, but also invite the Sacred Provider to sit at table and dwell with and within us as we partake? When we reach for that roll in the basket can not we also have our eyes and hearts opened as we break the bread (before buttering it) and remember the words of Jesus as he took the bread, blessed, broke and shared it? Wow! An ordinary meal CAN indeed become a sacred remembrance, a holy meal -blessed, broken, given, shared.

I believe the key in all of this information input I’ve written here is to notice – to REALLY notice what is around and with us and to feel in the depths of our hearts that all we encounter and have is pure gift. Perhaps consciously inviting our Sacred Creator and Provider into the equation of our experiences and lives will open our eyes and hearts to truly begin to see how we and all of creation is wonderfully, delightfully made.

Peace on the Journey.

Community: 19 April 2009

2009-04-18T07:02:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

Last year I wrote often of the Eastern Bluebirds that took up residence in one of our birdhouses and tracked the progress and wonder of their time with us during the spring and summer months. Well, they’re back!!! It felt a little early because of the still cold weather, but one month ago, lo and behold, I caught a glimpse of something very familiar while going out to get the mail. It took off quickly toward the north side of the house so I rushed inside and went to the bedroom window. Sure enough, there he was...an Eastern bluebird perched in the tree by the little white birdhouse! Since that time both male and female bluebirds have been seen sparingly until two days ago. Last evening I watched intently as they perched on the tree by the birdhouse, fluttered down to the ground, took turns entering the birdhouse. They’re so busy; they’re so focused on building this year’s nest – getting their “house” ready. And they work so in unison with each other, this community of two.

Last weekend our grandson was here and injured his knee while driving his go-cart. After a trip to the emergency room, where he was examined and x-rays were taken, we returned home with instructions to use crutches, rest, and intermittently put ice on his knee. He and I did not make it to church on Easter. We followed the instructions given to us and kept ice on his knee – 20 minutes on; 20 minutes off. While we waited for grandpa to return from church, I pulled out two bibles: our grandson’s and mine, and we took turns reading Luke’s account of the resurrection (24:1-12) to each other. We then talked about what Easter means. There we were, the two of us, gathered together on the couch, breaking open the Word – a community of two in the presence of the Sacred.

The experience of these two separate occasions brought forth some ponderings on what it takes to be community. It occurs to me that community can take many forms and be comprised of many (or few) participants. What makes a community is not merely a bunch of people (or birds) being in the same place at the same time. Community is not merely a gathering of the like-minded (does something like that really exist?). Community is not even ruled or governed or presided over by someone, though some communities are. But that’s not an essential element of being community. True community is not ridden with power, control, arrogance, dominance, suppression, oppression, anger, superiority, guilt. Community is not about holding on to “what’s mine” but is about letting go and empowering the other to share their God-given talents. What is essential to true community is living and being with a sense of togetherness – caring for each other, working together for the good of the whole, meeting and accepting and valuing each other regardless of where we are on our life or faith path, and loving each other just as we are. It’s all about being “of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32) no matter the “size” of the community. It’s all about Love.

Peace on the Journey

Nothing: 12 April 2009

2009-04-11T06:44:00.006-05:00

Dear Friends,

For those who celebrate…Happy Easter! The long forty days of Lent and the three days known as the Triduum, the Christian remembrance of the last days of Jesus’ life on earth are over. And in the process, or progression through our observance of this liturgical season, we have most likely journeyed in our own way according to our custom and our lived experience of times past. Some of us may have taken this time to journey inward to discover how the Sacred One is present in our lives and how we can become more in tune and attuned to the movements of the Sacred all around us. We have waited for today, perhaps with anticipation, and rightly so. It is the day of yet another both/and: it is the day we look toward new life and it is the day we find nothing – an empty tomb. And we rejoice at each part of this both/and.

All four gospels tell us that women (various women depending on which gospel one consults) go to the tomb where Jesus had been laid following his death. And in each gospel the tomb is found empty – the women find nothing. We read accounts of the women going back to the disciples to inform them of what they have seen…and they were not believed. It is the women (in most of the gospels) who first came to realize Jesus had risen. Scripture scholars call this the proof of embarrassment. They tell us the fact that this witnessing by women is even contained in the gospels is one of the proofs that Jesus had in fact risen from the dead because in that day and age, women were considered unreliable sources. Thus, admitting the womens' witness as truth and including it in oral tradition (the telling of the story) and eventually in written form would would go against and be an embarassment to the "norm" of society at that time in history. In many respects and in many parts of our world, even our own to various degrees, not much has changed – women are often not (or are seldom) valued as equals with their male counterparts or are viewed as unreliable sources of information and wisdom. I suggest these gospel women demonstrated great faith and belief (as do a great many women in our present day). They witnessed the tomb, even this empty tomb, where “nothing” was found, as a womb – as a place where a most radical way of living and believing and faith was born anew; a place of rebirth and new life; a place of hope revealed.

Throughout Lent we may have taken the leap into the depths of our soul to ponder and reflect on a great many things: how we live, how we can better become who our Creator intends us to be, and/or how we can better live in relationship with the Sacred, with others and with all of creation. We may have done this willingly, tentatively, or begrudgingly, but we did it all the same while looking forward to the day – this day – when we would emerge having completed our journey. Oh how we fool ourselves! Our journey is not complete! This is a life-long journey, this path of discovering and moving, yes, back and forth, toward spiritual wholeness and peace. And today we discover that though we have made progress on our journey, we are continually called to empty ourselves – to rid ourselves of all our illusions of grandeur and arrogance and superiority and control in order to be who we are intended to be…the Beloved – just as the tomb was emptied. Perhaps in doing so, it will lead us back to the concept of dying to self in order to move toward new life.

May we rejoice in the promise and fulfillment of new life we celebrate on this Easter day and may we embrace the nothing - the women’s excited and even the fearful accounts of finding the empty tomb. Both/And.

Peace on the journey.

Both/And: 5 April 2009

2009-04-04T07:12:00.008-05:00

Dear Friends,

It pretty much goes without saying, this week in the Christian liturgical calendar marks Holy Week – the week where, beginning with Palm (or Passion) Sunday, we focus on the events surrounding the death of Jesus. We read and hear about the last supper with his disciples, the anointing of his feet, his washing the feet of his disciples as an example of servant leadership, his agony in the garden, his betrayal by Judas, his arrest, his “trial”, his condemnation, his journey to Golgotha, and his death by crucifixion. Through all this we are so intimately focused on the cross; on Jesus’ death. And we may have been told that we attain salvation through Jesus’ death. Now, I am not denying this, yet I wonder… I wonder if there's more...

Our early Christian ancestors focused most on Jesus’ life and healing ministry and teachings rather than on his death or the cross…until the fourth century…until Constantine. Legend has it Constantine, before invading Italy, saw a blazing cross in the sky with the words “in this sign you will be the victor” and he literally took that as confirmation of impending victory. Constantine did conquer Italy, the final territory of his vast Western empire. Thus, because of Constantine, began Christianity’s love affair with the cross even to the point of another legend that has Constantine’s mother claiming to find the actual crucifixion cross, even to the point of the dark times of Christianity during the brutal and murderous crusades.

I wonder… Is it possible the earliest, pre-Constantine Christians knew and lived something we may have forgotten or perhaps dismiss particularly during this final week of Lent? Could it be in their remembering at table, the telling of the stories of Jesus’ life and works and in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup, in their house churches the salvation offered to all focused intimately on the unconditionally loving act of God breaking into the world in human form and the compassionate, inclusive ways Jesus was present throughout his life? Could it be that throughout the ages we have been taught more about the “value” of suffering and death than of joy life and love?

All this is not an either/or proposition. No, it’s a both/and. Suffering and death have much to teach us. To watch someone suffer and/or die, or to be the one suffering, can teach us how to do so with dignity and grace. It can teach us about helplessness and that there are times in life when we are not in control. It can also teach us how to become compassionate care givers and grateful care receivers. It can teach us about empathy and being present and holy silence and spiritual healing. It can teach us about having faith - that even if or when no one is there we are not alone, for the Sacred One is our constant companion. It can teach us about what really matters. It can teach us about life – our own, others’ and all created life. It can teach us about love and the deep and constant love of the One who loved us first - the One who broke into the world to live among us in human form, the One who dwells with us intimately woven in the very fabric of our lives. And yet, these are not only the lessons of suffering or of death...these are also lessons of life and love. Both/And.

Peace on the Journey

Being Unbound: 29 March 2009

2009-03-28T06:48:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends,

A few years ago we built a couple of raised gardens, surrounding them with a weed barrier covered by bark. In the smaller raised garden I planted a mix of wild flowers. Now, I am by no means a master gardener nor am I all that certain if it’s annuals or perennials that come up every year, at least not without looking it up, so I was a bit surprised the garden did so well. Once in full bloom, there was a beautiful display of brilliant colors and flowers that were a delight to my eye and the hummingbirds and butterflies as well throughout the summer and into autumn. At the end of the season, as the frosty weather arrived, I set about clearing the now dried up plants out the gardens. Winter came and went and the following spring plans were made to plant vegetables in both gardens. As the growing season came along, I noticed something a bit odd: surrounding the smaller garden, pushing through the weed barrier and bark, emerged some of the wild flower plants, which apparently seeded themselves the previous fall. Once again there were abundant flowers and colors to grace the landscape but this time around the vegetable gardens and this time I had not planted them there. They rose up anew and in a very different place. And…they continue to do so, in new places, every year.

I ponder this today as I begin planning this year’s garden and wonder where these wild flowers will emerge this year. I wonder if even though having been planted somewhere specific for a season of life, the scattering of the seeds that are our lives, causing us to be raised up in a new place (in mind, in heart, in spirituality) and time is not only possible but perhaps inevitable.

The story of Raising Lazarus (John 11:1-45) is another familiar one for many of us. Jesus hears Lazarus is ill, waits instead of rushing to him, Lazarus dies and is placed in a tomb, Jesus arrives and calls to Lazarus to come out – and Lazarus does. My curious mind would really like to know what happened to Lazarus after being raised up. What did he do? Was he different? How was his life different? Or, was it life as usual? Did they have a party to celebrate? But…I get stuck on the final words of Jesus: “Untie him and let him go” (verse 44). And I think those words have a lot to do with us and our religious and spiritual dimensions.

Part of taking inventory, or pondering our lives – where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re going, even who we are – can often bring us to questions: Am I in the right place? Have my beliefs changed or grown since childhood? Are my beliefs all wrapped up and tucked safely away in an unchanging and confining box? Is it even conceivable for me to imagine being outside the box of my own making? How do I define who God is now? Is there a possibility that the ties that have bound me (in faith, in thinking, in living) can be loosened to allow the seeds of me to be planted and allowed to flourish and blossom in a new place or in a new way?

And then there are two other important questions…What ARE the ties that do bind me? And do I choose to be unbound and scattered into newness by the breath of the Sacred Mover?

Peace on the Journey

Blind Spots: 22 March 2009

2009-03-21T07:07:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends,

Driving along one day and coming up on a yield sign intending to make a right turn, I stopped, looked for approaching vehicles from the left and saw none. So I began to make the turn only to hear the very near sound of a horn blowing, causing me to slam on the brakes. Sure enough, a mini van had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It sure was a close call, and a collision was gratefully avoided. Even though I followed the “rules of the road” by obeying the yield sign, stopping and looking, I missed seeing that mini van. It was in my “blind spot”. I’m much more deliberate about stopping and looking at yield signs these days, probably to the dismay of drivers behind me who think I’m taking way too much time. But no matter how carefully we adjust our rearview and side view mirrors or stop and “look both ways”, when driving we all experience blind spots.

Life is like that too.
We encounter blind spots – events and reactions that we didn’t see coming. We cannot possibly anticipate or plan for all the twists and turns life brings to us but we can move through them; even learn from them and grow as a result of them.

Often times we discover blind spots along the way in our quest to connect with the Sacred – places in our heart where we operate with spiritual blinders on. We have learned (or heard) of the unconditional love of the Eternal Creator, but we may have come to think ourselves unworthy of that love. We may have been taught what it means to have faith but now view faith as being blind – a belief in something or someone that we don’t know for sure is “out there”. We may have been told there is ONE way to express our faith and yet our hearts move us into questioning, wondering, and yes, even doubt causing others to see us a faithless or less “spiritual”.

The story of the “Man Born Blind” (John 9:1-41) is a discourse on spiritual blindness – or stubbornness - where many of the characters refuse to see (or even entertain) the possibility of “out-of-the-box” faith. The Box: strict adherence to the laws - for the sake of the laws - including no work, even compassionate, healing work, on the Sabbath; physical blindness is caused by a person’s (or their parent’s) sin; no possibility of (in this case) the Pharisees being blind themselves; fear of being cast out rather than rejoicing in healing. When we step out of the box and allow ourselves to realize faith, or the Sacred One, cannot be neatly and safely contained in our little boxes of human making, we open ourselves up to possibilities. We see that although rules are sometimes necessary or their intention usually good, LOVE surpasses them all. We see that human illness, blindness, and other physical ailments that cause suffering are not caused a sin we have committed (though sometimes they are the result of poor heath choices), but by conditions of our humanity. We see that faith is not blind at all, but those who impose strict adherence on us or dismiss the uniqueness of each person's faith experience or journey stifle possibility of spiritual growth and the very faith they propose to "enrich".

Living our faith is a life-long journey of spiritual growth and discovery where we dare to allow all our questions and doubts to emerge. It is here, in the silence of our hearts, where we encounter our own spiritual blind spots and gain the courage to cry out to the Holy One “I want to see!” And healing is possible.

Peace on the Journey

Thirsty? :15 March 2009

2009-03-13T07:55:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

For most of my life I’ve lived near water – Lake Michigan. The few years I did not, it wasn’t very far away and just knowing it was within easy driving distance was such a comfort. I am drawn to water – its peacefulness on a calm day, the sight of waves crashing over the piers when the wind is strong, the changing colors as clouds drift by, the reflection of city lights on its surface at night and of the sun at it’s rising in the morning. Water is a powerful element that captures my attention, even draws me to behold its beauty and fury. I am enchanted with its flowing rhythms that continually change our landscape.

Water has the quality of quenching our physical thirst, but what about our spiritual thirst? What do we truly thirst for in the depths of our hearts?

As we read the story of the “Woman at the Well” (John 4:5-42), we learn of spiritual thirst. It’s not a thirst that will be satisfied by our drinking in or surrounding ourselves with more “stuff”. It is that deep longing in the core of our being that can only begin to be satisfied by encountering the Sacred One. When we find the courage to enter into the silence and holy ground of our core being, we open ourselves to the cleansing, healing, comforting, renewing waters of pure Love. It is here we uncover just what it is that we truly thirst for and…what truly matters. Deep within we become immersed in the rhythmic movement of the Sacred and allow our inner landscape to be reshaped and transformed. And we can emerge refreshed, renewed and peaceful knowing we can return again and again to that place of life-giving water.

For what do you thirst? Ready to take the plunge?

Peace on the Journey

Transitioning: 8 March 2009

2009-03-06T08:25:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends,

Just a few days ago my friend and I were strolling barefoot along the Atlantic beach in beautiful, sunny 80 degree weather. It all felt so surreal. With each winter journey to this southern part of the country, I continue to marvel at the vast difference in winter weather here as compared to my native Wisconsin. While away, snowstorm "Julia" left yet another blanketing of snow over northeast Wisconsin. But my friend assures me this has been a "cold" winter...by Florida standards.

Sitting once again in utter awe of the vastness of the ocean, I pondered all that just the sight of it had to teach me: the constant repetition of the waves rolling in, the abundant life hidden in its depths, the rhythmic movement of the ebb and flow of the tide, the shaping and reforming of the beach landscape (to name a few). The sight is absolutely mesmerizing! I couldn't help thinking how good it is to be here at this place and a bit of longing to hold on to being in this place crept in. Perhaps this feeling was akin to that of an excited Peter wanting to build those tents to capture and hold on to the magnificence of what he had just witnessed - what we have come to know as the Transfiguration on the mountain (Mark 9:2-5). But alas, Peter could not stay on the mountain or for that matter in that event, forever. Just as I must return home and tend to life and love there (as most all of us come to realize when away on vacation), so too Peter had much reason to go back down the mountain - so much to yet experience, learn, and live; so many ways to be shaped by the events to come.

Sometimes returning is not easy. It most always means a sense of leaving or leaving behind - a relaxed and peaceful time, a time of renewal of spirit, friends or relatives who will once again be separated from us by way too many miles. Returning can also mean we'll be immersed once again in the busyness or ordinariness or even messiness of our lives. But in the end, we do return - we must.

Lent calls us to return - to return to the Sacred One with all our hearts. It too beckons us to leave something of ourselves behind - not to deny what or who we are or even to give up some "treat" or "thing" in an attempt to "follow the rules". I believe living Lent to its fullness is an invitation to search our hearts - to take a survey of our way of living - and to discover again or anew what truly matters most. And in the process, we will most likely encounter parts of us that just might need to be changed, to be tweaked, to be left behind. This is not an easy or comfortable task nor is it a time to wallow in a "poor me" state of mind and heart. And yet, becoming fully aware of what it is in ourselves and our lives that may draw us to be less than our true self is part of not only Lent but sums up our whole life long spiritual journey. We are invited into a continual movement toward discovery and transition where along the way some most profound revelations really do come to light.

Even as I sat on the beach pondering and beholding the ocean, thoughts of an all too soon return home invaded consciousness. The memory of my time here and the journey into quiet, solitude, rest and peacefulness it provided will be forever embedded in my being. Yes, it is good to be here. But it's a "both/and". It is also good to be in transition - a movement toward going back to life at home with a renewed and refreshed heart and a clearer sense of what truly matters.

Peace on the Journey

Out of the Desert: 1 March 2009

2009-02-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends,

I sit to write early this week as I am about to leave for what has become an annual trip to Florida. There’s a lot to be said about vacations; about getting away. One of the realities I’ve discovered about getting away is that even though vacations can be either restful times or times of abundant activity and though we may feel very alive, relaxed and renewed, or utterly exhausted upon returning home, there can also be that sense of “Gee, I have been changed by being away but I’m returning to the same old way of life – nothing back home has changed”. And that feeling (or reality) can be quite disheartening.

But my Florida vacations are quite different. They are filled with time – mostly time to be rather than the activities of doing. They are restful times; those of much reflection and contemplation, of going within and listening, and both a getting away and a coming back to a sense of what really matters. As abundantly as I’ve written in recent weeks about taking/making time for silence and solitude amid the busyness of our everyday lives to discover what and who lies at the core of our being and to connect (or re-connect) with the Sacred who forever abides in and with us, I have found, for me, the ideal place and space to simply be is in the quiet company of this Florida environment. Maybe it’s the vastness of the ocean, maybe it’s the sound of the rolling waves and the ebb and flow of the tide, maybe it’s the quiet conversations with a dear friend co-mingled with silent walks along the beach, maybe it’s the leaving behind for a time the cold and snowy Wisconsin winter weather for a week of Florida warmth, or…maybe it’s all of the above that grants me the greatest permission to relax and notice and ponder the awesomeness of creation and the pure desire to listen to the Sacred voice within and around. There’s an easiness to the letting go and a compelling feeling of willingness to be led by the breath of the Spirit into the wilderness.

Early on in the Gospel according to Mark we read: “The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert” (1:12). It’s a very familiar story – the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil, how he resisted those “earthly” temptations for fame and power and control and how Jesus emerged from the desert and went on to carry out his mission and ministry of teaching, preaching, compassion and love. Spending time in the desert, whether an actual desert or another place or within the silence of our hearts can be both a lonely, scary place and a fruitful place. It’s really our choice, for we often perceive we go there alone. We can choose to experience it as a vast wasteland, even a waste of time, or a place filled with our own demons: regrets, guilt, temptations, and our imperfections. But we can also choose to experience it as filled with abundant opportunity. We can choose to spend our desert time wandering around wishing we and/or our lives were different. But we can also choose to quiet ourselves and notice the ways the Sacred woven into the fabric of life and is speaking to our hearts, walking with us, loving us into who we are intended to be. We can choose to allow the Spirit to drive the breath of the Holy into our very souls. We can emerge from the desert – our time of silence, solitude, listening and perhaps wrestling with demons and temptations – filled with strength and courage for the road ahead and the knowledge of the undeniable love of the Sacred One ever-present with us and all around us.

Peace on the Journey

U-Turns: 22 February 2009

2009-02-20T19:26:00.004-06:00

Dear Friends,

As I write today, winter has taken a U-Turn. Just last week we experienced a taste of spring: temperatures into the 40’s and even 50’s for a few days, green winter wheat beginning to grow in the fields, a rapid melting of the mounds of snow, increasing emergence and movement of wildlife. But today nature has proven it still is winter by providing us with yet another round of snow, and blowing and drifting too. And I sigh as I ponder U- Turns and wonder if a going back or a turning back is a fruitful or live-giving thing to do. It depends. Does our turning back mean a return to rigidity and more of the same? Or does a turning back offer us an opportunity to dream a new path for the future?

In a few short days the Christian season of Lent will be upon us. It is a time when many of us have become accustomed to reflect on our sinfulness and give up something in order to make restitution to God. As children we may have given up candy; as adults we are obligated to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and to give up eating meat on Fridays. Some of us may give up other things or habits only to return to them once Lent is past. We may pride ourselves on how good we are in sticking to our Lenten resolve to deny ourselves a pleasure or two (or three). And yet, in the end, when Lent has passed, what have we accomplished? Have we moved closer to the Sacred? On Ash Wednesday we will hear the scripture plea to return to the Lord “with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning” (Joel 2:12). And there are some who will make a U-Turn into the “good old days” of the past by dwelling only on the fasting and weeping and mourning of Lent (or life), believing that personal denial and/or suffering is our only “ticket” to salvation. I think there’s more...I think there’s another U-Turn to take.

If we’ve taken the risk to enter into the depths of our hearts and have discovered even amid and among the silence and darkness the presence of the Sacred abides within, we have begun to make the U-Turn of turning back to or toward all that is holy and life-giving. Doing so allows us to dream new dreams, to vision possibilities for life and love, notice ways to better live in communion with each other and the world, to believe in God’s promise “See, I am doing something new!” (Isaiah 43:19) Taking that risky leap into our deep within, we are able to find something new in and for us; something new in our relationship with the Sacred. Now, isn’t that the point of Lent – to move us toward newness?

Peace on the Journey

The Abyss: 15 February 2009

2009-02-13T08:16:00.004-06:00

Dear Friends,

In the past, and recently I have written about or alluded to silence and solitude – making space in our busy lives to go within ourselves, to the core of our being, to discover and ponder the presence of the Sacred who abides within each of us. This can be a difficult journey for many reasons: we may not want to encounter, discover or remember parts of ourselves or past that are painful or hurtful; we may not want to face the fact that we are not “perfect”; we may not be comfortable with times of silence and solitude given our society’s expectation of “doing” (Is there anything so wrong about "wasting time" in the quiet of our heart with the Holy One?). And yet, the Sacred Presence resides deep within us and desires for us to connect in relationship.

Many of us have grown up with very concrete instruction about prayer: what to pray, how to pray, with whom to pray and when to pray. We have learned and memorized the “official” prayers of our formal faith tradition. And for some of us this may be the only form of prayer we know. We may have been told that private recitation of “official” or written prayers and liturgical prayer with a worshiping community are the only kinds of prayer we need offer. Though both those prayer forms are valuable and meaningful, many of us experience times when praying in those ways becomes dry and lifeless for us. Experiencing little or no spiritual nourishment in prayer, wondering if our prayers are really meaningful or “doing” something, or noticing our experience of “formal” prayer has become merely the fulfillment of an obligation or expectation rather than our willing acceptance of an invitation to commune with God are all signs we have entered into a time of dryness where prayer is concerned. We should want to pray…not out of fear of retribution or because someone tells us we must pray. We may be tempted to view times of dryness in our prayer as a signal that something is wrong with the what, when, how and with whom we're praying but...periods of dryness in our prayer (no matter how short or long in duration) are really opportunities if we are able to use them as time to turn inward in silence and solitude.

Daring to go, taking the risk to enter into that place of silence and solitude may feel like standing at the edge of the deep, dark abyss of unknown. We may not want to step over the edge and take the plunge. And yet, by doing so freely, we open ourselves up to encountering the Sacred within. We come to discover, perhaps anew or for the first time, the ways the Sacred moves and dwells in us. We find rest for our weary selves and souls in communion with the Sacred One. Prayer in the midst of the abyss begins with silence and solitude – with our willingness to simply be. We may enter alone but can soon learn and feel and know we are not alone at all. It is here we discover the truest longings of our heart -our own deepest prayer. This is sacred space indeed! It is here we discover the truest longings of our heart -our own deepest prayer. It is here, through grace, where we find the courage to be profoundly open and honest. It is here where we find the strength and guidance to increase our ability to be in relationship with ourselves and others in community. And...it is here where we so intimately dwell in the presence of and experience the gentle touch of healing power and abiding Love of the One who created us.

Peace on the Journey

Note: Pictured is a downward view of the Grand Canyon look-out point known as "The Abyss", taken on our trip there in 2007.

Into the Desert: 8 February 2009

2009-02-07T06:59:00.005-06:00

Dear Friends,

Many years ago I took my first trip to visit my aunt who at that time lived in southern New Mexico. One of the fun things we did was to spend an afternoon exploring the desert surrounding the little town where she lived. When I thought of desert, images of barrenness, lifelessness (except for snakes and other creepy creatures) and sand came to mind. After all, aren’t deserts desolate and deserted places? And who would want to willingly go to such a place, much less spend an entire afternoon there anyway?

In the gospel according to Mark (1:35) we find Jesus going “off to a deserted place, where he prayed”. Though only 35 verses into this gospel, it’s already the second time he went off on his own – into the desert; to a deserted place. Mark’s gospel does move along very quickly and the surrounding verses of this first Chapter are filled with activity – Jesus’ baptism, his many healings, teaching, the calling of some of his inner circle of disciples. His “fame” spread quickly, so much so that it must have become nearly impossible for Jesus to find the time to go off alone – to spend time in silence to rest, to ponder his life’s work, and to connect in an intimate way with his Abba, Father. And yet, he deliberately makes the time to do just that.

Let’s face it, we lead very busy lives. It’s the nature of our culture, society and upbringing to focus on doing. Remember the old saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”? Many (most?) of us are not very comfortable with silence. We may not find it easy or even desirable to go into the deserted place of our core being. After all, who knows what we might find there? Darkness, regret, painful memories, isolation, and other “creepy creatures” waiting to taunt us. And yet, it is within those deep recesses of our being, and through our willingness to go there, where we will come to discover not a barren desert of aloneness but the presence of the Sacred – the initial dim flicker of Light that beckons us and grows ever stronger and brighter guiding us, walking with us and leading us toward a deeper way of connecting with and being grasped by the truth of God’s abundant Love.

My experience of the New Mexico desert was truly an eye-opening experience. It was not at all what I had imagined. Instead of a barren and lifeless place, it was graced with green growth, colorful flowers, grazing cattle, intriguing rock formations, a mountainous landscape that delighted my spirit and…one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

Imagine how richly God will surprise us as we dare to enter into our desert!

Peace on the Journey

Unexpected Revelations: 1 February 2009

2009-01-31T06:26:00.003-06:00

Dear Friends,

There is so much I have come to dislike about winter…especially now that it’s the middle of the season and it’s feeling way too long. Oh sure, that first snowfall of the year still “looks” so pretty but… There have been too many days when traveling was either difficult or downright hazardous due to snow, there has been freezing rain making the roads more like ice skating rinks rather than safe passageways, and we’ve endured some days of bitter cold along with dangerous wind chills, not to mention a good share of cloudy days too. The beauty of nature appears hidden from sight – no flowers in bloom, no green grass, no leaves on the trees, no butterflies fluttering around, no wide variety of songbirds gracing our yards and feeders, etc. – all the fascinating sights and sounds of nature that delight both eye and soul.

As I write this morning, I cannot even see out the window; it’s covered with frost again! But wait! After staring at this heavily frosted window, I suddenly see something my brain didn’t register at first glance: a delicately intricate pattern displayed at the bottom left corner. Amazing! What could have gone unnoticed in a mass of sameness captured my attention and awe. Indeed the sacred is revealed often in most extraordinary and unexpected ways and places.

Jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath and is met by an unclean spirit occupying the body of a man who boldly announces: “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:21-28) Among those gathered in the synagogue, perhaps an ordinary group of people – a mass of sameness if you will, this revelation of Jesus’ true identity by the unclean spirit comes from a most unexpected place. True to so many such revelations of who Jesus is in the gospel of Mark, there is an element of “don’t tell”, of secrecy. Why all the drama, suspense and secrecy? Could it be each of us is being invited to experience our own revelation – to discover anew who God is and how God breaks into and moves within the fabric of our often ordinary lives? Might it be we are being encouraged more and more toward embracing the Sacred all around us through acceptance and faith and belief in God’s constant presence and deep and abiding Love?

Amid the busyness and sometimes sameness of our days, may we search for, notice and ponder the signs and nuances God uses to speak to us in most unexpected ways. Even an annoying frost-covered window has something wonderful to reveal...

Peace on the Journey.

Calling: 25 January 2009

2009-01-24T05:00:00.004-06:00

Dear Friends,

For a long time I referred to myself as “the first-born son my father never had”. You see, dad was an avid outdoorsman – he hunted small and big game and fished…a lot! When I reached the appropriate age, I was solicited (expected) to accompany him on his hunting and fishing excursions, all but deer hunting – that was his time with his adult male buddies. After all, it was family tradition for father and son, (pictured are dad and grandpa) or in my case daughter, to go hunting and fishing together. We went duck, goose and pheasant hunting. I endured winter weekends on frozen Lake Winnebago ice fishing and long days of sitting in a dark shanty, listening to of all things the then Marquette Warriors basketball games on the radio, during the February sturgeon season. Sundays were particularly difficult as the call to get up came at 4:00 in the morning so we could drive to Chilton to attend 5:30 Mass before heading out for a long day of ice fishing (never mind I had to nudge him to wake him up after the sermon). As a teenager, and a daughter, I really would have much rather spent my “free time” on weekends and after school during hunting and fishing seasons with my friends. Very early on I grew weary of those early morning calls to get up and get ready. But I went with dad, sometimes begrudgingly, to places I really wasn’t always thrilled to go.

Today’s first reading from Jonah (3:1-5, 10 - for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time) relates the middle of the story of God’s call to Jonah – a sort of happy ending telling us a snippet of Jonah accepting God’s command to travel to Nineveh (a great city of the Assyrian Empire, an enemy of Israel), to relay God’s message of warning for the people there, the people’s repentance and God’s mercy upon them. What we hear in this Scripture reading today doesn’t tell us is that this is the second time God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. The first time, Jonah ran away, was thrown into the seas and swallowed by a “large fish” dwelling there for three days and nights before God saved him from this peril. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh! But God indeed called Jonah a second time, and this time Jonah went to Nineveh and did what God asked of him.

When we search our hearts and listen for the voice of God within, what do we hear? Sometimes what God is calling us to do or be is challenging or uncomfortable. Sometimes we may decide God is asking too much of us. Sometimes we may feel God wants us to go places in our hearts, minds and lives we would rather not go. But God keeps calling – never gives up on us and continually and abundantly loves us so deeply. And eventually, as people of faith, we remember God's love for us, relent and follow God’s call.

One autumn afternoon, when I was about 16 years old, my dad and I were traveling the back roads in search of those elusive pheasants. Once again I wished I hadn’t had to go hunting with him. But at one point he stopped the car in the middle of the road and sat silent for several minutes. The next words he spoke touched my heart deeply: “Just look at how beautiful the colors of the trees are”. It was then, after countless calls to get up and go hunting or fishing that I saw so clearly his love for nature and realized for the first time spending this time with dad was so very precious.

What is it worth to us to answer the call of God? Imagine what we will discover!

Peace on the Journey.

Seeking: 18 January 2009

2009-01-17T05:43:00.008-06:00

Dear Friends,

About ten years ago, unknown to me at the time, a picture was taken of my father-in-law stooped down at the entry of his house in the act of tying my shoe. It is a picture that I treasure as much as I treasure the memory of him and his life. We loved each other and yet we had a friendly push-pull sort of relationship: I delighted in my ability (and success) to tease him and in his laughing response; we entered into a sort of competition as to who could pack the cement poured into the basement wall frames the best as we were building our house…he didn’t do too bad at that at all, but I won. Last night I went looking for this photograph and couldn’t find it. I know it’s here somewhere (I saw it only a few weeks ago) and I will keep looking until I find it.

In scenario above, I know what I’m looking for and why – I seek that photograph because it has meaning probably only to me. But I ponder seeking in light Jesus’ question to the two disciples (Andrew and John): “What are you looking for?” (John 1:38).

Does not Jesus ask that same question of us too? It is a question he asks not once, but many, many times through the course of our lives. We ask that same question of ourselves too even when we are not conscious of a spiritual connection or prompting. What is it that we seek – from God, for our lives, in special circumstances, in the quiet of the dawning light and in the darkness of the night? Eventually (or often) we may ask and ponder what is it that God seeks of us – what is God’s call to and for us? The two questions go hand in hand. And…our discernment of answers to these questions requires a good deal of listening – listening in silence for and to the voice of God within the depths of our hearts, listening to the wisdom of the words of Scripture, listening for the movements of the Spirit within us and our world, listening to the signs of our times and our lives, listening, listening, listening and…then responding. We, like Andrew and John, Peter and Nathaniel and Philip and so many more, are continually invited to “Come and see” all that God’s Love has in store for us.

Peace on the Journey

Addendum (19 January 2009):

After searching high and low, literally every drawer and nook and cranny in the house, I finally found it! The picture, that is...

Beloved Identity: 11 January 2009

2009-01-10T06:46:00.004-06:00

Dear Friends,

Maybe it’s common at the beginning of a new year to look back at the past; to stir up memories and reflect on them. Maybe it’s these short, cold, snowy/icy winter days, those days when we aren’t able to engage in our usual activities of the day because of the weather that gives us time to pause and rehash what has been. Oh for sure, we are looking forward – to spring, to warmth, to the emergence of the new life of nature. But for some reason winter may be more of a time when we look back. This can be of value if we remember our memories fondly or find valuable lessons from our past – our good choices and, yes, even our mistakes. It can also be difficult and stifling to dwell on our past if we fall into the trap of second-guessing and berating ourselves for ways we now think we could have done or been better, as if we could go back and change what has already happened – what has already been done. But no matter where our thoughts take us on these wintry cabin fever type days, a good soul searching, God-seeking question to ask ourselves is: “Where is (or was) God in this or that?” We just may find that God’s presence is with us always and God is so much more forgiving than we are of ourselves. We are our own worst critics after all. And it is God who understands us through and through and knows who we really are.

So…who are we? Or, more appropriately, whose are we? After coming out of the water of the river Jordan, Jesus hears a voice from heaven – the same voice we hear deep within ourselves if we but take the time to listen – “You are my beloved…” (Mark 1:11). Surely it is easy to believe God saying this to Jesus, the Word made flesh, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Chosen One. Is it so difficult to believe God says the same to us, believes the same of us? Are we not made in the image and likeness of God? Did not God declare as good every created thing and being? We may go about our lives trying very hard not to live in the land of “what if’s” and second-guessing ourselves or our past. And yet, I dare to pose one of those “what if” questions for us to ponder: What if I truly believe I am God’s beloved?

Peace on the Journey

Wise People: 4 January 2009

2009-01-03T06:50:00.006-06:00

Feast of Epiphany

Dear Friends,

I know next to nothing about astronomy. Oh, I can pick out both the big and little dipper in the clear night time sky and that little diamond-shaped star configuration whose name I do not know and can only see if I don’t look directly at it. But star gazing on a clear night is a delight even on these cold winter nights when the stars appear even brighter. It is also a very humbling experience. So vast and awesome is the universe and how tiny one can feel reflecting on what we can see of it. Certainly the Magi were much more astute in reading the signs of the stars (and times) – and one star in particular.

The Magi are traditionally referred to as the three wise men who noticed and witnessed the light – the star rising in the sky – and recognized the Light of the newborn Messiah. Are we not all called to be magi? To be wise people? We are wise people when we recognize and embrace the great gift of God’s breaking into the world in human form to live among us and with us and for us in flesh and blood. We are wise people when we allow God's Light and and Love for us to shatter through any darkness in our lives - sadness, pain, grief - to soothe, comfort, and grow ever brighter and stronger as we journey through and along. We are wise people when we open up and offer our true treasures – the gift of ourselves and our unique talents – and share them in a spirit of compassion and humility. We are wise people when we recognize there is another “way” to go, not only “our way”. And we are wise people, knowing we are not alone, when we place our trust in God’s constant Love, presence, and guidance…even (and especially) when we don’t know the way.

Peace on the Journey.

With All Our Heart: 28 December 2008

2008-12-27T06:42:00.003-06:00

Greetings Friends,

A few weeks ago I had the occasion to observe my 16 month-old very energetic granddaughter as she scooted, crawled, and walked with great determination. At one point she came near me and she flung her arms high in the air, uninhibited and with complete trust, reaching for me to pick her up. Those of us who have young children in our immediate or extended families have most likely witnessed a similar scene. What stuck me about Amelia’s act of reaching that day was how natural and trusting it was. I’ve been pondering this in light of how we adults may have become tentative (reserved perhaps) in our lives and maybe even in our relationship with God. I have asked, where along the line might I have lost that total trust and inhibition in reaching out to the God who loves so deeply and unconditionally? Certainly as we grew we were warned to beware of strangers and learned, maybe the hard way, that there are those we may encounter along the way who will hurt us, both physically and in our hearts. We have learned in order to survive in our world we must become wary of and guard ourselves from all that would/could harm us. This does make sense – who doesn’t want to be safe? But this line of thinking and living should not and cannot extend to our relationship with God.

In the Gospels, Jesus gives us many invitations to consider: “Follow me”; “Learn from me”; love God with all our heart, strength, mind; become like little children; he bids us to come to him…with all your heart. Taking these invitations to heart and living them is an act of trust and faith. On this feast of the Holy Family, we can clearly see the example of both the righteous Simeon and the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:22-40) as living acts of total faith in God’s love and promises. They lived to see the new born Messiah, as was promised, and responded with words that reached out to God in thanksgiving – reaching up and out to God uninhibited and with total trust.

As we rapidly approach the New Year, may we find peace, joy, love, and a way to become that trusting little child who can reach high and stretch our arms and hearts out with complete confidence in the loving care of our God.

Peace on the Journey

21 December 2008

2008-12-20T06:59:00.003-06:00

Greetings Friends,

Christmas is but a few days away as we celebrate this fourth and final Sunday of Advent. How are our preparations going? How many items are left on our “To Do” list? Is our shopping, gift-wrapping, baking and cleaning done? Is the tree up and trimmed? Have we mailed our Christmas greetings? Is our house ready?

Today’s first reading from 2 Samuel (7:1-16) speaks to us about houses, but from two different perspectives. David is convinced a temple is needed for the Ark of the Covenant – a building to house God. And wouldn’t you know it; God has something else all together in mind. It is God who will provide the house – not a building, but a people, a line of descendants until the Messiah comes. Wow! The concept of Church as people, not merely a building, has very ancient roots indeed! God cannot be confined within four walls of wood and stone, for God dwells in all of creation. God’s Love defies confinement and is freely and abundantly given to each of us. God lives amid and among, and around and within us. Every one of us is a house for God – living, breathing houses.

Christmas is coming…Is our house ready?

Peace on the Journey

14 December 2008

2008-12-13T06:36:00.001-06:00

Greetings Friends,

A good many years ago, when I was 3 years old, I remember Christmas morning. The house was dark when I awoke. There was a sheet hung over the doorway leading into the living room. My parents were still asleep. Believe it or not, I sat on the floor at the door to their bedroom and waited patiently for them to awaken. And…I did not even dare to peek into the living room. I remember being excited with anticipation – what did the Christmas tree look like? It was not decorated when I went to bed the night before. What presents did Santa bring this year? When would we leave to go to grandma and grandpa’s house? There was so much for a three-year old to look forward to – so much anticipation – and it was so hard to wait! Strange, but I do not remember much else about that particular Christmas – just the waiting for what felt like hours with excited anticipation. As I ponder this memory, I begin to wonder where that kind of anticipation went – how did the excitement of waiting for Christmas wane over the years? And, how can I get that feeling back but…in a new way.

Daring toward repetition, Advent is this wonderful season of preparation and anticipation. Yes we have our outward preparations; our own pre-Christmas traditions. And yet perhaps a question to ask ourselves is not really for what are we preparing or waiting, but for whom. How do we recreate in us a slice of childlike anticipation excitement during Advent? Maybe we don’t, at least not in the same way. I wonder if our Advent preparation is to be not so much about recapturing what once was, but more about accepting an invitation to experience the Light anew and embracing with anticipation where God might be leading us.

May we ponder all the ways God is leading us, pointing us toward fully receiving the true gift of Christmas – God’s deep and abiding Love.

Peace on the Journey

7 December 2008

2008-12-06T07:19:00.002-06:00

Greetings Friends,

Now that the second week of Advent is upon us, we’re most likely in full swing of our time of preparation – preparing outwardly still for Christmas. How far on our list of “to dos” are we? Are we “on schedule” or are we thinking we won’t get everything done? Have we allowed our lists and busyness to become such a priority that we find or allow ourselves little time to truly prepare our hearts? I have to admit that’s a very common thing I struggle with each Advent. It’s so easy to get caught up in the mindset of having to get everything done – on time and perfectly.

And yet, our readings this weekend (Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8) again remind us to prepare and to wait . “Prepare the way of the Lord”, the time is coming; the time is near. During these weeks of Advent, we are invited to ponder just what it is we’re waiting for, and how we can prepare ourselves – our hearts and minds and spirits – for the coming of the Light that breaks through all darkness. What is it that truly matters? It is God’s deep and constant Love. Knowing that and believing that prompts us to ask ourselves, what does God’s love mean to me and what does God’s love ask of me in response? Only we can answer for ourselves.

These questions posed may feel uneasy to think about – sometimes we just don’t want to go there and discern those answers. Still, if we truly want to prepare the way of our hearts for the Lord, get ourselves ready to receive anew the greatest gift of Christmas, our Advent journey and preparation calls us toward inner reflection on these things.

May we know without a doubt that wherever our Advent preparations take us, God is there – in front, behind, and along side of us – every step of the way.

Peace on the Journey

30 November 2008

2008-11-29T07:49:00.001-06:00

Greetings Friends!

Many, if not most of us are not comfortable with waiting. We live in a society that promotes instant gratification: “fast” food, drive-through banking and prescription service, even self-serve checkout kiosks at grocery stores, and more. Get it hot and get it now is a prevailing theme! Waiting in long lines has become not only irritating but unacceptable. Funny, but some of our potential “wait-eliminating” conveniences don’t always provide us with more time. And more time – time to prepare – is what many of us may desire amid this busy holiday season to come.

As we enter and celebrate this first Sunday of Advent, we are encouraged to focus our minds and hearts on preparation. Liturgically this IS a season of preparation, but in our daily lives we are well aware these four weeks are filled, perhaps to the brim, with a great dose of busyness. After all, there is shopping and gift wrapping, house cleaning and decorating, tree trimming, baking and cooking, parties and Christmas concerts. Our list of “to do’s” could potentially be nearly endless. So much to do; so little time. It’s no wonder we hear some say they can’t wait till Christmas is over. And yet amid our busyness, we are invited to pause and prepare ourselves for the Coming of the Light anew in more that outward ways.

In recent weeks some of our Scripture readings have spoken to us about darkness. The advantage of Advent is that it offers us a time of hope – reminds us there is light amid the darkness. Perhaps a key to beginning our preparation is to take some time – to “watch” and “wait” – in the check-out lines, as we have our morning coffee or tea, as we prepare our meals, as we ready ourselves for bed (to name a few). And in our watching and waiting we have the opportunity to ponder where inside are we experiencing darkness; what are the struggles in our lives; for what and for whom does my spirit long? By reflecting on these things we can discover our need for light and encounter with God. And when we are able to identify and discover our need for light in our lives – the light that our loving God provides – we can be able to echo the Advent refrain “Come Lord Jesus” with a renewed sense of hopeful longing, meaning, and anticipation.

As we watch and wait, may we always be sustained by the light of our knowing the deep and constant Love of God in our lives.

Peace on the Journey

23 November 2008

2008-11-22T07:38:00.001-06:00

Greetings Friends,

These days, with our national economy in such a state of strain (to say the least), it can be difficult not to think about the countless people who are affected. There are those who are now and have been unemployed and those who are homeless, living in poverty and unable to secure or provide even the basic necessities for themselves and their families. All this and more. These are truly tough times for a great many people. Though none of us can single-handedly do much to eliminate or ease the desperation of so many, we can do something…

The gospel today (Matthew 25: 31-46) gives us guidance in this regard. Taking to heart and living the “positives” of this gospel we can make a difference – one person at a time. The key is how we tend to one another: “When I was hungry…when I was thirsty…when I was ill…” cries out for us to stop and think, and then to respond in generosity. As a faith community, we have done and continue to do much good in this regard!

As we approach our national holiday of Thanksgiving, we are reminded of all the ways we have been blessed and provided for. Our loving God has given each of us abundance – perhaps not in status, financial security, or world-defined success and material possessions – but in God’s constant and unconditional love. At baptism we receive the Light of Christ, a Light that is not meant for only ourselves, but to be shared. This is the great responsibility of our gift of Christian life. Individually we may not have the means to eliminate poverty or solve the current financial crisis. But, there is one very apparent and meaningful way we can be the Light of Christ to others: we can share with others the gift of ourselves – our time, our presence, our listening ear, our comfort and our support. And we can share with those around us, near and far, the Good News of God’s deep and abiding love.

May we ponder all the ways we have been so wonderfully blessed, no matter our circumstances, and give thanks to God!

Peace on the Journey

16 November 2008

2008-11-15T09:02:00.001-06:00

Greetings Friends,

This time of the year it can be difficult not to think of darkness. The scenery is pretty barren by now – the bright colors of early autumn are all but gone, most of the crops have been harvested leaving us with brown as the most abundant landscape color, cloudy days seem to be more abundant, and my goodness nightfall comes so early in the evening! Some say the days are getting shorter. When I hear that phrase, I can’t help but think of a time many years ago when looking at the jam-packed work schedule for the day, I commented to a co-worker, “It’s going to be a long day”. This co-worker, without skipping a beat, replied, “Every day has 24 hours”. Well, yes, every day does have 24 hours. And yet, this time of the year most of those hours are in darkness – night time.

Sometimes the darkness we experience is simply that – the physical darkness of the night time. Sometimes the darkness may be the feelings of grief we are immersed in as the result of the death of a loved one or a loss of some other significant part of our lives – employment, a friendship gone sour, an illness, etc. Sometimes a feeling of being in darkness can be the result of a spiritual dryness we feel – a time when our usual way of praying or connecting with God just doesn’t feel the same and we may even wonder if God is really hearing our prayer. Times of darkness, no matter what has caused us to be in that “dark place”, can be a time of transition toward something new, an opportunity to rest and allow ourselves to simply be in the presence of God without words, a movement toward a new way of seeing and feeling and being light. One of the most profound realizations we can count on is that God is present with us in the darkness – God’s light is always there with us and for us. God’s deep and constant love is always available to us, is always with us and never leaves us. God’s love will draw us to the light.

In a couple of weeks we will embark on the Season of Advent – a time of preparation, a time of waiting, a time of anticipation of the coming of the Light anew. May we ponder all the ways God blesses us with love, care, comfort and strength empowering us to be light for others in all we say, do and are.

Peace on the Journey

8 November 2008

2008-11-08T09:33:00.000-06:00

Greetings Friends,

The image of temple is abundant in all of today’s readings. We, our bodies, are the temple of the Lord – a holy creation of God. And yet, in the society in which we live with its emphasis on worldly success, consumerism, and getting ahead can lead to a disregard or diminishing of seeing ourselves as holy or a temple of the Lord. Sometimes this is a tough reality for me to really take in. We do have to survive in our world. And yet, we are also called to reverence our being and lives as God-given gifts of holiness. The struggle becomes finding a way to turn an “either/or” into a “both/and”. We do not either live completely in our world of human desires for success (how ever we define that for ourselves) or in a totally spiritual realm disregarding our duty as responsible citizens of our families, communities, or country. We are called to both “worlds” so to speak.

How we see and tend to our spiritual dimension does have direct bearing on how we relate to others and the world/society we live in. If we acknowledge our being – our life – as a loving creation of our generous God and treat ourselves and others as such, we in turn will become and be grateful, loving and caring toward ourselves and others. Our holiness as a temple of the Lord is embracing the fact that we are constantly being loved into the way God’s sees us and intends us to be.

May we allow Christ to drive into our hearts the goodness and grace to witness for others the deep and abiding love of God for all.

Peace on the Journey

2 November 2008

2008-11-01T08:22:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

This weekend with the celebration of All Saint’s Day on Saturday (not a Holy Day of obligation this year) and All Soul’s Day on Sunday, the Church and we remember family and friends who have entered into eternal life and the Church of Heaven. Some of us may be at a point in our grieving where our memories evoke in us great sadness – sadness because the death of our loved one is so recent, and our emotions so raw. Others of us may now be looking upon many memories with longing for days and times past. And for still others of us, our memories of departed loved ones perhaps brings a smile, a fondness, and gratefulness that this person or people were an important part of our life. No matter where we find ourselves in our remembering, we can take comfort in knowing our God is with us – as companion, as comforter – every step of the way; we are never alone.

On this weekend of remembering, and in all the days ahead, may we more than ever be sustained by our knowing that God is so very deeply in Love with us.

Peace on the Journey.

26 October 2008

2008-10-25T08:40:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

In years past, and perhaps even in our present time, recess at school was a time for play. And play, at least years ago, included activities such as baseball, kick ball, or dodge ball. Unsurprisingly, two of the most athletic or popular kids in the class would be designated as the captains of each team and would choose their team members from among their classmates who were all standing together. One by one the captains would call off names of the kids they wanted on their team. Inevitably there would be two or three or four left and these were deemed by the captains as perhaps the least athletic or popular kids in the class. It’s tough to be picked last; it’s tough to be considered by our classmates as unworthy. It hurts our feelings.

As we grow in faith though, we come to realize through Scripture and faith formation that God chooses each and every one of us at the very beginning of our lives. God shows no partiality, God values each life and God loves each person without measure – no matter who we are, no matter our “status” in life, no matter what! And God is with us every single moment of every day. In return, as we grow to come to know God in our lives, we understand that God asks something of us in return: to love. To love God with our whole being and to love others as ourselves. God blesses each and every one of us with talents and gifts that are not intended for only ourselves. We are meant to share ourselves and all the goodness and blessings God gives us with others in our own individual and unique ways. This is a tall order at times. And yet, we are invited to accept this task and to fulfill it as best we can.

May we ponder with awe what it means to be chosen by God, and know that God’s deep and abiding Love is with us always to strengthen, sustain, uplift, and console us.

Peace on the Journey

19 October 2008

2008-10-19T06:37:00.000-05:00

Greetings Friends!

As I write this week, which is a week before this will be published, it’s a dreary, cloudy autumn day. Outside my window are the last few roses clinging to the bushes, some leafless shrubs, fields of corn that have already been harvested leaving cornstalk stubbles amid a mass of brown. These are sure signs of winters’ inevitable approach during which one often really has to search in a determined way to find signs of life and growth in nature. The older I get, the more I dislike winter – the snowy and icy roads, the cold, the cloudy days, the howling wind. And yet, I have to remind myself that winter is nature’s resting period where strength is gained for the new life that will emerge in spring.

From where I sit this afternoon, I can see one small tree which is barely noticeable. But when I do take the time to really notice, this tree is filled with many colored leaves. And on a dreary day such as today, this little tree shouts out with its vivid color that there is hope. It is a very tangible reminder that with the onset of autumn and the approach of winter, there remains the promise that spring will indeed follow with its own colors, freshness and brightness.

In our darkest times, whether illness, grief, financial difficulties, or spiritual dryness, God is always with us – even when we do not consciously sense God’s presence. God is with us in both the dark and light loving us with an abundant and relentless love, walking with us every moment of our lives.

May we walk through the seasons of our lives together comforted by God’s constant companionship.

Peace on the Journey.

12 October 2008

2008-10-12T18:10:00.000-05:00

Greetings Friends,

Growing up with five brothers and sisters wasn't always easy. I often used to long for some alone time - time when I could just be by myself. Gosh, I still find myself searching for time alone to ponder, to rest, to just simply be. I'm guessing most of us do the same from time to time. And yet, there's something about being around people, being part of a community that cares about and for us and nourishes us. For me, St. Thomas the Apostle is that sort of community of people. We are here for one another and offer each other what we are able as best we can. This community is strong in faith - in the belief that God deeply loves us and God is the One who ultimately provides the strength we need to be who we are and to do what we do...together!

Let's take some time to ponder what it means to be community, and rest in the knowledge that through God's love we can accomplish great things.

Peace on the Journey

5 October 2008

2008-10-05T18:16:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

At some point within the next several weeks, we will notice something different in our worship space: a new platform for our Altar and Ambo. The current platforms have served us well for the past six years, but are now showing many signs of wear. The new raised ares, designed and to be build by Roger Mayer, will be large enough for both the Altar and Ambo and will extend back to the wall which will allow for more room for our priest presider and deacon. Roger will incorporate the two existing heating/AC vents into the platform. It will be 1-1/2 inch shorter and will be carpeted only on the top surface with a nice wood finish on the sides. This should make stepping on and off the platform easier for all who minister in any way during liturgy. In addition, at communion time all our Eucharistic ministers, along with our priest and deacon will be able to be on the same level, making ministering communion to each Eucharistic minister and our Servers easier. Through generous donations, the cost to construct this new platform has already been paid for!

As we continue to care for and nourish one another as community, may we always find peace in knowing the abundant and constant Love of God in our lives.

Peace on the Journey

28 September 2008

2008-09-28T20:00:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

In my younger years, as a child, I was raised in a rather strict household. Being the eldest of six, I learned some hard lessons early on. The more I tried to become independent, tried to establish my own way in life, the more my parents seemed to thwart those efforts. My inner and at times my outer voice declared, "It's not fair!" Over the years when I prayed for one thing or another, and those prayers were not answered (or so I thought), that same "It's not fair!" was directed toward God. And yet...when I really thought about it, I came to ponder these things in a different way.

Was the strictness of my parents really always an effort to stifle growth? Does God really not answer prayers? In all honesty, the answer to both questions, for me, became a resounding "No!"

Just as any caring adult tries to guide children toward growing to live life in a way that is good and right not only for the child but also for others, so too God always knows what we need - and that may be very different from what we think we need. Surely we need people around us to point the way. Surely we need God's loving care and wisdom to nudge us, and sometimes push us toward becoming and being who we are intended to be - God's own beloved.

We are persons who have been formed by our history - by our ancestors. We are where we are in life right now in part because of the way the events of our life have unfolded and because of the choices we have made. As I put it to myself: If my parents hadn't done this or that, I would certainly be in a very different place in my thinking and my life. As people of faith we are also where we are in life because we place our trust and belief in our God who deeply and constantly loves us and all of creation. God invites us to live in harmony, in communion, with ourselves, with others, and with God. Not always an easy task, and I think God understands this. And yet, this is the greatest work of our life: to love as best we can. And when we stumble, God picks us up and nudges us again and again with forgiveness, with mercy, with compassion, with grace, and above all with Love.

May we always know we are surrounded by the abundant and eternal love of God.

Peace on the Journey

21 September 2008

2008-09-21T20:12:00.003-05:00

Greetings Friends!

I've been pondering community lately in light of some comments made at our last Town Hall meeting. More specifically, how we have grown to be community and how our sense of community manifests itself as we come together each weekend for Eucharist. At the meeting I heard comments about all the chatter and conversation before Mass being disruptive to those who desire a time of silence for private prayer and also comments that conversation before Mass is, well, community building. Both positions are valid everyone's opinion matters!

Let me pose some things to ponder: Before beginning constructing our current building, we were part of four separate faith communities worshiping at four different sites (five when we include the months we celebrated Mass first at Meeme School and then at Silver Lake College chapel). It became important to us to commence building the "house" we currently occupy in order to come together and to grow closer as community. This was believed to be the best way we could get to know each other and become the one faith community of St. Thomas the Apostle. An integral part of growing closer as community was and is communication - talking with one another. And talk we do! This indicates to me that we care about one another.

And yet, times of silence are desired by many for private prayer - and this is a very valid desire. So...I got to thinking. The design/rhythm/flow of our liturgy offers us some opportunities for silent prayer: The pauses between the readings are times for us to take into our hearts the Word of God which we have just heard and sung in the Scripture readings and Psalm. Some priest presiders offer us another opportunity for silence following the homily. The most extended period of silence within the liturgy can often times be found following Communion.

The physical space in which we currently worship lends itself to conversation (before Mass). It was never intended to be a permanent worship space - its design is that of a social hall. And we have to live with that fact for the time being. When we enter that space, we become part of the gathered community - a community that values and cares for each other and a community that realizes we are deeply loved by our God. I pray that this may always be so - that we gather to worship our awesome God with reverence while continuing to show our concern for those around us.

May we together continue to rejoice in the abundant Love and Life God has given is in all we do and are!

Peace on the Journey

14 September 2008

2008-09-14T20:24:00.000-05:00

No article this week.

7 September 2008

2008-09-07T20:26:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

Listening is an art. In the course of every day we have the opportunity to speak with others and hear what they have to say about any number of things or events. But hearing and listening are two very different things. I can't help but think of past experiences, and I dare say perhaps all of us have had similar encounters. The scene is at the dinner table. Dan is talking about something. I hear his voice, and at one point he stops and says, "You're not listening; you haven't heard a word I said!" And in some cases he has been right - I may have been thinking so intently about what I was going to say in reply that I missed much of what he was saying or I may have been thinking of something else all together. The point is that listening, truly listening to another is our gift to them. It says, "You and what you have to say is important to me". Oh, we do not have to agree with what they say, and we are entitled to our opinion, but to really focus on attending to the person speaking to us, and having another really listen to us is so integral to relationship - it brings us a strong sense of togetherness.

The biblical prophets had the art of listening down to a tee. God spoke, and they listened and then they spoke God's message to the people. Oh, for sure most if not all of them questioned God in some way, shape, and form. But in the end, they not only heart but listened to the voice of the Divine. The message God spoke to Ezekiel in today's reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9) seems on the surface a harsh one. But within God's words, we can always find a message of love" "...you shall warn them for me". God was counting on Ezekiel to show the people that God wanted them to turn away from evil and return to God's love.

I believe God also speaks to us and continually offers us that message of God's love. Where? In the people around us, in the events of our lives, in all of creation that surrounds us, in the very core of our being, and more. We need only listen...

May we be in tune with the divine music of our loving God!

Peace on the Journey

31 August 2008

2008-08-31T09:47:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

During the late spring and early summer months I wrote several times about the Eastern bluebirds that took up residence in our little white birdhouse, telling of the building of the nest and my delight in watching the first three tiny birds as they grew and then took flight. And then came yet another two eggs from which two more little ones emerged and I very much looked forward to witnessing their growth and development and their first attempts at flight, only to find one day in July that these two did not survive. If there are any who have not guessed by now, watching the wonders of nature that surrounds our home during this time of year is one of my great delights – something I would like to hold on to for more than a mere few months.

I suspect in all our lives there are events that give us great joy - ones we wish could last forever. But alas, nature has its own rhythm and the change in seasons brings about a change in our surroundings. Soon summer will give way to fall and the beautiful, bright colors that are a hallmark of that season. I also suspect each of us have had someone, or many people, in our lives who have been a blessing and very special and significant to us: best friends, family, other loved ones. And we probably have wished they could be with us forever. The very thought of having to say good-bye is almost unthinkable. And yet, like the seasons of the year, we come to realize there are also seasons of life and good-byes are eventually part of the hard life rhythms we have to face and move through. As I write this, during the wee hours of this July 21st morning while pondering the two lives celebrated at funeral liturgies over the past two days at St. Thomas, I cannot help but see a connection with Peter in today’s gospel.

As Jesus was preparing to go to Jerusalem, to his death, Peter could not or would not accept that this would in fact be Jesus’ fate. Peter did not want to have to say good-bye to Jesus. Does his reaction not also speak of our own response to the death of a loved one? And yet as Peter would eventually come to know, God had a greater plan in mind (Matthew 16: 21-27). It is through our faith and our trust and belief in the promise of eternal life from our loving God, that we have hope and can come to find comfort in our time of sorrow. Indeed if not clearly evident at no other time, it is in our experiencing the death of a loved one, that life has changed, but life has also not ended. For just as Jesus spoke of his coming death, he also spoke of his resurrection – new life! I pray for comfort and peace to fill the hearts of all who grieve.

May we always know the abundant love of God is forever with us.

Peace on the Journey

24 August 2008

2008-08-24T20:36:00.000-05:00

Greetings Friends!

It hasn't happened this year...yet, but every now and again I seem to lock myself out of our house. On several of these occasions in the past, to my dismay, the spare key was not in the usual hiding place. Add to that all the windows being locked. Most times this has happened I was on my way to an appointment or work and hastily rushed out of the house leaving my keys locked inside. These times have been most distressing but also so very inconvenient.

Keys hold a certain sense of control for us humans. They open, unlock, doors that only are meant for us (and a select few) to enter. And when keys are lost or left behind, that sense of control is suddenly gone and at times panic sets in. We do not like to be without a sense of control. But control in many respects equates with power. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but...a sense of power can feed the perceived need for more control which inflates the sense of importance and power, and on and on. Left unchecked, it can become a vicious circle, and one that is isolating at that. Power and control is not the food of relationship; it does not build community or trust nor does it foster any sense of service or collegiality. When power and control are the predominant dynamics of any relationship, whether with another or a group of people, an integral and very necessary piece is missing from the relationship: a sense of togetherness - that we are all in this together!

We see in our reading from the prophet Isaiah today that this important concept of togetherness is lacking in Shebna's relationship not only with the people Israel, but with God as well. Well, we would see it more clearly if we read the whole 22nd chapter of Isaiah! Shebna was very much into power and control - a person who had a mighty high opinion of himself and his status. He held the keys, so to speak, to God's people. But God had other plans and they had no room for arrogance, conceit, and power/control hungry masters of a palace. God's plan involved servant leadership. Hmm, I think God's plan still does!

Together may we dance to the divine music of God's constant Love!

Peace on the Journey

17 August 2008

2008-08-17T20:47:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

As we wind down into the final weeks of August, I can't help but think of the upcoming school year. What a busy time of preparation this is for many - accumulating school supplies and clothes, registering for classes, leaving home for college for some, teachers preparing and finalizing lesson plans, and on and on. We notice in some children great anticipation in returning to school with thoughts of meeting both old and new friends. And then there are probably some who are quite anxious about the whole thing - perhaps they will be attending a new school where they know no one and wondering, even fretting over how they will be accepted by the other students. It's tough to be the "new kid" in school; a stranger to literally everyone. Been there, done that.

Imagine being in a place where we do not feel comfortable, let alone welcome. Imagine mustering up the courage to speak what is on our mind and in our heart in the midst of strangers. And now imagine having our very presence seemingly dismissed as inappropriate or insignificant. Perhaps the feelings this scenario evokes in us are feelings akin to those of the Canaanite woman as she made the decision to approach Jesus and pleaded with him to heal her daughter (Matthew 15:22-28). After all, Jesus was a Jew and she a "dreaded and hated" Canaanite. And yet this woman of courage and strength believed in Jesus' power to hear, trusted that he would receive her request with compassion, and had faith that he would indeed heal her daughter. All this is evident in her persistence in refusing to be pushed aside and sent away.

Perhaps the story of the persistence of this woman can give us an inkling of the way God pursues us - unceasingly, relentlessly, every moment of every day. Perhaps the compassion of Jesus in healing the woman's daughter can touch our hearts in a way that encourages us to continue reaching out to others both near and far sharing God's love for us with generosity and compassion.

May we trust in the abundant Love of God to bring joy and peace to our hearts.

Peace on the Journey

10 August 2008

2008-08-10T20:58:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends,

It is almost amusing to hear weather forecasters use the term "weather event" when describing an approaching storm, significant snow, damaging winds. I have no personal experience of earthquakes, hurricanes, or devastating fire, but I do know something about storms and fear.

I didn't know it at the time, but it was the last time I went fishing on Lake Michigan with my dad before his death. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon: not a cloud in the sky, calm waters, a comfortable 75 degrees. We headed out two miles east and set our lines for the "big catch". About a half hour later, my dad noticed a bank of clouds, which appeared out of nowhere, approaching from the west and said, "There's a front coming up fast. We had better pull the lines and head in". Almost immediately the wind kicked up and waves rocked the boat with increasing intensity. Dad told me to "take the wheel" while he finished pulling up the lines. Now, I had driven his boat several times without difficulty, and never got sea-sick but this was different. I had a lot of trouble handling the boat in such rough water - these waves were intense, rocking the boat with fierce abandon and crashing over the side. I pleaded with dad that I could not do this - I could not handle the boat. And he told me in no uncertain terms that I could and calmly told me what to do. His voice seemed a whispering to me for by this time the storm was in full force. And I was afraid - afraid we would not make it back to shore, afraid I would do something wrong and would capsize the boat, afraid for our very lives (and the life of my then unborn child). But I listened to dad's instructions, trusted in his confidence in me even though I would have preferred to cower in a corner somewhere, and eventually we made it back to the dock safe and sound.

The story of Elijah on the mountain is one of trust and fear and trust (1 Kings 19:11-13). He trusted he would encounter God on the mountain because God told him so. How could Elijah not be afraid given the "weather events" he endured: wind, earthquake, fire? And yet these are typical biblical symbols of God's presence! But it was in the tiny whispering sound where God was revealed to Elijah - a most unexpected place indeed and a place that called Elijah to trust God was present there.

Where do we hear the voice of God speaking in our lives? Is it always in the "big stuff"? Or might God speak to our hearts in quiet, subtle ways - a kind word received, a smile from a stranger, the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, the "new life" of spring, the colors of fall... The task for us becomes noticing - taking the time to notice all the ways, the tiny, subtle ways God blesses us and above all love us so unceasingly every moment of every day - even when we are afraid, even when we doubt, even when we find it difficult to trust.

May the diving and eternal dance of life and love God invites us to enter into always being joy and peace to our hearts.

Peace on the Journey

3 August 2008

2008-08-03T21:14:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends!

Indulge me, if you will, in another story. It is a fictional story but one that just may reflect some of the attitudes abundant, or at least obvious to some degree in our society and our world. It is the story of two sisters.

The elder sister lived a rather simple and content life while the other never seemed to be able to get enough. The first sister built a small home and lived well with little. Upon seeing this, her younger sister built a plush home - a grand structure with more rooms that she needed and filled with the finest of furnishings. The elder sister scrimped and saved for a yearly weekend vacation at a cabin. The younger sister responded by searching vacation real estate and purchasing an extravagant cottage on an exclusive lake. The elder sister was employed in work she loved though the pay was meager but adequate and the position held little prestige or room for advancement. Her younger sister jumped from job to job in search of employment that would cause her to "be somebody" of importance in the business world and provide her with wages that would help meet her need for attaining more and more and bigger and better possessions - ones of the latest style and technology. The elder sister was quite satisfied with her life and gave freely to those who asked and those in need while her sister hoarded what she had, was openly critical of those who did not have her drive for "success", and seemed to be miserable much of the time.

One line in particular in our first reading from Isaiah today caught my attention. God said: "Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy?" (55:2) This question prompts us to consider, once again, what it is that is truly important in life. I invite us to ponder these questions this week: Will having the latest and greatest of anything and everything be that which satisfies the deepest longings of our heart and soul? Will all the "prized" and sought after possessions the world has to offer truly bring us closer to the God to whom we belong and who so unceasingly pursues us and invites us into relationship? What attitudes and actions cause us, at times, to distance ourselves from the Love of God? Is it not the Word of God, the Bread we partake in, and our connection to each other as community that which will feed and satisfy our sometimes restless souls?

May we always know deep in our hearts the abundant Love of God and reflect the blessing of that love by gratefully and humbly reaching out to those who cross our path.

Peace on the Journey

27 July 2008

2008-07-27T21:27:00.002-05:00

Greetings Friends!

On any given day we are faced with many choices, whether we are conscious of that fact or not. Even the smallest of things cause us to make a choice: whether or not to hit the snooze alarm for the second or third time, what to wear for the day, if we should have one or two cups of morning coffee or tea, what to eat for breakfast, what to make for dinner, if we should answer the phone when the caller ID says "blocked call". We make choices (and admittedly not always good ones) in the foods we pick off the grocery shelves. These are the "little" choices of any given day. And then there are the bigger choices in life: who to befriend, which charity to support, options for healthcare, how to save to offer ourselves a more secure future. There may be times when we wish we could be granted our deepest desires. And if we could have our wishes granted, what would those desires be? Answering that question could serve as a reality check - at least for me - for the answer lies at the heart of what we truly value.

Consider the invitation of God in saying, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you" - the invitation extended to Solomon (1 Kings 3: 5-12). I believe God does offer us this same opportunity on many occasions, even daily. Solomon, and we, could have asked for a great number of things - possessions, status, financial security, to name at few. But even in his youth, his then worldly/kingly inexperience, if you will,Solomon asked for something of great value - wisdom - the wisdom to know what is right and just and the wisdom to live life with an understanding heart. If we take the time of consider what is truly important in life, is not Solomon's request also the prudent request we also should make to God? Should we not also ask God to help us discern the right choices to make in matters both small and large? Should we not also ask for an understanding heart so that we can have the grace to serve those that cross our path in life with live and compassion?

Let us always strive to embrace that which truly matters: God's deep and abiding love for each of us and allow that love to shine brightly in all we are and do.

Peace on the Journey

20 July 2008

2008-07-20T21:41:00.002-05:00

Greetings Friends!

My goodness, summer is half over! Already the store shelves are filled with school supplies - signaling that very soon school will begin and the busyness of our lives will once again pick up pace. Whether or not we have school-age children, it just seems fall becomes a busy season for many of us. Thus I find it even more pressing in my own life to take some of the time left of this summer season to pause and enjoy before the "work" of fall begins - the clearing of leaves from our yards, the cleaning out of the the garden, the readying of the house for the winter months to come. Just the mere thought of all those things causes me to long for the quietness and what I have come to consider a "lost art".

In our day and age of technology, many scheduled activities, and fast-paced living, I muse over what it must have been like in the days before television, radio, telephone, cars, etc. During my own childhood years, Sunday afternoons were spent visiting elder relatives. Conversation, playfulness, and, of course, Aunt Edna's famous chicken dinner and Aunt Agnes' melt-in-you-mouth molasses cookies to top off the day were the norm. Woven within those weekly excursions to the country farm, were stories - stories of what was going on in each person's life, stories of relatives who lived far away, stories of ancestors long gone from earthly life, stories of immigration from the "old country". This is the "lost art" of which I speak - that of story telling. How often these days do we take the time to engage in telling the stories or our life - past, present, and future; our memories and our dreams and visions? I could be wring, but I dare say not nearly enough.

As a young child sitting on grandma's lap I would often ask, "Grandma, what was it like when you were my age?" And grandma would tell me in ways she knew my young mind could understand. This is how Jesus taught in our gospel today (Matthew 13:24-43)- in parables, stories... "The kingdom of God is like...a man who sowed good seed...a mustard seed...yeast". He explained what God's kingdom was like, not in some high theological language, but in words and ways that everyone would be able to understand. And not only that, through his parables Jesus also taught that the kingdom was not some pie in the sky idea but was and is within the grasp of everyone and is indeed already here as well as "not yet".

Let us take time to listen to and ponder the stories, the parables, of Jesus and find within them the knowledge of who we are and we we are to be. These are the stories of the abundant love God has for each and every one of us!

Peace on the Journey

6 & 13 July 2008

2008-07-13T21:58:00.002-05:00

Greetings Friends!

Several years ago, when I had the opportunity to take a course in homiletics (preaching), we were told, "Sometimes you just have to talk about the 'tough stuff'". This weekend's Gospel (July 13th; Matthew 13: 1-23) brings to mind some of that "tough stuff" through the familiar parable about the sower and begs us to ask ourselves, "What is my soil like? - What lies at the core of my heart?"

One day last week in the checkout line at the grocery store, the cashier announced my bill as "X" dollars and some odd cents. Well, I had no change with me that day and handed her all paper money. The woman behind me said, "Don't worry, I have the change covered" and proceeded to give the cashier the correct amount of change. I was totally shocked, and pleased, by this act of kindness and generosity from someone I did not know. After leaving the store, I stopped to put gas in the car. There was a long line of people waiting to pay the cashier. I decided to allow the person behind me to pay ahead of me but much to my dismay, this person just pushed ahead of me, thwarting my well-laid plan to share the kindness I had received at the grocery checkout. The lesson is simple: kindness received can lead to kindness given. The condition of our soil does indeed become evident in how we view and respond to others at a relational level, and often is an indicator of how we view and embrace our relationship with God.

It's all about seeing and hearing - noticing the attitudes and values we hold in our hearts and lives, listening for and to the voice of God within our hearts and our world, and discerning where we may need to tend to our inner soil so that we can respond in love to both our passionate God and to those we encounter.

May we walk with each other as a community of faith, allowing the Spirit's life-giving breath to touch our lives and hearts.

Peace on the Journey

29 June 2008

2008-06-29T22:08:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends!

The other evening I sat on our step and watched how alive and active nature is this time of year. The birds were soaring and dashing about, chirping a joyful noise. Those once tiny bluebirds are now nearly fully grown and gracefully dart about from tree to wire to grass to tree again each evening. Actually I'm surprised they have stuck around so long this year. They soar with a great freedom that reminds me of our upcoming holiday - Independence Day. It is my hope that we all have a safe and wonderful celebration, remembering all who serve to preserve and protect the freedom we enjoy, both now and in the past.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about some of our young feathered friends as they followed their parents and mentioned that they know - they know their nature; who they are. Sure, we realize animals have a certain innate or instinctive nature, but those young ones just looked as if they were learning and growing into their knowing. Most people, when asked the question "Who are you? tend to answer with words that are more of a description of what they do. Oh, I'm a wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent; I'm a factory worker, farmer, teacher, nurse; I'm single, married, widowed; etc. Perhaps it's safer to answer that way, or maybe we have just become accustomed to thinking of ourselves in terms of what we do. It kind of reminds me of how I lost my identity when my daughter entered school. Suddenly I became known as "Sara's mom" rather than Brenda/ But I truly believe we should spend some time pondering who we really are - including all those wonderful qualities God has blessed us with. We could begin by using adjectives rather than nouns - generous, compassionate, caring , loving, kind, playful, serious...

Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15) I believe Jesus asks us this same question as well. Is he, for us, just some holy person who happened to live some thirty-some years two thousand years ago, or is he the "Son of the living God" whose words and actions continue to make a difference in the world though our hands and words and actions? Is Jesus our brother, friend, mentor, and constant companion on our journey through life? Or is Jesus someone we think about only when the times get tough? Am I open to receive the gift of faith in and from Jesus or am I arrogant and closed, burdened by an inflated view of my own self-worth? These are the questions I wrestle with from time to time. And yet, Jesus' invitation stands firm today as it did all those years ago: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me". Through a life lived in live, as Jesus teaches, we will find true rest and freedom. Now...that's something to celebrate!

May we continue to rejoice in the abundant Love and Life God has given us in all we do and are!

Peace on the Journey

22 June 2008

2008-06-22T22:23:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends!

The continuing saga of the Eastern bluebirds: My curiosity got the better of me on Sunday and I peered once again into the little white birdhouse handing in our tree. There they were, a mass of feathers, now showing some distinct markings. Three sets of eyes peered back at me and I couldn't help but tell the tiny but growing creatures they would soon be leaving the comfort of the nest and testing their wings. Lo and behold, as I passed by the window this morning just before heading to work, there they were - all five of them, Mother, Father, and the three younglings perched on the crossbar of our clothesline post. The had indeed left their nest! It was a rather amusing sight to behold. One by one, the parents would coax the little ones off the crossbar into flight. It seemed one of the young ones was very tentative about taking flight. Perhaps she (or he) was afraid. Finally, Father Bird seemed to be having quite a discussion with the little straggler. And after another few minutes this young one gathered the courage to make a glorious and successful flight from the crossbar to the garden's edge...and back again!

I can't help but reflect on today's gospel in light of this initially tentative little bluebird (Matthew 10:26-33). Jesus, three times, speaks to his disciples about fear. He tells them twice "do not be afraid" and once to "fear no one". As people of faith, baptized in the Name of our Triune God, we are to speak our faith with our very lives - in all that we say, do, and are. For when we know deep within our very soul and fully embrace that it is Christ who is our center, we have nothing to fear! Oh, God may prompt us, push us, urge us to stretch beyond where we often times would rather not go. But the good news is that God will never abandon us. We are called to be people who "speak in the light" proclaiming from the housetops the constant and abundant Love our gracious God has for each and every person, creature...all of creation! And by boldly witnessing to God's Love through who we are and what we do and say, we really need fear nothing and no one.

Peace on the Journey

15 June 2008

2008-06-15T08:29:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

One day in April I was traveling the back roads to an appointment. It was a beautiful spring day: warm, the country side was green with new growth birds were chirping with glee, a male pheasant stood proudly on the roadside displaying his beautiful colors. I couldn't help taking in all the beauty and thinking about the wonder of this season of new life. As I neared my destination, I passed through a wooded patch. A Deer Crossing sign alerted drivers of the potential hazard of deer dashing out onto the road. Just a little way past the sign, I noticed a tiny fawn standing in the ditch all alone. This seemed so strange - I had never before seen such a young one alone. He (or she) seemed lost and just stood there looking up the roadside to the north. After driving a mere quarter mile farther, there she was, lying contorted and motionless on her side, belly bloated, lifeless - presumably the doe that bore the young, lost fawn. I often wonder what ever became of that little lost and abandoned fawn. Did it survive? Did some other doe take on the task of raising it?

I don't know if deer, or other animals for that matter, ever feel troubled. Bit it was apparent to me that this little spotted fawn felt abandoned, lost, because she (or he) now had no one as guide and teacher and nurturer. And my heart ached for this little one.

Jesus' heart was moved with pity at the sight of the troubled and abandoned crowd. And he sent out his disciples to tend to them. There are two lessons in today's gospel (Matthew 9:36 - 10:8) for us: we too are to go out and tend to those who are in need, to care for and about others around us - people we know and those we may not yet know, traveling along together on the journey bringing hope, life, and the love of Christ in all that we say and do according to our gifts and talents. The second lesson is that we too need not feel lost or abandoned or like sheep without a shepherd, but ever hopeful. For God is always with us, God grasps us by the hand and is woven deeply into our being, and God draws us near through God's deep and passionate love for each and everyone. Wow! God is awesome indeed!

May we celebrate with joy all that is good - in life, in faith, in each other.

Peace on the Journey