Five All Saints Musings

1) Celebrating All Saints and All Souls Days:

I am realizing this year how much I enjoy the celebration of All Saints and All Souls Days. They fall on November 1 & 2 in the Christian liturgical calendar. These powerful holy days invite us to remember and to give thanks for all the saints, including our personal favorite saints, spiritual heroes and teachers, ancestors and departed loved ones. Remembering the saints is powerful medicine. We can realize how these people actually live in our souls, inspiring us to live our lives with love, courage and authenticity. I invite you in the next couple of days to make a list of your personal saints, heroes, ancestors, and departed loved ones. Remember these people. Give thanks for them. Pray for them. Seek their guidance and support. And remember that you are a saint, too. One of God’s "holy ones." You inspire people by who you are. And you will be somebody’s ancestor some day.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecto of our faith.” —Hebrews 12:1-2

2) A spiritual practice I recommend: Mindfulness on the Go

One of the best ways to take our meditation and contemplative prayer practices out into our daily lives is to develop the habit of pausing a few times during the day. You might call this "mindfulness on the go". Here is one way it can work:

Stop — take three relaxing breaths — smile — Go

This is a marvelous way to reset. With this simple practice we can return to present moment awareness. It can bring peace, calm and direction in the middle of a busy day. I invite you to give it a try and cultivate this practice.

3) Praying for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change: COP26, October 31 - November 12

One of the most important things going on right now is the United Nations Conference on Climate Change. Scientists and leaders from all over the world are gathering in Glasgow, Scotland, to report and take action on the global crisis of climate change. President Biden and Greta Thunberg will be there. As will Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama. This is a huge, pivotal moment in human history. A critical time for the nations of the world to unite in an action plan to address global warming. Let’s all keep this conference in our prayers. And as we listen to the scientists and other speakers, let’s come up with our own action plans to care for our planet.

4) A powerful documentary on climate change -- "Breaking Boundaries: The Science of our Planet", featuring Sir David Attenborough

I recently watched this Netflix documentary. It is a powerful presentation of what science tells us about how our planet actually works and how human beings are impacting all of the earth’s ecological systems. The documentary is hard hitting about the seriousness of the climate crisis. However, it offers hope that if we work together as people and nations there is still time to turn things around. I recommend watching it as we watch the news from COP26.

5) A favorite poem by a saint: “Late Have I Loved You” by Augustine of Hippo

It is interesting that many of the saints were poets. They often turn to poetry to express their love for God. Here is a beautiful poem/prayer by St. Augustine of Hippo. It is found in his classic spiritual autobiography, The Confessions of St Augustine. With heartfelt emotion Augustine acknowledges that his long search for the Divine in outer, worldly things was ultimately fruitless. He finally found God’s presence within his soul.

Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!

Lo, you were within,

but I outside, seeking there for you,

and upon the shapely things you have made

I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.

You were with me, but I was not with you.

They held me back far from you,

those things which would have no being,

were they not in you.

You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;

you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;

you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you;

I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;

you touched me, and I burned for your peace.

Some Upcoming Events and Dates:

Advent/Winter Solstice Morning of Prayer and Reflection: Saturday, December 18, 9:00 - 10:30 AM on Zoom

This free Zoom gathering will provide an opportunity to pause and pray during the busy Advent season just one week before Christmas. You are invited to Zoom in for this simple contemplative gathering. Please send me an email if you would like to attend and I will send you a Zoom invitation.

Beginning the New Year with St Benedict: Monday mornings in January, 9:00 - 10:00 AM on Zoom

A great way to begin the New Year is to consider wisdom from The Rule of St Benedict. This free Zoom class will cover some of the practical spiritual insights found in this timeless monastic rule of life. It can help us reset our rhythms, routines and practices as we begin a brand new year. Please send me an email if you would like to sign-up. This class will be informal. You can drop in as you have time!

Contemplative Retreats St Andrew’s House 2022 — So far I have two retreats on the calendar at St Andrew’s House. Here are the dates and titles:

• March 7-10, Radical Amazement: Praying with Mary Oliver and Abraham Joshua Heschel. This retreat is early in the Lenten season.

• April 25-28, Celebrating Creation Care with St Francis of Assisi. This retreat is early in the Easter season.

• Information on registering for these retreats will be up on the St Andrew’s House website in December.

Contemplative Practice: 4 August Musings

Dear Friends,

Included in this article are four musings for the month of August. Blessings as we continue to enjoy the summer season.

Paul

1) A Seasonal Mindfulness Practice: Eating fresh blackberries

I often walk down a gravel road near our house. On one side of the road there is a big blackberry patch. I have been watching the blackberries blossom and bear fruit all summer. Now that the blackberries are ripe I have been stopping to eat a dozen or so every time I walk by. Savoring the taste of ripe juicy blackberries is a mindfulness moment; a sweet sacrament of Divine Abundance. I hope you can enjoy eating some wild blackberries this month. “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” —Psalm 34:8

2) My New Free Video Series on Vimeo: “Insights for the Spiritual Journey”

I am excited to announce that I have started recording a series of videos and posting them on Vimeo. These short 3-5 minutes videos offer basic teachings on contemplative prayer and contemplative living. The first one is “Having a Beginner’s Mind.” You can find it at https://vimeo.com/581355012. And please pass this link on to anyone you think might be interested. Thanks!

3) A holy day to celebrate in early August: The Transfiguration of Jesus

August 6 marks the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Consider spending some extra prayer time with Jesus this day. Perhaps go for a walk up a hill or even a hike up a mountain. Imagine that you are there with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. How does the Transfiguration speak to you at this time in your life? How is your life being transfigured by the presence of Christ?

4) A poem that always touches my heart: “Love after Love”

Below is a favorite poem by Derek Walcott. Walcott was born in the West Indies and lived from 1930 to 2017. He received the Noble Prize for Literature in 1992. This moving poem speaks of the spiritual journey of returning home to our true selves. It is telling that Richard Rohr chose to conclude his book, The Universal Christ, with this poem. May the graceful words of this poem welcome you home.

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

4 Easter Musings

I offer these four Easter musings as we begin this new season of Resurrection.

1) A Meditation Exercise for Easter (or anytime):

While in prayer imagine what it would be like for you to wake up with a Resurrection Body, sharing in the Risen Life of Christ.

Take some time with this and consider journaling your reflections. What did you imagine? How did you feel? How would you view life, yourself, others and creation from this Resurrection perspective?

2) An Easter Poem: “We Awaken in Christ’s Body” by Symeon the New Theologian

For a profound mystical understanding of an embodied Easter “awakening” contemplate this poem by Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022). You might try praying this poem as a Lectio Divina meditation.

We awaken in Christ’s body,

As Christ awakens our bodies.

There I look down and my poor hand is Christ,

He enters my foot and is infinitely me.

I move my hand and wonderfully

My hand becomes Christ,

Becomes all of Him.

I move my foot and at once

He appears in a flash of lightning.

Do my words seem blasphemous to you?

—Then open your heart to him.

And let yourself receive the one

Who is opening to you so deeply.

For if we genuinely love Him,

We wake up inside Christ’s body

Where all our body all over,

Every most hidden part of it,

Is realized in joy as Him,

And He makes us utterly real.

And everything that is hurt, everything

That seemed to us dark, harsh, shameful,

Maimed, ugly, irreparably damaged

Is in Him transformed.

And in Him, recognized as whole, as lovely,

And radiant in His light,

We awaken as the beloved

In every last part of our body.

3) An Easter Sighting: Student Riding his Bicycle to School

Tuesday morning while I was out for a walk I noticed a young boy riding his bike to our neighborhood elementary school. Before the pandemic I probably wouldn’t have thought much about this child on his bicycle. But today the vision brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me of when I was his age (60 years ago) riding my bicycle to school. But what touched me was just seeing the children going back to school. I chatted a bit with the crosswalk guard. She told me that most of the children are really excited about getting back to in-person school. A sign of new life this spring. Alleluia. Christ is risen!

4) A free 40-Day Mindfulness Training Program: Mindfulness Daily with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield

If you are interested in getting some good basic training in mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, I recommend that you check out this excellent program offered by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. It is free and can be worked through on your own pace. To check it out visit: https://www.tarabrach.com/courses/mindfulness-daily.

John's Car Wash: A Story about Play as a Contemplative Practice

Like all three and a half year olds, my grandson, Johnny, loves to play. His favorite activity is playing with his cars and trucks. He has quite a collection of miniature toy vehicles: sports cars, monster trucks, mini vans and race cars. When he plays Johnny is totally absorbed in what he is doing. He doesn’t think about the past or the future. He doesn’t judge himself on the quality of his play. He just does it freely and with joy.

Johnny’s favorite cartoon show is “Carl’s Car Wash.” We have started a new game of washing his cars and trucks in the kitchen sink. We call it “John’s Car Wash.” Johnny loves it when I play with him. He washes the cars in soapy bubbles and water. I rinse the cars and then place them on a towel to dry. I try to be as present as I can with Johnny while we play together. He is my mindfulness teacher. He is teaching me to let go of my thoughts and just dwell in present moment awareness.

Playing cars and trucks with Johnny makes my heart smile and fills me with a quiet joy. I am remembering what it was like to be three years old myself.  

I am very grateful that my grandson is teaching me how to play. It is amazing that something as simple as playing with cars and trucks in a sink can bring present moment awareness. Play can be a joyful contemplative practice!

Jesus said, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 18:3

Question to ponder:  What playful activities do you enjoy in your life?

Hundreds of Ways to Kiss the Ground

This morning I went outside early to water our garden.  Knowing that we had some hot days ahead, I wanted each plant to feel refreshed and have the water it would need to withstand the heat of the sun.  I watered each plant by hand with the hose:  many hydrangeas, hasta, lavender, geraniums, black-eyed susans, zinnias, and tall sun flowers to name most of them.

As I watered the plants in the cool of the morning and enjoyed their beauty, a favorite quote from Rumi surfaced in my mind:

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.  There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”

I smiled when I remembered this lovely quote and began to repeat it like a mantra as I watered the garden.  Soon feelings of joy, love, peacefulness and gratitude began to bubble up from within. I was enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. In watering the garden I had found another way to kneel down and kiss the ground.  My soul was nurtured and hydrated just like the plants in the garden.

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.  There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”

What ways are you discovering to kneel down and kiss the ground?

A CONTEMPLATIVE RESPONSE TO BLACK LIVES MATTER

I recently participated in a group discussion which focused on what might be a contemplative response to the deep concerns raised by the Black Lives Matter movement. The discussion was led by Geoff O’Keeffe, a long time friend of mine who serves as the Executive Director of Zen Peacemakers International.  Zen Peacemakers is an interfaith organization whose mission is to work for peace and justice in our world.  The members of Zen Peacemakers practice some form of meditation or contemplative prayer. In addition they are vigilant about noticing where suffering exists in our world and taking action to relieve that suffering.  

Geoff taught us about a contemplative process that they follow in Zen Peacemakers.  It was developed by the late Zen Buddhist teacher Bernie Glassman.  It is called, “Bearing Witness.” I would like to share this three step process with you.

Step One:  “Not knowing.”  You take a deep look at a situation of human suffering with an attitude of not knowing.  You admit that you don’t have the answers.  You clear your mind the best you can.  You drop any preconceived ideas you might have about the suffering.  You embrace the reality of uncertainty and sit with not knowing.

Step Two:  “Bearing Witness.”  You sit and prayerfully look at the situation of suffering.  You look at it deeply with empathy and compassion.  You notice the pain without trying to hide it or deny that it exists.  You take it in and let the pain and suffering touch your heart.

Step Three:  “Action.”  After mindfully and prayerfully going through steps one and two, you contemplate what action you are called to take to relieve this situation of suffering.  You discern your calling.  In step three you follow your conscience and take action to the best of your ability.

I find this contemplative practice to be honest, moving and powerful.  I like it because it gives us permission not to have all of the answers or any answers.  We become humble learners in need of education.  The reality of systemic racism in America and the 400 years of suffering it has inflicted upon black people is a very serious and complicated problem.  We have so much to learn.  But we cannot look away this time and pretend that we don’t see the suffering.  We must admit our complicity. We can bear witness to the suffering, look at it and take it into our hearts. And we can educate ourselves about racism, white privilege, and the many problems associated with them.

As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote so powerfully:  “Live the questions.”  As we live the questions, as we educate ourselves and learn from people of color, we can prayerfully discern our call to action.  Sitting by and watching is no longer an option.  The time has come to bear witness to this suffering and injustice, and then take action to abolish the terrible pandemic of racism which afflicts our land.

How many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, ’n’ how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, ’n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind

The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

—Bob Dylan, “Blowin’ in the Wind”, 1962

WALKING THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

I want to share some thoughts this morning about the Lent and Easter seasons we have been going through this year.  How amazing that the global pandemic has almost exactly coincided with these two great sacred seasons. These have been Lents and Easters like we have never experienced before.  A Lutheran Pastor friend of mine said that he never dreamed he would be telling people to stay home from church.  And as Presiding Bishop Curry said in his Easter homily:  “It may not look like Easter.  It may not smell like Easter.  It may not feel like Easter.  But it’s Easter anyway!”  Christ is risen anyway!

I have been reflecting quite a bit the past couple of months on how the pandemic has been affecting our lives and our world, and will likely continue to do so for years to come.  One way to think about the pandemic is to see it as a global “wake up call.”  A profound time for everyone to reflect upon how we are living our lives.  As Pope Francis put it, to sort out what “really matters.”  We are being called to think about what really matters and to let go of things that don’t really matter.

Another way to think about this is to describe it as a time of profound “spiritual awakening.”  Fr. Richard Rohr, one of my theological heroes, says that spiritual growth tends to happen through two human experiences:  1)  through the experience of great love; and 2) through the experience of great suffering.  Both of these shake us up and move our souls into deeper spiritual awareness.

For example, I think most of us will never forget the times we have fallen in love with someone, or when we have experienced God’s deep love for us in a personal way. And we will never forget our times of deep suffering, sorrow, loss and grief.  These kinds of experiences touch us, and change us permanently.

We see this happening in today’s Gospel reading.  It is the beloved story of Jesus walking with the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.  We notice in the story that the Risen Jesus mysteriously comes to walk alongside the two disciples on the road without being recognized.  He kind of sneaks up on them and fits into their conversation.  Jesus meets them where they are in their grief, sadness, shock and confusion. Like a good pastor or counselor, he listens to their story.

Walking along the road the disciples don’t recognize that it is Jesus who is walking with them.  But when they invite this stranger to stay with them for evening is it hand, an Easter miracle happens.  When Jesus breaks the bread at supper, “Their eyes were opened.”  They recognize that their mysterious companion is Jesus, apparently alive.  And then Jesus vanishes from their sight.

This is a story of great suffering and great love.  It is a story of how love is stronger than death, how love endures and never ends.  It is a story of profound spiritual awakening on the part of the two disciples and how they come to Easter faith.

I think this is what is happening to us this Lent and Easter.  Through great suffering and great love we are participating in a spiritual awakening, an awakening that is taking place on both the individual and collective levels.  The awakening is so profound that it has thrust us into a time of great uncertainty.  We have moved into a cloud of unknowing.  Life has changed and we do not know what the future will bring.

Here are some of the questions I have been wrestling with:

How are my eyes being opened?  What am I seeing?

What lessons am I learning through this pandemic?

What are we seeing through the lens of this crisis?  

What is God calling us to be and become?  

I know that you are wrestling with similar questions.  Wrestling with questions is good.  It is an important part of the process of spiritual growth.  If we don’t ask new questions, we will never come up with new answers.

Early on in the pandemic when the “Stay at Home” order was first in place, my spiritual director suggested that I start a daily practice of writing down my feelings in a journal.  What I have been doing is pausing, breathing, putting my hand on my  heart, and then tuning into what am I feeling that day.  This practice last about 3-5 minutes.  After tuning into my feelings, I have been writing down words which describe my experience. What I am discovering is that these words really do reflect what I am experiencing during the pandemic.  They are a log of my experience.

Some of the words are negative and describe painful emotions.  But many of the words are hopeful and inspiring.  There seems to be a Yin/Yang to the words I come up with.

I am going to read a few words from my list that are guiding me through the pandemic.  I would even say that they are inspiring me to envision the kind of life I would like to live once we get through these hardest days of the crisis.  

And I invite you to do the same.  Write down the words that describe your feelings these days, and also include the words that inspire you to envision a brighter future.

Here are some of the words from my list:

Vulnerability, Fear, Anxiety, Uncertainty, Interconnectedness, Compassion, Hope, Love, Trust, Grief, Sadness, Essential workers, Sacrifice, Gratitude, Generosity, Community, Science, Facts not fear, Family, Racism, Social justice, Health care disparity, Income inequality

These words are powerful. They are mirrors which describe my experience, my growing awareness.  They help open my eyes to see what the Risen Christ is doing through the pandemic. Many of them are words which inspire and help me envision the kind of life I believe God is calling me to live.

I am curious what your list of words might be.  If we were in church, I would ask you to speak yours out loud.

I invite you to try this spiritual exercise.  Tune into your feelings and come up with your own list of words.  Write them down.  Inscribe them upon your heart and upon your mind.  Let them remind you of what we are going through.  Reflect upon your words and let them inspire you to new Resurrection Life in Jesus Christ.  

Stay home.  Stay healthy.  Trust in God’s guidance, love and care.

LENT: FORTY DAYS TO LIVE

Psalm 39:4-7

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.

Remind me that my days are numbered—

how fleeting my life is.

You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.

My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;

at best, each of us is but a breath.” 

We are merely moving shadows,

and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.

We heap up wealth,

not knowing who will spend it.

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?

 My only hope is in you.          

Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent are drawing near. It is good for us to pause and ponder how we are going to observe a holy Lent this year. Put another way, it is good to consider how God is calling us to grow during this particular season of our lives.

I was deeply moved by these verses from Psalm 39 when I read them the other morning. How sobering to be reminded of the limited number of days we have to live on earth, that our lives will eventually come to an end. This Psalm reminds me of the words that are said as the ashes are imposed on our foreheads during the Ash Wednesday liturgy: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

Yes, even though it may seem negative and morbid, I believe pondering the reality of our deaths is a good Lenten practice. How might we begin to live if we knew we only had 40 days to live? What would you do? How would you spend your time? Who would you see? How would you make your last 40 days on earth count? These are good Lenten questions which give us a sense of urgency. As we ponder and pray about them we can begin to answer these profound questions by the way we live, by embracing new resurrection life.

BELOVED IN BAPTISM

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  Mark 1:9-11

These days when I hear the story of Jesus’ baptism, I like to imagine that I am there in the Jordan River being baptized with Jesus. I am standing there in the water dripping wet.  I see the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descending upon me in the shape of a dove.  And I hear the voice of God speaking to me, “You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.”  Wow!  What an awesome realization to be loved and affirmed as the Beloved!

This is the wonder of baptism.  Standing in the same place as Jesus stood, dripping wet with God’s grace. This is where the contemplative life calls us to return over and over.  To return, to dwell and to serve from this place of being God’s Beloved.

Try repeating this mantra with your breath as part of your prayer time.  Hear these words spoken to you by our loving God:  “You are my son/daughter, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” 

~ Paul

SAVORING THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

“Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19  KJV

I had the joy of celebrating the Christmas Day Mass at my home parish this year.  It was a simple service of Eucharist with Carols.  About 25 people were in attendance.  Arriving at Christmas morning, you could feel everyone breathing a collective sigh of relief.  We had made it through the busy build up to Christmas with all of the holiday activities.  Now it was time to relax and really enjoy the celebration of Christ’s birth.

The twelve days of Christmas, the little season between Christmas Eve and the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, is a true gift of the liturgical year.  It is a time to relax and savor the gift of Christ’s birth.  Like Mary, we can “keep all these things and ponder them in our hearts.”  I find myself enjoying each day.  Having an extra cup of coffee in the morning.  Listening to Christmas music on Pandora and watching movies on Netflix.  Playing with the grandchildren.  Going for walks. Taking naps. Reconnecting with old friends.  Enjoying my contemplative prayer time in candlelit darkness.  Twelve whole days to savor the gifts of Christmas!  

Wishing all of you a blessed Christmas season and a healthy New Year.

Paul

ADVENT LONGING

     O Come, O Come, Immanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

     that mourns in lonely exile here

     until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel

      shall come to thee, O Israel.

I have noticed in recent years that people are putting up their Christmas decorations earlier and earlier. It used to be that people put up their lights and trees a week or two before Christmas or even traditionally on Christmas Eve. And then it moved to the weekend after Thanksgiving. And now I notice that many people are putting up their lights and trees the day after Halloween! What is going on here?  

I wonder if this amplification of the excitement of Christmas has something to do with longing - our longing for light, love, hope and joy. We live in a troubling, threatening world with much darkness, violence and turmoil.  It is no wonder that we long for something brighter beyond ourselves. We long for a heartfelt experience of light, love and joy.

As the ancient hymn above communicates so powerfully, Advent is a season of longing. It is a season when we are invited to get in touch with our longings.  I encourage you to ponder what you yearn for this Advent season.  What are you longing for?  What are the desires of your heart?  How might your longing bring you to deeper belonging in Christ? 

May your longing guide your path and enliven your contemplative practice this Advent.

Paul 

CREATING A SACRED SPACE AT HOME

“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”  Habakkuk 2:20

One of the things that has greatly enhanced my contemplative prayer practice has been creating a sacred space at home for prayer and meditation.  I am using about half of the smallest bedroom in our home for my oratory.  I have taken my time furnishing and decorating this space.  My oratory includes things I cherish:  an icon of the Holy Trinity, a Celtic cross, a statue of the Buddha I have had since college, stones from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, a couple of eagle feathers, a candle and an incense holder.  And of course my favorite meditation chair.  The more I meditate in my oratory the more I love it.

I would encourage you, if you haven’t already done so, to create a sacred space in your home for prayer and meditation.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.  Maybe just a corner in a room with your favorite chair, a Bible and a candle.  Be creative.  Enjoy creating your sacred space!

When I cross the threshold of my oratory something magic happens. My soul comes alive and I more easily enter into the imaginal world of the Spirit.  I am more ready to sit down, settle in and rest in the presence of God.  

I would be curious to know what you have done or are doing to create a special place for prayer and meditation in your home. 

Blessings, Paul

LESSONS FROM OUR BLUE HERON

great blue heron…

leaning into the mirror

i become still

— Debbie Strange

A tall blue heron often stands on our dock which floats on the waters of Puget Sound.  He stands there rain or shine, watching and waiting in stillness.  He is attentive.  He is aware.  He is focused.  His is not a passive waiting.  His is not a lazy, sleepy watching.  No, our blue heron waits with hope and expectation.  He waits patiently for something to come.  He stands there like a sentry, waiting for a fish to swim by which will become his breakfast, lunch, dinner or maybe just a snack.

I really enjoy watching our blue heron. He is my meditation teacher.  He shows me how to be still.  He teaches me how to be patient.  He teaches me how to wait in silence for God who will surely come at the just the right moment.

~ Paul

THE JOY OF CHASING BUTTERFLIES

“Unless you become like a child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” - Jesus, Matthew 18:3

The other morning I watched my grandson, Johnny, chase a butterfly in our backyard. I was totally enthralled and amazed by this experience. Johnny was absolutely tuned into the present moment as he joyfully and playfully ran after this lovely white butterfly for nearly ten minutes. It was as if the boy and the butterfly were dancing together. He never grew tired. He never gave up. The butterfly flitted from bush to bush in our backyard until it finally flew over the fence into our neighbor’s yard. Johnny stood in astonishment as he watched his butterfly companion fly away.

I couldn’t help but be a bit jealous of Johnny. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I chased a butterfly. But mostly I was grateful for the lesson my two and half year old grandson taught me. It is good to live in the present moment. It is good to laugh and shout with joy as we experience God’s beautiful creation. It is good to become like a child. Like Johnny it is a blessing to live with wonder, awe and amazement.

~ Paul

WELCOMING THE RAIN AND THE FALL SEASON

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven;” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

Today (Monday, September 9) is the first real rainy day we have had in over two months.  Here on Puget Sound the return of the rain marks the beginning of our change of seasons from summer to fall.  I find myself welcoming the rain today. Maybe because it is fresh, new and different from our weeks of warm sunshine.  But also I find something familiar and comforting about the rain.  It makes me want to stay inside and drink a cup of tea.  It makes me want to say a few more prayers today as I hang out in my home office oratory.

It seems important to pause and appreciate these transitional times, to straddle the gap.  The Celtic spiritual tradition calls them “threshold” times.  It is good to stand here on the edge, in between, at the crossroads, and become aware of our fears, anxieties, hopes and longings.  Can we welcome this change of seasons by letting go?  Can we embrace the constant flow of “impermanence” as my Buddhist friends are fond of saying?  Can it be that we are headed home to some deeper, mysterious reality in the heart of God?  The chilly rain falling today causes me to pause and reflect on these things.

What are your thoughts and feelings about the change of seasons?  What do you look forward to in the new fall season?

~ Paul

CATCH ME!

My grandson, Johnny, is two and half years old. He has a favorite game that he likes to play. Johnny stands in front of me in our backyard and yells with glee, “Catch me!” When he sees he has gotten my attention, he takes off running and shouting “catch me, catch me, catch me.” And I take off chasing after him, trying to catch him.

Johnny is really fast and I am very slow with creaky knees and sore hips. I rarely catch him. But I have discovered that the real joy for Johnny is being chased not being caught.

I shared the story of this little game with my spiritual director the other day, and she immediately said, “That is how God is.” I think she is right. God calls to us, “Catch me!” And we receive the joy of chasing after God.

What does this have to do with contemplative practice? Maybe when we sit down to pray and meditate we are responding to God’s call, “Catch me!”

~ PR

PRAYING WITH ICONS

I am wondering if any of you ever pray while looking at an icon or some other sacred image. I find praying with icons to be a very effective way to enter into contemplative prayer.

My favorite icon and the one I focus on when I begin to meditate is the Holy Trinity icon painted by the Russian artist Andrei Rublev in the fifteenth century. It depicts the three angels of God who visited Abraham and Sarah in the 18th chapter of the Book of Genesis. It is interesting that later Christians came to interpret the three figures in this story to be the three persons of the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When Rublev wrote his famous icon, he was inspired to portray the Mystery of the Holy Trinity through this wonderful story. 

 I would encourage you to try praying with an icon or image, if you are not already doing so. For me the icon “primes the pump” of my imagination. It enables me to focus and get centered. It helps me enter into the Divine Presence. And then after gazing at the icon for a little while, I let it go and focus upon resting in God’s presence without the image, knowing I can return to it anytime I need to refocus. (Many people actually practice Centering Prayer by using a sacred image instead of a sacred word.)

I would enjoy hearing from any of you about your experience of praying with icons or images.

 ~ PR

STAND AT THE CROSSROADS AND LOOK

Thus says the Lord, “Stand at the crossroads and look, and ask for the ancient paths and where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.”    Jeremiah 6:16

One of the benefits of contemplative practice is that it causes us to slow down and actually stop on a regular basis. We get into the holy habit of pausing for a while and just being in the Divine Presence. This is good for our souls and the gradual unfolding of our lives.

Imagine that you are walking along a country road and you arrive at a place where two roads intersect. You stop and look in all directions. To the right and to the left. Ahead and behind. In pausing, looking and pondering, you figure out which way to go and then continue on your journey.

Jeremiah invites us to stop and go through a similar process in our prayer lives. The prophet encourages us to stop and pray that we recognize the “ancient paths, where the good way lies.”

Contemplation is an ancient path which can be trusted. By following this time tested spiritual practice of stopping and meditating, we find rest for our souls. And we gradually discern the good way God sets before us.

~ PR