Sometimes we need to slow down, pause for a moment and simply soak it all in. The wonder and beauty of creation is all around us if we simply allow ourselves to be invited into the contemplation of Godde’s creation. Thomas Merton recorded his thoughts on a winter morning in his journal on February 17, 1958.
Lovely blue and mauve shadows on the snow, and the indescribably delicate color of the sunlit patches of snow. All the life of color is in the snow and the sky. The green of the pines is dull and brownish. The dead leaves, still clinging tenaciously to the white oaks, are also dull brown. The cold sky is very blue, and the air is dry and frozen so that, for the first time in years, I see and breathe the winters of New York and not the mild or ambivalent winters of Kentucky. (The Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume 3 1952-1950 — A Search for Solitude: Pursuing the Monk’s True Life)
Lord, help us to pause more often and to simply be still. In that stillness may we see the wonder of your creation and hear your gentle whisper. Amen.
Why is it important that we remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer today? Why are his writings still as relevant today as they were during his lifetime? Bonhoeffer’s writings and life are a stark reminder that Christians and the Church have a responsibility to speak out against the union of Christianity, nationalism, and militarism that was on full display during the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
The church is at a critical crossroads in these times of chaos and uncertainty. Jesus himself spoke out against the “wedding” of the temple and the empire. I believe the church and individual Christ-followers have a responsibility as well to speak out against today’s blending of faith, nationalism, and militarism.
— Read on godspacelight.com/2022/02/04/dietrich-bonhoeffers-birthday/
| Verse of the day So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 |
| Voice of the day I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving in. – Rosa Parks, Quiet Strength (1994) |
| Prayer of the day May we be disrupters and resisters engaged in the good work of saying ‘no.’ May our actions lead to harvest. |
“Man is not free from conditions. But he is free to take a stand in regard to them.”—Viktor Frankl
Against my own best intentions, I find myself continually striving to acquire power. When I give advice, I want to know whether it is being followed; when I offer help, I want to be thanked; when I give money, I want it to be used my way; when I do something good, I want to be remembered. I might not get a statue, or even a memorial plaque, but I am constantly concerned that I not be forgotten, that somehow I will live on in the thoughts and deeds of others.
But the father of the prodigal son is not concerned about himself. His long-suffering life has emptied him of his desires to keep in control of things. His children are his only concern; to them he wants to give himself completely, and for them he wants to pour out all of himself.
Can I give without wanting anything in return, love without putting any conditions on my love? Considering my immense need for human recognition and affection, I realize that it will be a lifelong struggle. But I am also convinced that each time I step over this need and act free of my concern for return, I can trust that my life can truly bear the fruits of God’s Spirit.
“Imagine as you breathe in and out that your breath is connected in rhythm to the breath of the people you love who are also breathing in and out at this very moment.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, The Self-Study Online Retreat ~ Water, Wind, Earth and Fire: Praying with the Elements
How does this awareness of the rhythm of breathing within which we live give you a sense of kinship with creation?
As we approach our time of Sabbath rest and renewal, Denise and I have been spending evenings and mornings discussing what lies ahead. The funny thing is that we don’t know exactly what is ahead of us. Yes, spending time with my dad in Minnesota is a part of this time. Finishing the work that still needs to be done to close Denise’s parents estates is a part of this time. But what about our daily activities? What about our calendars? I realize that I have spent almost 35 years in ministry working according to someone else’s calendar or expectations. As a mother, wife, volunteer, and worker, Denise has spent many years working/living according to someone else’s calendar or expectations.
We don’t know what the lessons from this time of Sabbath rest will be. And we continue to be in awe of the fact that these two planners aren’t worried at all about an unknown future. As our prayer and reflection time continue to deepen, we are excited about this unknown future and what God has in store for us as She guides us along the path.
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and the Rev, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr invited people to take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
As we take the first steps and as the church takes their first steps in the unfolding journey, I offer this quote from Thomas Merton:
You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. — (Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander)
Wherever you are in your journey dear reader, may you find the blessings of the present moment. As Thich Nhat Hanh once said, the present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.
“Through my love for you, I want to express my love for the whole cosmos, the whole of humanity, and all beings. By living with you, I want to learn to love everyone and all species. If I succeed in loving you, I will be able to love everyone and all species on Earth. . . . This is the real message of love.”
—Thich Nhat Hahn
Today we find ourselves on a journey with very dear friends
A journey of sabbath discovery and the prayerful presence of dear friends
Imbolc (Brigid’s feast day) welcomes us to embrace the beginning of new life in the midst of winter
I also find myself enjoying Brigid’s famous (or infamous) prayer which Fr Daniel Berrigan had written on the walls of his apartment. Thank you Paul Pynkoski and Jim Forest for this reminder
I should like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings.
I should like the angels of heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.
I should like excellent meats of belief and purity.
I should like flails of penance at my house.
I should like the men of heaven at my house;
I should like barrels of peace at their disposal;
I should like vessels of charity for distribution;
I should like for them cellars of mercy.
I should like cheerfulness to be in their drinking.
I should like Jesus to be there among them.
I should like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us.
I should like the people of heaven, the poor, to be gathered around us from all parts.
(Source- At Play in the Lions’ Den by Jim Forest )
And now, as the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your thankful Padre…
“And then there is the question of prayer, which consists for the most part in insisting that God do for us what we are unwilling to do for one another. Resolve: Let’s do for one another what we would have God do for all. This is known as God-like activity.”—Daniel Berrigan
Pastor Michael Moore's Blog 