Hearing God's word...

"But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
Matthew 13:23

On Pray-As-You-Go this morning, the question is asked, "How do you hear the word of God?" Usually the question accompanying this Gospel is, which kind of soil are you, rocky, rootless or rich? But today's question was easy for me to answer. As I was listening to the podcast, my little squirrel neighbor was just getting up (we've both been sleeping in lately). I hear her before I see her, and this morning, on hearing the rustle of her presence in the tree, I looked for her. (Disclaimer: Sister Beverly is certain my squirrel is a "she," because it's the females who build the nests and actually "nest." I agreed, noting that one who works as hard as this little critter is probably a "she.") Anyway, I am hearing God's word in nature as I sit here. Observing this beautiful tree and its inhabitants teaches me about God's tender and loving care for creation. The tiniest little creature is beloved by God. God cares about the coming and going of this squirrel more than I do and I've been riveted by her for a couple weeks now! So I am hearing God's word gently spoken to me by nature. What about you, this deep summer Friday? How are you hearing God's word? Love, heidi

Blessed are our eyes and ears...

"Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear."
Matthew 13:16

See and hear what? I asked myself in the treehouse this morning.  Well, first, I thought, see the good in all. See what God is doing behind the scenes, see how God is working through people to make good things happen. Sometimes, when things seem so far out of whack, this is hard to do, but not impossible. "Look for the helpers," Fred Rogers said. We need to see those doing good and do it ourselves. I also think we need to open our eyes and ears to the suffering around us. Some people do a good job of covering up their suffering and we may have to look deeply into their eyes to see what they need. We need to see them and hear the words they say and maybe peer under the words they say for how we can help them. Finally, (I love lessons in threes!) we need to open our eyes and ears to how we can help. We may feel completely helpless in healing situations that feel way too difficult to fix. That's when we sit down in silence and just show up to God for ideas. Here I am, what should I do? And, as we trust that all will be revealed exactly when we need it to be, we go out of our way to be kind to everyone we meet, we pick up trash when we see it, and we look for the good in all that is all around us. And that is plenty for a summer Thursday! Love, heidi

Here I am...

"And in one of the most grace-filled moments of a life full of grace, Dorothy finds herself praying to the Blessed Mother. 'Here I am--what would you have me do?' Isn't this that liminal space cherished by the Irish, that mysterious time of waiting and wandering? Isn't it about hearing the call?"
Kate Hennessy, "Dorothy Day--The World Will Be Saved By Beauty"

Thanks be to God for this liminal time of waiting I am enjoying right now, giving me the time to read this fabulous book! Dorothy Day's youngest granddaughter has written this intimate portrait of her "Granny," as she calls Dorothy Day, and it's wonderful. Before Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin establish Catholic Worker, Dorothy is in process, growing in faith and conviction, growing in love with God. All this growing had to happen first. Yesterday, as I sat in God's employment office (noon mass), I prayed this same prayer...
Here I am, Lord, show me what I'm to do. I feel I'm waiting for your call to serve, too. I pray to be eager and ready to serve you by serving yours!
Meanwhile, I'm relishing this time of rest and beauty, hanging out in the treehouse, knowing that God will call when the time is right. I pray to be able to leap up and jump in!  Love, heidi

Justly, tenderly, humbly...

"Act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8

God was having the prophet Micah tell the people he (God was a "he" back then!) was no longer interested in the blood sacrifices and previous methods they were using to worship. The burnt offerings, gallons of oil, critters of all kinds sacrificed on penitential altars were no longer what God asked of the people. I had to wonder myself, was God trying to make it easier for the people? Was God essentially lowering the bar to make him happy? Because I think not. Isn't it easier to go in, sacrifice an animal and then just go out and do what you want? It's messier, surely, but it's easier to do this ritual and then go out and treat people every which way. You can be as crabby and disagreeable as you want because, hey, you performed this ritual for God. God is calling it exactly right here. Treat each other better, love each other tenderly, and don't act like a big shot; that's all God really wants. And that is so much harder than just going in and performing a ritual. What can we do today to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God? What does that look like on our summer Monday? We probably attended our church ritual yesterday, but our desire to please God doesn't end there, with that! Love, heidi