Through our bumbling...

"It is out of our human lives that God reaches us. We expect that these lives would be less wounded, less bumbling, less muddled. We hope that our lives would have a 'pureness' to them, but God reaches us in the way that God has always reached human beings--through our ordinary, flawed lives."

Sr. Joyce Rupp, "The Cup of Our Lives"

 

This was so fascinating to me because I realized that, even after we turn our lives toward God and begin to really live our lives in God and with God, we still are so flawed! Seriously? Shouldn't we be better then?  But, alas, the flaws are still there.  We are probably even more aware of them.  I was talking to a friend yesterday about the woundedness of us little humans and we realized that, even after he rose from the dead, Jesus still had the wounds he'd suffered through his passion.  What does that teach us? How does God work through our wounds? Even with God at the center of our lives, we muddle along, as Sr. Joyce points out. In our ordinary, flawed lives, we bumble around.  And God loves us.  Such an amazing truth for us to chew on today. Love, heidi

The Kingdom of God today!

"Can the Kingdom break into my ordinary life?"

Abbot Jerome Kodell, "Give Us This Day"

 

Today's Gospel is Mark 1:14-20...Jesus is calling the fishermen.  Simon and Andrew, James and John all leave their nets and immediately follow Jesus.  The Kingdom of God has broken into their ordinary lives, and thus the question from Abbot Kodell above.  My additional question would be: How has the Kingdom broken into our ordinary lives? Assuming that it, indeed, already has.  When did it? When was it we realized that we can have a life with God right here, right now--even as we spin around on this planet? At what point did we realize that God wants to be part of all of our comings and goings and the steady beat of our work-a-day lives?  The fishermen Jesus called from their nets had a very obvious and remarkable turn around, but ours may be more subtle.  They left hearth and home to follow Jesus but Jesus may be calling us to just do what we do more prayerfully.  Let's think, this January Monday, how God's Kingdom has already broken into our lives.  Let's be aware of opening our eyes today and seeing God working in our midst. And finally, let's do whatever we do today mindful that Jesus does it with us. Love, heidi

Stilling the storm within...

"(Jesus) got into the boat with them and the wind died down."

Mark 6:51

 

There are so many aspects of this Gospel today (Mark 6:45-52) worthy of discussing, but this one sentence jumped off the page at me.  First, Jesus finished up with the five thousand, then he sends the apostles off in the boat and he goes to the mountain to pray alone. Then, the wind picks up and the apostles are tossed around the lake on the boat. Then, Jesus walks on the water toward them but he intends to go past them (?) They are terrified and Jesus reassures them, "It is I, do not be afraid: (v. 50). And, finally, Jesus climbs into the boat and the wind calms down. Phew! Epic Gospel! Like I said: much to discuss.  But, what I love today is that Jesus in our boat will calm the storm.  Inviting Jesus into our daily lives will calm the storm within us.  The storm may still seem to be there, but inside, we are calm because we have Jesus and he reassures, "It is I, do not be afraid."  This simple truth has played out so often in my own life that I can't count the times.  And the important part for me is the calming of the storm within.  The wind may still be howling, but, deep within, Jesus and I are calm.  It's incredible to think about!  I am on my way to Spiritual Direction School today, Friends!  Blessings on the rest of your week and weekend!  See you Monday...love, heidi

Bread, cup, hope...

 "Make us bread for all who are hungry

And a cup for people who thirst,

Make us hope for those on a journey,

Where the last one shall be the first."

Fr. Caleb Vogel, "Panem Tuum"

 

We sang this at our friend, Keener's, funeral last weekend and, as we did, I saw how clearly Keener personified the words.  Keener was "bread for all who are hungry" through his work at the Soup Kitchen.  I giggled when I realized that his "cup for people who thirst" was his consummate hospitality--you are never without a drink in the K's home!  And Keener's "hope for those on a journey" was his work with Hospice of Eastern Idaho.  Keener gave hope to many as he journeyed with them their final weeks and months.  This song could have been written as a tribute to Keener, surely. But, I see it as also a beckoning to us.  We are called to be bread for the hungry, a cup for the thirsty and  hope for those we meet each day. In today's Gospel (Mark 6:34-44) Jesus feeds the five thousand--gives bread for the hungry.  How are we called in our lives, today, to love the same way?  Each person we meet today--family, friend or stranger--needs us in some way.  How can we love them well? Love, heidi

Re-think! The Kingdom of heaven is at hand!

"From that time on, Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

Matthew 4:22

 

The Little Blue Book says that the word, 'repent' also means "re-think." It doesn't so much mean show sorrow for one action, but it is broader, more like "re-think" the way you do everything...change the way you live. To add emphasis to this, in this Gospel we are told that Jesus leaves Nazareth and moves to Capernaum.  He changes his life's work, too, going from carpenter to healer, preacher, proclaimer of God's Kingdom.  Jesus seems to always practice what he preaches!  So what does that mean for us, as we return to real life after the holidays? What if we cannot change our town or career as Jesus did? We can change in other ways--such as being more positive, if we tend to be negative.  Or maybe we can change and be more patient with co-workers or kinder to strangers we meet throughout our day? Maybe we need to re-think and be more enthusiastic and appreciative of our work? However we may need to re-think our life, this early January Monday, let's do it!  Love, heidi

Name that tune...

"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds..."

Psalm 98:1

 

New year, new song! Have you thought about what your new song will be for 2015? I sent a reflection paper into my Spiritual Direction instructor and she sent me back her thoughts.  One thing she mentioned has really stuck with me this week and that is the "essential truth" of surrender.  Realizing that "God knows more and better than we do."  I have to admit, I don't use the term "surrender" too often.  It's right there next to "obedience," I'm afraid.  I have to really hunt for those words in my vocabulary--I rarely dust them off and use them.  But I have thought about surrender these past several days.  And I thought about what I'd like to surrender to God; the new song I'd like to sing this year.  What about you? Have you a new song to sing this brand new year? Blessings and prayers for your 2015...Love, heidi