Accept our "present"...

  "Why should we need to awaken our deepest and most profound selves? And how do we do it? By praying and meditating? By more silence, solitude, and sacraments? Yes to all of the above, but the most important way is to live and fully accept our present reality."

Richard Rohr, Daily Meditation, "Journey to the Center"

 

I spent some time yesterday catching up on Fr. Richard Rohr's Daily Reflections and this particular one just rang my bell! "To live and fully accept our present reality..."  That is the way to awaken our deepest selves? Incredible, that.  I'm the type of person to live, very fully, in my imagination. Especially now, as I feel I'm on a precipice with life changes looming.  I tend to live more there, in the future, than here, in the present.  But I can see how that doesn't work.  I had a powerful moment at the Hermitage years ago, as I'm waxing to Jesus about my future and Jesus gently suggests I try to do "now" better.  As I prayed with this yesterday, I thought, how can I better live and accept my present reality, right here, right now? Can I eagerly look forward to heading to work this morning after a wonderful weekend? Can I look at the beginning of this week as many opportunities to love God and show that love through my interactions with all the folks in my Monday? I prayed that I can receive the grace to do just that.  And so, here I go!  Love, heidi

Love vs fear...

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear..."

1 John 4:18

 

I really think that fear is the root of what seems so wrong in our world today. People are afraid--for themselves. They're so afraid that something bad will happen to them that they cannot see the bad that is really happening to others. Jesus' disciples in today's Gospel (Mark 6:45-52) are afraid, too, of the storm whirling around them on the sea.  Jesus says to them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid." He could be speaking to us, right now, in our day. Jesus tells us not to fear for ourselves, our own people, our stuff, but to reach out.  Others are suffering. Do not be afraid to help. The perfect love of God, channeling through us, will dispel the fear.  Love, heidi

God is love...

"...for God is love."

1 John 4:8

We've heard this all of our lives, haven't we? On Pray-as-You-Go they asked an excellent question, "How might God's love be revealed through you on this day?" Wow, that. You see, it isn't our love we spread around the world at all.  It's God's love revealed through us. The love comes from God, because God first loved us (v. 10). God's love flows through us and out to others only if we are open channels of love.  Knowing that it isn't really our love to begin with makes us shudder at being selfish with it. God only asks that we be open conduits of love, sharing what we have been bountifully given. As I sat there, pondering this earlier, I mentally went through my calendar for today, thinking of how God wants to love each person I am to see. I have a full day of opportunities to love God's people! Instead of dragging myself around this winter Tuesday, I want each encounter with others to be an opportunity to share God's love.  Sort of puts a spring in our step, doesn't it?  Let's do it! Love, heidi

Where is God?

“Sir, I believe that whenever one person shows respect for another person, there is God…”
Richard Rohr, “Hungry and You Fed Me”

Fr. Richard Rohr recounts a time he was doing retreats in India and became ill due to something he ate. A young Hindu boy was asked to care for him and he, devotedly, met every need Fr. Rohr had as he recovered. Father asked him one day, “Who is God for you?” And the lad answered with the quote above. When I read this in “Give Us This Day” yesterday, I got teary. We tend to make our God stuff so complicated! When, in reality, it is quite simple. We can see God when we love and respect others….friends, family, strangers. God is there whenever a kind word is shared, even a simple “good morning” to a stranger. God is in every simple act of respect and kindness, the tiniest one. Let's remember this beautiful truth as we begin a new year! And, as we do, we will see God everywhere! Love, heidi

Darkness is passing away...

..."for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining."

1 John 2:8

 

Did you feel that? Yesterday had 30 seconds more daylight than last Monday.  Did you notice?  Can you just imagine our cavemen ancestors when it dawned on them that the days were slowly, yet markedly, getting longer?  Picture them sitting outside the cave, warming themselves by a fire.  "Don't call me crazy, Og, but does it seem like it's a bit lighter this morning?" I wonder if they were worried that the short days would continue until there was no daylight at all...just nighttime all the time.  Imagine their excitement when they noticed the days were getting even the tiniest bit longer.  No wonder they made a holiday and festival of the winter solstice!  No wonder Pope Julius I declared the celebration of the Savior's birth at a time when the light was so welcome! The Light of God enters the world as a tiny infant, and the darkness of winter gradually gives way to minutes more light.  Both are starting small and barely noticeable. Sounds like a party to me!  Jesus, our Light, is never more welcome than when the darkness is deep.  What can we do to celebrate and thank God for coming as Light into our winter lives? 

Do You Hear Who I Hear?

"When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said..."

Matthew 2:13

In his Christmas Eve homily (recorded and in Sound Cloud), Fr. Jack Benz from St. Paul's at BSU, had a wonderful reflection on St. Joseph. He mentioned that Joseph had a dream for his own life; taking Mary as his wife and settling into ordinary life in Nazareth. But God had a bigger dream for Joseph and Mary...much bigger! Would Joseph stay small in his own dream or go BIG with God's plan? We all know that Joseph paid attention to his dreams and did what the angel of the Lord told him. But how did he know that the dream came from God? How did he know to trust what he heard in a dream?  The answer holds true for us in our time, too.  Joseph knew to trust his dreams and what he heard God telling him because he was so well acquainted with God he could recognize God's voice when he heard it.  He was in relationship with God and, just as we can recognize a friend's voice or silhouette walking towards us, Joseph could recognize God when God spoke to him. Joseph trusted God and that only comes through spending time with God and entering into relationship with God. Our question for pondering is this: do we know God well enough to hear God's voice and recognize it? What can we do in our daily lives to get close enough to God that God's voice is unmistakable when we hear it? Love, heidi

PS: It's still Christmas!