"So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus..."
Luke 19:4
Today's Gospel about Zacchaeus climbing a tree to get a better look at Jesus is so similar to yesterday's story of the blind man who shouts out to Jesus. I noticed in both cases there seemed to be no concern for embarrassment or how the guys came across to others. In the case of the blind guy, others tried to shut him up and he didn't care, he shouted on. In Zacchaeus' case, the people were tsk-tsking him, grumbling about his dirty dealing and ill gotten gains. Jesus would have none of it. When Jesus encounters someone, no matter who they are or what they've done, they are changed. What about us? Is it only first century folks changed by Jesus? Certainly not! We are changed and transformed by Jesus just as vividly if our eyes are open and our hearts are beating with God. Sometimes, we look back on our encounters and wish we had responded differently. But, if we are reading this, we are alive and have a whole new opportunity today to see Jesus in the people and situations around us. While reading both of these stories, let's also take notice that Jesus beckons the fellows to him even before they apologize for any wrongdoing or announce they will change their ways. Jesus accepts them just as they are--needy, seeking and broken. Just as we are. Love, heidi
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Shout out?
"He shouted, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'"
Luke 18:38
So often when I hear this reading, I zero in on the healing of the blind man from Jericho. But, today I was caught up in the asking, the shouting for Jesus. Pray-As-You-Go invites us to think about anything that may be keeping us from reaching out to Jesus, shouting by the roadside, as this fellow did. He had nothing to lose, really, but do we? Are we concerned what others will think if we rely on Jesus? Is there anything that is keeping us from shouting out? In my own life, I am less and less concerned what others think (I hope), but I am so easily distracted by things of this world that I spend too much time "there." Yesterday afternoon, I'd finally had enough of documentaries on TV and just shut the whole world out. I sat and gazed at my tree, listened to some wonderful music daughter Jeni Rose sent me from Israel, ate a small dinner in silence and then had a fire in my fireplace (first one!) I found it enchanting to be tuned into God and not the TV. So, if I had to answer what is keeping me from reaching out to Jesus? I would have to say my own distracted-ness. I get mesmerized by the computer, TV and the connections of the world. Once I decide to unplug from those, I can rest and relax, reaching out to Jesus. What about you? Love, heidi
Luke 18:38
So often when I hear this reading, I zero in on the healing of the blind man from Jericho. But, today I was caught up in the asking, the shouting for Jesus. Pray-As-You-Go invites us to think about anything that may be keeping us from reaching out to Jesus, shouting by the roadside, as this fellow did. He had nothing to lose, really, but do we? Are we concerned what others will think if we rely on Jesus? Is there anything that is keeping us from shouting out? In my own life, I am less and less concerned what others think (I hope), but I am so easily distracted by things of this world that I spend too much time "there." Yesterday afternoon, I'd finally had enough of documentaries on TV and just shut the whole world out. I sat and gazed at my tree, listened to some wonderful music daughter Jeni Rose sent me from Israel, ate a small dinner in silence and then had a fire in my fireplace (first one!) I found it enchanting to be tuned into God and not the TV. So, if I had to answer what is keeping me from reaching out to Jesus? I would have to say my own distracted-ness. I get mesmerized by the computer, TV and the connections of the world. Once I decide to unplug from those, I can rest and relax, reaching out to Jesus. What about you? Love, heidi
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Like a child...
"For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."
Luke 17:21
"Did your hair used to be all black and now it's turning white?" We have a new kid in second grade and he needed to clear up the question of my hair color before we could get to the spelling words. There are so many times I feel like I'm on a TV sit com and cannot possibly say, out loud, the funny things the writers are giving me to say. But the whole experience of this job is showing me the Kingdom of God, right here, right now. It's not always hilariously funny. Some of the kids' comments are maddening. Like the kid who was angry with me and looked down at my Mary Jane shoes and said scathingly, "You don't even know how to tie your shoes." (At the time that was maddening, but now it's funny. Sort of.) I think we tend to romanticize the Kingdom of God, but in reality, Jesus is telling us the Kingdom of God may be challenging. The Kingdom of God may test our mettle. If the Kingdom is among us now it is difficult, filled with life and death, rejoicing and suffering, mourning and dancing. What makes it the Kingdom of God is the presence of God among us and I think that is what Jesus is giving us with this passage. The Kingdom of God is among us because God is among us...right in the middle of the mess. God is surrounding us with revealing situations and people who show us, sometimes more clearly than others, God's presence in the midst of this life. It's may be easier to see the presence of God in second graders, that is why Jesus set a child in the middle of the disciples and told them to be more like children. Let's look closely at our lives today and see the Kingdom of God right here right now, no matter who it is revealing God to us. Love, heidi
Luke 17:21
"Did your hair used to be all black and now it's turning white?" We have a new kid in second grade and he needed to clear up the question of my hair color before we could get to the spelling words. There are so many times I feel like I'm on a TV sit com and cannot possibly say, out loud, the funny things the writers are giving me to say. But the whole experience of this job is showing me the Kingdom of God, right here, right now. It's not always hilariously funny. Some of the kids' comments are maddening. Like the kid who was angry with me and looked down at my Mary Jane shoes and said scathingly, "You don't even know how to tie your shoes." (At the time that was maddening, but now it's funny. Sort of.) I think we tend to romanticize the Kingdom of God, but in reality, Jesus is telling us the Kingdom of God may be challenging. The Kingdom of God may test our mettle. If the Kingdom is among us now it is difficult, filled with life and death, rejoicing and suffering, mourning and dancing. What makes it the Kingdom of God is the presence of God among us and I think that is what Jesus is giving us with this passage. The Kingdom of God is among us because God is among us...right in the middle of the mess. God is surrounding us with revealing situations and people who show us, sometimes more clearly than others, God's presence in the midst of this life. It's may be easier to see the presence of God in second graders, that is why Jesus set a child in the middle of the disciples and told them to be more like children. Let's look closely at our lives today and see the Kingdom of God right here right now, no matter who it is revealing God to us. Love, heidi
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Seeking God's will...
"My chief care should not be to find pleasure or success, health or life or money or rest or even things like virtue and wisdom...But in all that happens, my one desire and my one joy should be to know: 'Here is the thing that God willed for me. In this God's love is found, and in accepting this I can give back God's love to God...'"
Thomas Merton, "New Seeds of Contemplation"
Whoa...does this sound like a gamer-changer to anyone? All this time we thought we were striving for success, even success in holiness. And all along if we just seek to find God's will for us, God will meet us right there! If you have been reading some of the same spiritual sources I have these last several years, we've learned that God's will for us can be found by searching our own deep desires. Wow. Fabulous, isn't it? We can find God's grace and presence all over our lives as we seek our deepest desires. God will be there, bolster us up, cheer us on, send others to help us. Days that we struggle to get a head of steam for what we are to accomplish just need to be lifted up. We will be helped from the inside, but also those around us can be shining lights for us, too. As we are going about our daily doings, we are loving God with God's own gift of Love to us. Brilliant, really. Let's spend some time with this in prayer and see where it takes us! Love, heidi
Thomas Merton, "New Seeds of Contemplation"
Whoa...does this sound like a gamer-changer to anyone? All this time we thought we were striving for success, even success in holiness. And all along if we just seek to find God's will for us, God will meet us right there! If you have been reading some of the same spiritual sources I have these last several years, we've learned that God's will for us can be found by searching our own deep desires. Wow. Fabulous, isn't it? We can find God's grace and presence all over our lives as we seek our deepest desires. God will be there, bolster us up, cheer us on, send others to help us. Days that we struggle to get a head of steam for what we are to accomplish just need to be lifted up. We will be helped from the inside, but also those around us can be shining lights for us, too. As we are going about our daily doings, we are loving God with God's own gift of Love to us. Brilliant, really. Let's spend some time with this in prayer and see where it takes us! Love, heidi
Friday, November 9, 2018
Ms. Not Me...
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you?"
1 Corinthians 3:16
Pray-As-You-Go asked this morning if we are aware of this presence of God within us? Can we ever sense that there is a light within we can identify as God? I thought about it and realized that there are so many times when "Not Me" does or says stuff that sure isn't me! Ms. Not Me surprises me with a reserve reservoir of patience just when I need it. Not Me says much kinder things than I usually do or that my mind may be thinking. Not Me seems to take more positive action than I could ever think to take, for others. I'm pretty sure Not Me is God's indwelling Spirit within me. All of us are graced with the dwelling of God within us. That is why it is so important that we treat each other as lovingly as we can! God dwells in me as well as in you, and you, and you! Realizing that, we can rely on the spirit of God to influence us to be the best we can be. We also realize that everyone has this indwelling, not just the people we like or who are like us. So, Ms. Not Me really IS me, just a little nicer version of me, with God's pulse beating within me. Today, this autumn Friday and all weekend, let's make a special attempt to treat each other like special containers of God's Spirit. And let's rely on that very Spirit within us to do it with love. Love, heidi
1 Corinthians 3:16
Pray-As-You-Go asked this morning if we are aware of this presence of God within us? Can we ever sense that there is a light within we can identify as God? I thought about it and realized that there are so many times when "Not Me" does or says stuff that sure isn't me! Ms. Not Me surprises me with a reserve reservoir of patience just when I need it. Not Me says much kinder things than I usually do or that my mind may be thinking. Not Me seems to take more positive action than I could ever think to take, for others. I'm pretty sure Not Me is God's indwelling Spirit within me. All of us are graced with the dwelling of God within us. That is why it is so important that we treat each other as lovingly as we can! God dwells in me as well as in you, and you, and you! Realizing that, we can rely on the spirit of God to influence us to be the best we can be. We also realize that everyone has this indwelling, not just the people we like or who are like us. So, Ms. Not Me really IS me, just a little nicer version of me, with God's pulse beating within me. Today, this autumn Friday and all weekend, let's make a special attempt to treat each other like special containers of God's Spirit. And let's rely on that very Spirit within us to do it with love. Love, heidi
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
The heaviest purse of all...
"In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33
Yesterday, in my first grade reading group, we had the word "eek!" in a story. Good thing, because I can use it effectively today. Eek! I say, Jesus. This seems a bit harsh, especially to someone like me who has done quite a bit of renouncing possessions in the last couple of years. So I sit and ask myself, what is there left to renounce? It comes to me easily from a book I read last year on retreat. According to St. Francis, we must set down the "purse of our own opinions." Another excellent opportunity to use the word Eek! That is the heaviest purse I own, truly. But what if my opinions are right? Do I still need to set them down? I think we need to hold them very lightly. Have a gentle, loose grip on our own opinions and try not to shove them down anyone else's throat. Don't think just because we are so right that everyone who disagrees with us is wrong. It's a good lesson to have the day after an election, don't you think? The lessons I am learning from St. Francis are to live our opinions instead of just carrying them around in a footlocker. If we live our lives in the manner of our Gospel beliefs, we won't have to say a word, much less preaching our opinions to others or hitting people over the head with them. So, today, let's think about how we can actually live what we believe as followers of Jesus. Let's consider setting down the heavy purse of our own right-ness and just go about our day, living Matthew 25:31-46. Love, heidi
Luke 14:33
Yesterday, in my first grade reading group, we had the word "eek!" in a story. Good thing, because I can use it effectively today. Eek! I say, Jesus. This seems a bit harsh, especially to someone like me who has done quite a bit of renouncing possessions in the last couple of years. So I sit and ask myself, what is there left to renounce? It comes to me easily from a book I read last year on retreat. According to St. Francis, we must set down the "purse of our own opinions." Another excellent opportunity to use the word Eek! That is the heaviest purse I own, truly. But what if my opinions are right? Do I still need to set them down? I think we need to hold them very lightly. Have a gentle, loose grip on our own opinions and try not to shove them down anyone else's throat. Don't think just because we are so right that everyone who disagrees with us is wrong. It's a good lesson to have the day after an election, don't you think? The lessons I am learning from St. Francis are to live our opinions instead of just carrying them around in a footlocker. If we live our lives in the manner of our Gospel beliefs, we won't have to say a word, much less preaching our opinions to others or hitting people over the head with them. So, today, let's think about how we can actually live what we believe as followers of Jesus. Let's consider setting down the heavy purse of our own right-ness and just go about our day, living Matthew 25:31-46. Love, heidi
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