Sunday, May 13, 2012

Really Chosen? Really.....Dying?

A Reflection on John 15:9-17 "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. " Often I have read this phrase "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" and thought that this meant literally and perhaps it does but as of late I have considered perhaps Jesus may have meant something else. Giving up ones literal life is noble and sacrificial but what about our daily lives? By this I mean letting go of my friends idiosyncrasies, you know the little things that annoy us. Accepting them fully, unconditionally, releasing expectations and not having to be right when perhaps we are having a disagreement. Instead realizing what is most important and in the end who is really in control but none other than the living and loving God. An addage comes to mind "Silence is golden." With all of this forgiveness and remembering the commandment "Love one another as I have loved you." Wow, easier said than done and did I just feel an ouch, a death within, a laying down my life for a friend?  "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. " To be chosen, often we think that we chose Jesus but clearly here we read "I chose you." Here we see Jesus reveal what a wonderful, loving Father we have. We are all chosen if we listen to that whisper that speaks to our heart, to that longing that is so deep it is unutterable. It is here when we say yes, remain humbly grounded and remain in that love that we bear fruit of everlasting life not only for ourselves but for all of humanity.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

"Works Greater Than These"

A Reflection on John 14:7-14 "The Father is in me and I am in the Father. If you know me then you know the Father. If you do not believe this then believe the works that I do, you shall do works greater than these." "Works Greater Than These" Often in many circles in the Christian faith one thinks of "works greater than these" as moving miracles, extraordinary events and momentous healing's but I wonder if Jesus was speaking of works that are motivated in mercy in our practical every day lives? The works of mercy to the poor, the hungry, the destitute? Works that are not so much recognized by outward signs and wonders but that of the heart. The day to day interactions of our every day life. The ones that take time, patience and resignation of our own inability to make something happen. Something simple that expresses itself in the acknowledgement of a person who is dirty, smells and in our natural eyes repugnant. Who are they, what is their name? Jesus acknowledged, Jesus paused, took the time and in so doing gazed into the persons heart, spoke their name. In so doing saw beyond the immediate need but deeper to a place of acceptance, worthiness, respect and mercy. He did not forget the practical needs for he fed them, provided for them and in so doing called them forth in all of their humanity, in all of their soul and in all of their spirit. He restored their dignity. Am I asked to do the same? Am I asked to "follow me"into those places? I too have experienced Jesus's touch, his mercy, his restoration through his expression in the face of humanity. My practical every day life. It is here where I gain hope, I am deeply brought to a place of humility and gratitude and it is here that I am raised up. I see the Father, the merciful God for it is here that Jesus and the Father are One.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I Choose to See!

What Do You Choose To Do This Day?
I Choose to See!

Even during this season of Lent it is difficult for me to slow down. All sorts of things are vying for my attention. In my day to day life it is the people I serve; the poor, the marginalized, the disenfranchised. I am pressed in many directions and it is especially here that I, if I choose can practically experience the Gospel. This sounds so wonderful at first but then the practical every day STUFF happens. I think I am equipped to meet their needs, have excellent resources, programs for each to participate in and have "a better life." This all sounds good and it is but in reality it does not speak to the heart. It meets the requirements of food and shelter but there is more. Where does it speak to the soul, the true desire, to be known, to be heard, to be loved, to have a name that is spoken with acceptance and respect?

Lent is a season of transformation from darkness to light, winter into spring and I can not help to see, by grace my own darkness by the light that is shown on my heart. It is shown when I expect. When i expect these "things" to meet the desired outcome. Whose desire? What desire? Could it be that there is a deeper more profound desire? A desire for hunger and thirst for righteousness sake?

On Ash Wednesday when the ashes were placed on my forehead it was said "Repent and turn to the Gospel."

Could it be the Gospel is turning to me? The true desire is seeking me?
The Gospel invites me daily in my day to day life but often I am blind.

Have mercy on me, a sinner and may I be given the eyes of the heart to see.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Saturday, February, 25, 2012

What Do You Choose To Do This Day?

"Being in the world without being of the world." For so long i did not have a clue to the meaning of this instruction which we find in the Gospel of John. How can I be in the world and not of it? For years this has perplexed me but over the last few some glimmer has assisted me in understanding. This is not an understanding of critical analysis but rather one that had to take the long journey to my heart.

Being in the world without being of the world" is counter cultural. The business of life, our economics, social interactions expect otherwise, demand otherwise. I find myself in the place of being surrounded by the roar that wants to overcome me in noise, chatter and places me to be unaware, not noticing. Something else is being asked of me, something else is inviting me to be aware, to notice. When Jesus called Levi, and the other apostles it says he "noticed" he directed them "Follow me" and Levi did. Where is Jesus asking that of me, of you to go to that inner space that brings stillness, peace, a new way of being. Allowing the new self, the new me to step out , be other than and share with others from that space. Sometimes that sharing is without words and just is. It invites me to "Notice" to become aware and to follow.

What Do You Choose to Do This Day?

I choose to follow, to notice, to be transformed into a new way of being!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Choose Life!

What Do You Choose To Do This Day?

I choose life! During this season of Lent I become more aware of my insecurities, my fears, my darkness, this becomes evident when i am placed in circumstances where i am not comfortable, where perhaps i have been hurt or failed in the past and have never really been healed. I am usually unaware of my darkness until I am in the midst of it full throttle or more often than not when i have stepped away and have time to reflect. It is in this place that through the discomfort I sense the gentle stirrings within that speak "Peace be with you, be still." I know that voice, it is the voice that spoke to Peter and the Apostles in the midst of the storm, the voice that instills comfort, caring and love. It is the voice that unconditionally loves me through my fears, my anger, my doubts. It is the voice that calls me from my darkness of fears and illumines my heart and liberates me to accept my humanity, to receive that unconditional love, extend it to others and in so doing......choose life!

What shall you choose to do this day?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012



What Do You Choose This Day?

I remember so many years ago when I entered the monastery being asked that question"What do you choose this day?" i was being asked to choose between my old way of thinking which bound me in fear and a new way of being, the way of the heart. A way that was deeper, moved from within, an almost unnameable place. A choice that would certainly ask me to die to the old way of thinking and invite me to that new way of being, life.

Perhaps I am asked that question every day but often i am simply unaware but Lent offers to me an awareness, a mindfulness of the choices; old to new, death to life and thinking versus being. May I choose the way of the heart that invites me this day and every day to choose to be transformed into my true self, the image and likeness of the one i choose to follow, Christ within me.