Saturday, February 28, 2015

"A LIFE IN TRANSFORMATION"

A LENTEN REFLECTION SERIES

“WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?”

A LIFE IN TRANSFORMATION"

Friday, February 27, 2015"A LIFE IN TRANSFORMATION"

Metamorphoo (Greek); Metamorphosis, Transfigure, Transform! These are the words we use to describe the process of life changing from one way to another .It is a reversal that occurs from within and is demonstrated by actions. It takes place in the very core of our being. It changes our thoughts, our movements, our perspective of how we see ourselves and others and it is renewal, being born anew, giving way for the true and authentic self. This transformation takes place when the Divine Christos, the Chosen One covers our very spirit with the oil of healing and calls into life our true selves. The Season of Lent, of renewal especially invites us to be mindful of this divine process. It is in this time that we experience the shifting of our interior being and participate in the emergence of our pure identity from one character to another.

Over the past few weeks I have had to allow this to take place in myself and I have also had the privilege of observing it in others. By grace I have been able to look at myself and my addictions and how I have been asked to go deeper and look attentively how they have controlled my life. How they have been used to anesthetize me, deceitfully comfort me and have kept me from sincerely seeing who I really am. Why? Because I have lived in the fear of seeing myself where I have been hurt, disappointed and disillusioned, where I have resisted the call to go deeper into the darkness of the caves of my heart. This has been painful but I have been given grace daily to move forward and to travel into these places. In and through this I can already see little by little the shackles being loosed, my breath becoming more relaxed and filled with the fresh air of hope and my entire being covered with the oil of healing. I am becoming aware and alive! This takes place slowly with surrendering, again by grace to the Christ of mercy, being accountable to others which gives me the courage and  permission to confess and in so doing become healed. I am calmly being drawn to who I really am. 

The focal point of my addictions is food. I have had the light of the Divine permeate my thoughts, words and actions. That light has brought illumination to the crevices of my mind and heart that have cried out to be helped, to be rescued and to be brought into rebirth! I have also received the oil of healing in the stories of others. They have proclaimed their stories, their journeys and their struggles which have been overcome by grace, unconditional love, acceptance and courage. They have been a healing balm and an example of lives transformed!

Who do you say I am?
You, Oh Christ are the anointed One, the one who pours out your healing oil to my very soul!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

A LENTEN REFLECTION SERIES

“WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?”

ASH WEDNESDAY

I am always struck of the bareness of the church when I enter on Ash Wednesday. Everything  is covered, all signs of life, even the alleluias are not spoken for forty days! But yet there is a great silence, a quietness that invites my spirit to be still. It is as though all things have been put to sleep and is waiting in that silence. I look up and there is a plain cross and behind it is draped the color purple, the symbol of penance. I know this cross is inviting me to a deeper place, that place of sorrow, turning away from all the habits that hinder me. My addictions, fears, anxieties and my continued belief that I can do things on my own! This cross, this purple speaks to me just the opposite. It speaks with love, grace and mercy and invites me to receive these graces and unconditional love so I can be free. Free of the things that have hindered me this past year, months and days and sometimes my entire life! I am asked to turn away from them and to turn towards the cross and humble myself. Wow, what a concept to humble myself, it is so counterintuitive and countercultural. Lent though means spring and it is a time of renewal, letting go and the emergence of hope. I have not been promised that these forty days of Lent will be easy but I am promised new life and resurrection as I, by grace submit and let go to this amazing invitation that in time humbles me in a way that restores me and brings me deep peace. Are we not all sorry for things we have done, have failed to do? Do we not all have regrets and wished we had not done something? It is common unto all of humanity. Do we not all want to let go, turn from those hinderances and take a deep breath of freedom?

As I was walking to receive the ashes, I was also walking toward that plain cross. As the ashes were placed on my forehead and the sign of the cross was made I heard these words spoken; “From dust you have come, from dust you will return.” I knew I was in the Presence of the One who Created me, created me in the image and likeness of God…….I was humbled. For it is not I who is control, it is not I who can do it on my own (although often I think I can) but Christ in his mercy and love gives me the desire, softens my heart and moves me to change, repent if you will and to be transformed more deeply into that likeness and image deeply and authentically. It is here in these forty days that I experience death and in so doing I am renewed with the splendor of resurrection life!


“Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” 

Phillippians 2:5-8

Humility (humble) is from the Latin word(s) humilitas, humilis which mean “of the earth,” low, grounded.”

I say, You Oh Christ are humble.

May each of us receive the graces of Lent, pour out our hearts and become renewed with Resurrection life!