Madeline, my teacher

She is a petite woman, in her late 60's perhaps early 70's. Her lines on her face speak of a life of struggle and perseverance but her eyes, they are deep pools of a history that has both sorrow and hope. They speak "Look deep for I have seen much, I have a story to tell."

For a number of weeks now on my way home from work I have seen Madeline rummaging through the recyclable trash and food compost gathering the cans and crushing them and sorting through the freshly baked loaves of bread from this upscale bakery as if sifting for gold and only choosing the best. " The most organic, the most healthy and tasty of them all", she says to me. She recites the macrobiotic table like you or I would say the alphabet and she knows precisely how to mix the right amount of protein with her grains to the absolute detail of the grams. "I might not always remember my middle name but I do know this she exclaims with confidence. I have known this for over 40 years!" she states with exuberance.

Madeline tells me about the economy knowing all the right names, the statistics, stocks and outsourcing of jobs and has obviously been reading about it for years but mostly............experiencing it. You see Madeline lives in a very small apartment where she has resided for decades and says "You know I have to make ends meet, I get $845 per month and that must cover rent, food, my medical expenses.....everything." Madeline does not say this with bitterness or anger but matter of factly and grieves the state of our nation, our world. She speaks clearly , with wisdom, insight and obviously a woman who has learned from her every day life.

"I was in marketing you know when I used to work." I acknowledge her experience and she continues on without missing a beat. "I like this particular bread, this fabulous whole wheat with peanut butter and this one, this seeded one with vegetables when I can get them."

"What is your name?" she asks, "My name is Bill", I reply. "Nice to meet you Bill, would you like to share a piece of bread with me? It is fresh, see, right out of this bag and it has not been touched." I am taken back.....what share this from a compost can? Where has it been? I'm not used to this, I quietly think within myself, is this safe?

Madeline takes the slice of bread out of the bag and offers it to me but then looks deeply into my eyes and says, no, no, take two" and holds out her hand to give them to me. I pause, I let go of all my fear at this moment, reach out my hand and say "Thank you Madeline" and then I knew without another word being spoken we were connected with every cell, every breath and in this present moment we were partakers, together of the Bread of LIfe.

POOR IN SPIRIT

Over the past few weeks I have been reflecting on the poor. Yes, I know a much discussed topic among so many of various faiths. I work so much with the poor, their poverty only recently has astounded me, moved me and brought me to deep compassion. I can not do this by myself for honestly, I don't have it in me but perhaps by mercy I see with different eyes, the eyes of the Divine. It is here that I see our Creator deep within them and they are my brother's, my sister's and they are me, in spirit and in their humanity. Can I see them as the Divine does, with mercy, with acceptance, with love? Often we as a society are asked "Why are there the poor?" That is a question that even Jesus did not get into directly but only to say "the poor will be with you always." Am I willing to give of myself, be present? I am saddened often by the injustice of our culture and have found myself speaking up more and more sometimes with risk, with consequences but there is something deep within that beckons me to do so.

As I have thought about this another poor comes to mind, the poor in spirit. Here I am moved beyond words. I am moved because at some point in our lives we are all poor in spirit. We long for truth, authenticity, something greater than ourselves We desire the Greater, they I Am, the Mystery. We desire to experience and know at any cost, Where did I come from? Why am I here? and Where am I going? Can I live on this earth in fullness, in truth, in authenticity? Can I be real , open and naked? Our culture tells us "No" but our Creator tells us "Yes." St. Augustine of Hippo states "Our hearts were made for you O' God and our hearts are not at rest until they are at rest in you?" Is your heart at rest, is mine.? What a gift to be invited to long for truth but yet often so painful but in it as we are purged, we are awakened and healed and in this given new life, new perspective, given.......the Kingdom of God that dwells within us, within you, within me. May it be so and may we, may I accept this gift when it comes through another, life's circumstances and by the Creator them self. Won't you listen to that stirring, to that invitation?

Open
Surrender
Pain and Grief
You ask
that I offer
unto Thee

Open to Your heart
to another, others
that You have placed
before my heart

To bear
To take in
Not that I
Might be burdened
but
so others
can know
Your love

Your patience

Your embracing love

Let me be free
Authentic and true

Giving myself to others
Giving myself to You

Unravel the veil
That Shrouds my heart

That all may come to know
Healing and Grace

and fear

Once again

would be

Dissolved

by your
most benevolent
Love

That I might know
That I might let go
and
Give of myself

Unreservedly
To You

O' Lord

Then Your Utmost Compassion
to others

Have mercy on my Soul

Will Simpson, February 5, 2011

An Alarming Reflection

This week we read of the Magi who left to follow the star that was above the place that the King of all of Creation laid. Before going they visited Herod, the so-called king of the Jews. As I was reading I was taken back, afraid of what I saw, what I felt. Could I be Herod? How could this be, how could I relate to such a vile character? I saw Herod as he was fearful, wanting to hold onto power, prestige and perhaps even afraid of what was to come, the future. He was deceitful, manipulative and schemed to maintain his authority and power, no matter what it took! Do I have that within me? Do I also have a side that both consciously and subconsciously does these things? How frightening, how utterly and thoroughly repelling!
Then there are the Magi who sought after the Star; the bright light that shown in the darkness that was the sign where Emmanuel, the true King was. The one, who redeemed, released and freed, who brought Salvation to all of humanity. I am thankful, I want to journey with them this week, I want to turn from my darkness, to the marvelous light, fall down on my knees, repent and……..worship Him

BREAK FORTH

BREAK FORTH

All of Creation
Breaks forth this night
Stars burst forth their radiance
Moon illuminates the sky

For on this night
In the City of David
Is born
A Savior
Christ the Lord

Celestial Choirs sing in jubilation
All heaven and earth are moved
For Divine becomes Incarnate
And
All, All
Kneel and fall prostrate
In reverence
In awe

Redeemer, Savior
Healer and Counselor

Deliverer,
Who ushers us
Out of the darkness and secrets of our hearts
That is as chains that bind
And weights that hold
Frees us from shame
And splits open
The pathways of our hearts
So no longer
Are we afraid
No longer do we carry
The lies
That has
Paralyzed us

Instead

Mercy, grace and forgiveness
Truth, light and liberty
Are ours

For unto us this day
In the fortress of our hearts
Is born
A Savior
Christ the Lord

May we with immense jubilation
Rejoice
Be Glad
For
The Word
Has become
Flesh


Will Simpson, December 24, 2010

A JOURNEY

A JOURNEY

Dark, Cold, Desolate
Alone

On a journey
Through a desert

What were they thinking?
What were they feeling?

Isolation
Hope

Fear
Expectation

Loneliness
Comfort

Distress

On the road

Pain

Knocking on this door
That door

No room,
No place

Rejection
Discouragement

Unwelcome

Perseverance
A glimmer
A place to rest
To give birth

Not where they expected
Perhaps not even what they wanted
But still
They were ready

They were pregnant
Due to deliver
To give birth

Is it not the same for us?
Often a solitary journey
One with pain, with sorrow
Rejection as we knock on the doors
To be let in

To have a place of comfort
Perhaps with one another
And sometimes

It comes
where
we least expect it

Alone
Or in a place we would not choose by ourselves
But we have been searching on this journey
This road of life

Sometimes seemingly without hope
In a wasteland
We search for that place
To give birth

For we are pregnant

Expecting with desire

For the Truth

The Answer

Hope never-ending

To live

Now

Are we willing to go
To that place?
To that place we often fear
That place of being alone
Not with a crowd
Not in comfort
But by and with ourselves
And here in this quiet place
Allow the angels themselves
Come to us and say
“Glory to God in the Highest
and peace to all people on earth”
and then
Out of the center of our being

Emerges
the
New Born King!

Will Simpson, December 20, 2010

AN INVITATION

What was it like for a young girl to be invited to carry within the Divine in human form?
Fear,
Awe,
Acceptance
Mystery

How can this be she exclaimed
I a virgin

“You shall conceive not by a man but by the Holy Spirit
The Spirit of the Most High God”

His name shall be Emmanuel, God with us
Counselor, Prince of Peace
And
The Salvation of all of humanity

Perplexed, puzzled, pondering

And then

A deep inner sigh

Profound humility

Acceptance

Let it be done unto me according to your Spirit

And so it happened

Days, weeks, months

Churnings, kicking,
Pain

Expecting, waiting, hope
Getting to know
Deeply within who dwells

A transformation from within
And from without

Soon a birth
A new life

What do you say?
What do I say?
When
I am asked the same?

Asked to recognize
The Divine within
The Christ

Is it also not puzzling?
Is it not something to ponder?

Are we too not like that young girl
Who conceived by the Spirit?
To
Receive
And to bear within us
His son
The Savior of the World
The Prince of Peace
That we too
May know
Salvation
Freedom
Liberty
And in so doing
As Christ became Human
We experience
The Divine

We too are puzzled, perplexed
Ponder

And for us also
Profound humility
Must take place for us
To respond
As that young girl

With

Yes, let it be done unto me according to your spirit

Let it be so

We wait for you
We expect you
In this Advent Season

Come Lord Jesus
Blossom within
Our hearts

Will Simpson, December

AN INVITATION

What was it like for a young girl to be invited to carry within the Divine in human form?
Fear,
Awe,
Acceptance
Mystery

How can this be she exclaimed
I an a virgin

“You shall conceive not by a man but by the Holy Spirit
The Spirit of the Most High God”

His name shall be Emmanuel, God with us
Counselor, Prince of Peace
And
The Salvation of all of humanity

Perplexed, puzzled, pondering

And then

A deep inner sigh

Profound humility

Acceptance

Let it be done unto me according to your Spirit

And so it happened

Days, weeks, months

Churnings, kicking’s,
Pain

Expecting, waiting, hope
Getting to know
Deeply within who dwells

A transformation from within
And from without

Soon a birth
A new life

What do you say?
What do I say?
When
I am asked the same?

Asked to recognize
The Divine within
The Christ

Is it too not also puzzling?
Is it not something to ponder?

And are we too not like that young girl
Who conceived by the Spirit?
To
Receive
And to bear within us
His son
The Savior of the World
The Prince of Peace
That we too
May know Salvation
Freedom, liberty
And in so doing
As Christ became Human
We experience
The Divine

We too are puzzled, perplexed
Ponder

And for us also
Profound humility
Must take place for us
To respond
As that young girl
With

Yes, let it be done unto me according to your spirit

Let it be so
We wait for you
We expect you
In this Advent Season

Come Lord Jesus
Come to birth within
Our hearts

Will Simpson, December 18, 2010