"DWTS - Discerning With The Stars"

If any of you have been watching Dancing With The Stars, you would see that Donald Driver (Green Bay Packers all-time leading receiver) is one of the dance contestants.  I seem to be caught up in this season’s program because of the diverse talent.  I never realized that dancing takes so much physical stamina, agility, and skill.  I googled "skills of dance" and here are some of my findings for abilities that are needed: balance, sense of beat, flexibility, interest in doing it, ability to communicate through movement, stage presence, trust, strength, mental skills, good memorization ability, and belief in yourself.

In the post Resurrection reading of Acts 3:1-10, we meet Peter and John on their way up to pray at the Temple.  Along the path, they meet a crippled man who has sat daily by the “Beautiful Gate” and begged for alms.  Acknowledging the man, Peter says that they have no money “but what I do have, I give you.  In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk!”  What follows is a movement right out of DWTS!  Peter takes the man by the hand, pulls him up, and his feet and ankles become firm.  He jumps to his feet and walks into the Temple with them, “walking back and forth, dancing and praising God.”  Wow! Such Resurrection energy, presence, and spirit!  Peter and John no longer bend to look into an empty tomb, but live with a “stage presence” that shouts, "God is ALIVE!"

When I ponder the process of discernment, I can’t help relating this to the skills of dancing.  Discernment is a personal but never private dance.  It calls for a willingness to be open to many dance partners, such as the Spirit, intuition, friends, mentors, vocation discerners, and spiritual directors.  Discerning calls for trust, timing, flexibility in searching, ability to communicate your needs and interests, exploring your strengths, talents and purpose, the ability to try to keep balanced with all the uncertainty of the journey, learning to be responsive to the process while creating your path as you walk it.  Also, having heart-strength and mental strength through self-reflection, self-awareness, and daily prayer.  And most of all – belief in yourself and God’s grace!

I have to admit, that through my years in religious life, I have met many STARS! Women and men who have made a difference in my life and the lives of others.  In CSA, there have been women who have established hospitals, clinics, alternative health care centers, colleges, homeless shelters - especially for at-risk women and children, hospice centers, and schools. There are many other diverse services that CSA has initiated, such as, being law aides to immigrants, theologians, musicians, parish leaders, and retreat directors, and ministers to the elderly and shut-ins, as well as artists, massage therapists, and spiritual guides.  You can find out more about the CSA’s "dance of ministry" on our website at www.csasisters.org and click on Ministries.  It has been a delight to dance with these STARS through my own partnering with CSA all these years!!

“God does call us to ‘be ourselves’ and ‘do what we are.’  But we are only truly ‘ourselves’ and can only truly ‘do what we are’ when we follow God’s call.  Giftedness that is ‘ours for others’ is therefore not selfishness but service that is perfect freedom.’” (Rising to the Call by Os Guinness)