Scarcity and Abundance!

One Yom Kippur, the Rabbi was eavesdropping on the prayers of his followers when he was captivated by the supplication of a farmer. “Lord God, Master of the Universe, I realize that I have not been faithful this past year. There have been times when I did not unyoke the oxen before sunset marked the beginning of Sabbath, and there have been times when I have said unkind words to my wife . . . and I will admit it, there have been times when I was harsh in correcting my children. But You, Lord God, Master of the Universe, have not been so faithful either. There was that frost right after I planted the potatoes, so I had to start over again. And there was not enough rain for the season, so the spuds are a bit small. So, I tell you what.  If you forgive me, I will forgive you.         (Elie Weisel, Sages and Dreamers)

This past week I have experienced both scarcity and abundance. Scarcity, meaning a shortage; an inadequate amount, less than the needed amount, not enough to satisfy everyone  The scarcity I witnessed was as I traveled from east to west across our State. Sections of our State and nearby States have received less than 3 inches of rain since June. Much like the story, there simply has not been enough rain to cause the crops to grow through their natural stages. Terms such as exceptional, extreme, severe, and moderate are used to describe the drought that has gripped this part of the US. Crops have been damaged, pastures have stopped growing, rivers and lakes are below normal with large amounts of algae and dead fish, and there is the emergence of hidden sandbars, which have minimized water traffic. Furthermore, along with these conditions, there have been elevated fire dangers resulting in a number of barn fires. Also there has been the death of recently planted young trees. I observed a large field of small evergreens that were “French Fried” – all waiting their demise by being turned over by the plow of the farmer’s tractor. So what do we learn from this “new normal”?  What are we to ponder about our environment?  How are we assessing our needs and wants?  How does scarcity become our teacher at times like this?  What can we do as individuals, communities, or global peoples when scarcity becomes a reality for us with our infinite “not enough” demons cajoling our wants and desires? Certainly, this is not about forgiving God – but maybe inviting God into our ponderings and plannings as to how we can be wise stewards of this earth where we all share in the “sorrowful and joyful mysteries” of our planet, and are called forth to carry on the Creator’s gardening skills!! 

Secondly, the abundance I experienced was at the FranciscanSpirituality Center in LaCrosse, WI. Abundance - meaning: a fullness of spirit that overflows!  This past week, 24 people participated in a directed retreat practicum, where they honed their skills of deep listening while companioning a person on a modified silent directed retreat experience.  Here there was the profound sensing of God’s presence as directors “walked” with their directees. Mentors were available to listen at the level of the sacred with these soon-to- be-full-fledged spiritual directors. Both small group and individual conferences were designed for “gazing upon, considering, and contemplating” the movement of the Spirit which truly was overflowing within the halls and walls of this Center.   

When I took leave, I felt filled-up and overflowing much like the “12 baskets of leftovers” in Luke 9: 17. Or maybe much like the 30 gallon water jars in John 2:8-9 that had their contents transformed from water to rich wine. I truly experienced the Holy transforming the waters of anxiety in the participants into the rich wine of a sacred calm and quiet confidence.  I am abundantly blessed!