Walking in Hope, Living in Hope, Loving in Hope . . .

 

Rough Translations by Jan Richardson

Hope nonetheless.

Hope despite.

Hope regardless.

Hope still.

 

Hope where we had ceased to hope.

Hope amid what threatens hope.

Hope with those who feed our hope.

Hope beyond what we had hoped.

 

Hope that draws us past our limits.

Hope that defies expectations.

Hope that questions what we have known.

Hope that makes a way where there is none.

 

Hope that takes us past our fear.

Hope that calls us into life.

Hope that holds us beyond death.

Hope that blesses those to come.

 

From: Circle of Grace, Wanton Gospeller Press, Orlando, FL, 2015
 http://www.janrichardson.com/index.htmlichardson.com 
©Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com
Photo by sjh

People of the Cloud!

(Artist and source unknown)

Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult--once we truly understand and accept it--then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters. Scott Peck 

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. Pema Chodron  

Spirituality means waking up. Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep. They're born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing we call human existence. Anthony de Mello     


In the Gospel, for Sunday, Jesus has taken his BFF’s  up the high mountain.  It was believed that on mountains one could go who was seeking a special relationship with God.  Here on this mountain, Jesus stands with two prophets, Moses, “the liberator” and Elijah, “the troubler of Israel.”  On this holy mountain, Jesus bursts forth into a presence that overwhelmed the disciples.  Jesus turned into a radiant laser-like beam of energy!

The voice within the cloud directs the disciples to listen to God’s Beloved – “not just here on the mountain top – but on the plains of challenge and within the valleys where the people of God experience hunger, injustice, poverty and exploitation at the hands of the powers that be.”

The Transfiguration is a moment of glory commissioning us all and empowering us to live in the presence of God and to see the radiance of that presence in all the events of our lives: the people, the cosmos, and in ourselves.  Initially, the disciples were overcome by sleep, yet with this “explosion” of divine energy, they were awake . . . wide-eyed awake!

By our Baptism, we are all called to be “people of the cloud.”  We are invited to listen, and to be wide-eyed awake to express something of God through our lives. Through us, God wants to say something to this world.  Our task is to radiate the image of God and let it shine through us by our compassion, our healing, our understanding, and our willingness to be transformed.  It is said, that the purpose of life is not to be happy.  The purpose of life is to matter, to have it make a difference that you lived at all.  Our Baptism is the gift in which we choose to live out our purpose and it is the purpose of every human being to give God glory simply by being who we are with all our potential.

In an ancient story, it is told of an old pilgrim who was making his way to the Himalayan Mountains in the bitter cold of winter when it began to rain.  An innkeeper said to him, “How will you ever get there in this kind of weather, my good man?” The old man answered cheerfully, “My heart got there first, so it’s easy for the rest of me to follow.”

So let us be open to the graces of these readings:

·                  Let us take up the challenge to be prophetic voices, “people of the cloud” and to speak for the least, the last and the lost.  

·                  Let us take up the challenge to not stay in the comfort of the present, but with an urgency move with the mission of Jesus into a future full of mystery, paradox, ambiguity, wonder, and wisdom.

·                  Finally, let us get up, look up - and see only Jesus, and not be afraid to follow our heart’s purpose and may we allow the light of God to shine in us, through us and to transform us and our world.

 

Gospel – Mark 9:2-10

² Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,

³ and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

⁴ Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁶ He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

⁷ Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

⁸ Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

 

Lenten Pondering . . .

Gather Me to Be with You

O God, gather me now to be with you as you are with me.
Soothe my tiredness; quiet my fretfulness; curb my aimlessness;
Relieve my compulsiveness; let me be easy for a moment.

 + + +  

O God, gather me to be with you as you are with me.

Forgive me for claiming so much for myself that I leave

no room for gratitude; for confusing exercises in self-importance

with acceptance of self-worth;

+ + +

For complaining so much of my burdens that I become a burden;
For competing against others so insidiously that I stifle celebrating
them and receiving your blessing through their gifts.

+ + +

O God, gather me to be with you as you are with me.

Keep me in touch with myself, with my needs,

my anxieties, my angers, my pains, my corruptions,

that I may claim them as my own rather than

blame them on someone else.

+ + +

O God, deepen my wounds into wisdom; shape my weaknesses

into compassion; gentle my envy into enjoyment,

my fear into trust, my guilt into honesty,

my accusing fingers into tickling ones.

+ + +

O God, gather me to be with you as you are with me.

(From: Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder)

https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/explorations/teachers/view/80/ted-loder

Lent~a season of soul-growth!

A story:
A businessman needing to attend a conference in a faraway city decided to travel on country roads rather than the freeways so he could enjoy a relaxing journey.  After some hours of traveling he realized he was hopelessly lost.  Seeing a farmer tending his field on the side of the road, he stopped to ask for directions. “Can you tell me how far it is to Chicago?”  he asked the farmer. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer replied.
“Well, can you tell me how far I am from Fond du Lac, WI?” the businessman questioned again.  
“Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again replied.  
“Can you at least tell me the quickest way to the main road?”  The exasperated businessman asked.  
“Nope, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again answered.
“You really don’t know very much at all, do you?” blurted the impatient businessman.
“Nope, not much, but I ain't lost,” the farmer calmly answered.

(Original source unknown)

Lent is a season of soul growth –  possibly we will need to take leave of the “business as usual” main roads in our lives and risk taking some back roads that may lead us into spaces within ourselves that we have hesitated visiting. We may find ourselves having to be more aware and watchful of signs and symbols that gently direct us to the next turn on our journey. We may even find ourselves a little lost, and having to stop to ask for directions, or just sit listening for the soft and intimate voice of the Divine whispering encouragement to our fearful and anxious hearts. 

Tia Noelle Pratt, PhD Preaches for the First Sunday of Lent (02/21/2021)

Lenten Litany on Fasting and Feasting . . .

 

Fast from judging others;

Feast on the Christ indwelling them.

Fast from emphasis on differences;

Feast on the unity of all life.

Fast from apparent darkness;

Feast on the reality of light.

Fast from thoughts of illness;

Feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from words that pollute;

Feast on phrases that purify.

Fast from discontent;

Feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger;

Feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism;

Feast on optimism.

Fast from worry;

Feast on divine order.

Fast from complaining;

Feast on appreciation.

Fast from negatives;

Feast on affirmatives.

Fast from unrelenting pressures;

Feast on unceasing prayer.

Fast from hostility;

Feast on non-resistance.

Fast from bitterness;

Feast on forgiveness.

Fast from self-concern;

Feast on compassion for others.

Fast from personal anxiety;

Feast on eternal Truth.

Fast from discouragement;

Feast on hope.

Fast from facts that depress;

Feast on truths that uplift.

Fast from lethargy;

Feast on enthusiasm.

Fast from suspicion;

Feast on truth.

Fast from thoughts that weaken;

Feast on promises that inspire.

Fast from shadows of sorrow;

Feast on the sunlight of serenity.

Fast from idle gossip;

Feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from problems that overwhelm;

Feast on prayer that undergirds.

 

- William Arthur Ward

(American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994)

Original Source Unknown

Lent . . .A movable feast . . .

 

At one time in my life, (in the other century to be exact), I was in a ministry in which I was on a team of talented, highly educated, hard-working, creative, and visionary people. All was great in relationships, purpose, goals, systems, etc. We had a few “speed bumps” now and then in which we had to “wrestle” with what was going to keep us moving forward for the sake of the people we served. We truly believed in empowerment and unlocking the potential of those we served, and how they, too, could encourage that in others as well.

Then, one day, the “keepers of the system" decided to reconfigure structures, goals, philosophies, programs, and outcomes.  No matter how many committees were designed, or meetings were scheduled, it became evident that “what was” was gone – it was no more. Our team had to make personal decisions as to how we would move forward. Conform or take leave? Regretfully, some of us discerned leaving all together. So I moved on to a Sabbatical program for three months – to catch my breath, to rest my spirit, and possibly gain insight as to where I was being invited to stretch beyond my “comfort zone.” 

Upon my return to the Midwest after my Sabbatical, I attended a liturgy on Ash Wednesday.  When the Presider began the Gospel reflection, I almost fell out of my bench. You see, he began his reflection with this question: “What in your life has turned into ashes?”  Yikes, it felt like a tsunami washed through my soul!  I knew what he was asking!  He further reflected on how a bishop in a near-by State had been so loved by his people, and was a great leader in his diocese, was recently picked up by the local police for drunk driving.  They found his car in a ditch.  He was asleep, smelled of alcohol, and slumped over the wheel.  Sorry to say, that pieces of his life had turned into ashes.  

At the end of the Gospel reflection, the Presider concluded with another question: “What in your life is God asking you to turn into ashes?” I knew this answer deep in my soul as well. Truly, Ash Wednesday is a movable feast. It comes at different “seasons” of our lives, and at different times of the year other than the predicted introduction to the Lenten liturgical season.  Reflecting back, I realize that I would not be writing this blog if God had not invited me to learn about the gift of ashes in my life.  Have a blessed Lent!!
(previously posted)

 So let us ponder this week as we approach the season of Lent . . .
• What in your life has turned into ashes?
• What in your life is God asking of you to turn into ashes?

 

Mardi Gras Prayer . . .

Blessed are you, God of all creation,
for it is from your goodness that we have this day
to celebrate on the threshold of the Season of Lent.

Tomorrow we will fast and abstain from meat.
Today we feast.
We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us.
We thank you especially for one another.
As we give you thanks,
we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do.
As we share these wonderful gifts together,
we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those
who need our support.

Prepare us for tomorrow.
Tasting the fullness of what we have today,
let us experience some hunger tomorrow.
May our fasting make us more alert
and may it heighten our consciousness
so that we might be ready to hear your Word
and respond to your call.

As our feasting fills us with gratitude
so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us
a place for deeper desires
and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor.
May our self-denial turn our hearts to you
and give us a new freedom for
generous service to others.

We ask you these graces
with our hearts full of delight
and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead.
We ask them with confidence
in the name of Jesus the Lord.  (Creighton University)

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

Teresa Marie Cariño preaches for Ash Wednesday (02/17/2021)

Maria Anne McGuire Preaches for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (2/14/...

Seeking 'N Finding . . .

 

Attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907-1991)

Nothing is more practical than

finding God, than

falling in Love

in a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in love with,

what seizes your imagination,

will affect everything.

It will decide

what will get you out of bed in the morning,

what you do with your evenings,

how you spend your weekends,

what you read,

whom you know,

what breaks your heart,

and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in Love, stay in love,

and it will decide everything.

 

 

Loving Us Into Becoming . . .

 

  

And God said:

I myself will dream a dream within you.

Good dreams come from me you know.

My dreams seem impossible,

Not too practical,

Not for the cautious woman or man,

A little risky sometimes,

A trifle brash perhaps.

 

Some of my friends prefer

To rest more comfortably,

In sounder sleep,

With visionless eyes.         

But for those who share my dreams, I ask a little patience,

A little humor, Some small courage,

And a listening heart.

I will do the rest.

 

Then they will risk, And wonder at their daring

Run and marvel at their speed;           

Build, and stand in awe at the beauty of their building.

 

You will meet me often as you work;   

In your companions, who share your risk;

In your friends, who believe in you enough to lend their own dreams,

Their own hands, 

Their own hearts,

To your building;

 

In the people who will find

your doorway,

Stay awhile, and walk away

 Knowing they, too, can find a dream . . .

There will be sun-filled days,

And sometimes it will rain.

A little variety!

Both come from me.

 

So come now,

Be content.

It is my dream you dream:

My house you build;

My caring you witness;

My love you share;

 

And this is

 the heart of the matter.  

Sister Charity, RGS -

Loving moments . . .

 

“Life is not measured

by the

number

of breaths

we take,

but by the

number

of moments

that take

our breath

away”

 

Loving and Hope . . .

 

We are truly on the way with Christ, our Hope and our Promise, if we live a life of thanksgiving for all that God has already revealed and done, and of vigilance for what God wants us to do in the present moment, even if God wants to surprise us and lead us where we do not want to go.  For those who put their trust in Christ, everything, even the most insignificant or the most unpleasant event, becomes a sign of grace and hope, a school of vigilance for the coming of our Lord. (Bernard Häring, Prayer, The Integration of Faith and Life)

 

Virtue and Love . . .

 

 

If love is the soul of Christian existence, it must be at the heart of every other Christian virtue.  Thus, for example, justice without love is legalism; faith without love is ideology; hope without love is self-centeredness; forgiveness without love is self-abasement; fortitude without love is recklessness; generosity without love is servitude; care without love is mere duty; fidelity without love is servitude.  Every virtue is an expression of love.  No virtue is really a virtue unless it is permeated, or informed, by love. (Richard P. McBrien)

 

Loving . . .

 I saw that [God] is everything which is good, as I understand.  And in this[God] showed me something small, no bigger than a hazelnut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed to me, and it was as round as a ball.  I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and thought: What can this be?  I was amazed that it would last, for I thought that because of its littleness it would suddenly have fallen into nothing.  And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and always will, because God loves it; and thus everything has being through the love of God.    (Julian of Norwich, Showings)