While I’m recommending, here’s another. www.SpiritualityandPractice.com is a very rich site. Today’s email let me know about upcoming E-courses. I took one in June entitled Monastery of the Heart, led by Joan Chittister. Most rewarding. So check out the site and specifically, www.SpiritualityandPractice.com/ecourses
I saw The Help today at the local theater. Definitely recommend it. I’m sitting here thinking about it—don’t want to comment at the moment.
While I’m recommending, here’s another. www.SpiritualityandPractice.com is a very rich site. Today’s email let me know about upcoming E-courses. I took one in June entitled Monastery of the Heart, led by Joan Chittister. Most rewarding. So check out the site and specifically, www.SpiritualityandPractice.com/ecourses
0 Comments
I have been pondering yesterday’s Daily Quote by Tim Stafford, particularly the last line. "We do not pray to tell God what he does not know, nor to remind him of things he has forgotten. He already cares for the things we pray about….He has simply been waiting for us to care about them with him." I notice that I am quite practiced in creating prayers that imply that God doesn’t know what’s going on, or that God needs reminders. What am I thinking? That God is just a smarter, more put together version of me? Even the phrase that God has simply been waiting for us to care about them with him suggests some anthropomorphic God in the sky. Time and time again I have to sort through this model of God that is embedded in the Judeo-Christian tradition, this model that we humans seem to need to keep on the launching pad as we try once again to deepen our faith. If God is waiting for me to care with God, it seems that how I care about the people is crucial to my prayer. I have to care for them like God does—with love. Not easy. I have to release all my judgments, judgments about what people need, how they should act, what they should do, etc., etc., etc.. Not easy-- a continuous challenge. Caring with God doesn’t solve all the mysteries of prayer. But I know that when I am able to care with God, for even a fleeting second, the world feels like a better place. God’s kingdom comes and God’s will is done on earth, and, even for a moment, it feels like heaven. In some miraculous way, my prayer of love is heard. See, here I am, back to those anthropomorphic explanations. Well, that’s part of the human way of caring with God. When I hear the expression, “The Holy Spirit works in surprising ways,” my first thought is, “Oh, what a cliche.” But when I experience a “surprising way”, I become a believer once again. And that is just what happened yesterday as the Holy Spirit breezed through church. As you know, I try to keep people’s privacy on my blog, so I’ll explain without giving too many personal details. I know you’ll get the spirit. During “joys and concerns” a church member asked for prayers for healing for her sister, also a member, who was sitting with her. The visiting minister asked if it was all right if we prayed specifically for her, and before we knew it, most of us were surrounding these two sisters as a prayer was offered. Now let me tell you, my church is an incredibly caring community, and yet in all the fifteen years I’ve been a member, I can’t recall that we’ve done anything like this before; and I don’t think it will happened again in the near future. In fact, I’m not suggesting that it should. Some people would be put off by it, and many would refrain from requesting a prayer for fear of all the attention. And as we know, church cultures don’t change easily or quickly, nor should they, mine included. But at yesterday’s summer service, the visiting minister heard the Spirit and responded. A surprising moment. How should I pray for all these ladies I know who are in their nineties, or even their hundred’s like my mom? At the moment I can think of four who have medical issues and whose families have asked for prayers for them. I am told there is a need for prayer, and immediately I say, “Yes, of course.” But, yes, of course for what? Do they need my prayers? And what am I praying for, anyway? These are the same questions I’ve been asking ever since I got on this prayer gig. Today I find myself praying that these women will not be in pain, and that they will feel God’s all-embracing love; I pray for peace for them, their families and friends, and their caregivers. Gingerly I pray for a cure, whatever that might mean. These are the same requests that I prayed last week for the family friend, who at age 48 died of a brain tumor; the same words, I should say. But my intonation, my plea, my agony was different, different for the woman and for her family. My prayer doesn’t feel the same for people in their 90s as for someone who is still in forties, or God forbid, someone younger, like a child with so much of life ahead of her. “Thy will be done” is the ultimate prayer, but it sure can feel different. Yes, that's my mom. I visited Mom again yesterday. My visits are short but always worth the round trip. She knew me, winked and told me, “I’m glad to see you.” We sat for a while holding hands. She gazed out the window, and then promptly nodded off. Oh, to fall asleep as easily and peacefully! I pray for my mom many times a day, but she may be the last person on the planet needing prayers. She has always been one of God’s blessed and that is still apparent at the twilight of her life. While I was visiting, a friend of Mom’s stopped by to say hi and leave the church bulletin. Mom waved but didn’t pick up the bulletin, which she really doesn’t need any more. The church service is in her heart and she just smiles, waves and winks the message out to those fortunate enough to be in her spiritual aura. I am grateful for all the church friends who stop by to see Mom. She may not remember that they came but their presence sends God’s love whirling around the facility where she lives; and then the visitors take that love out into their worlds, and on it goes. It even finds it’s way to me and I do my best to share it with people in my area. What comes around, goes around, so the saying goes. |
Contact me
bobbifisher.mac@mac.com Archives
August 2023
Categories
All
|