Recently the following was posted on the web site of The Society of St. John the Evangelist. It was part of a sermon given by Br. Eldridge Pendleton on February 11, 2007. It spoke to me and I trust it speaks to you. I offer no more comment that that. 

      “I doubt there is anyone here this morning who does not recognize the critical importance of one’s relationship with God or know that to keep the friendship honest, healthy and fruitful we have to maintain contact, we need honest prayer lives.  But it is one thing to know this intellectually and quite another to put it in practice each day. Robert Wicks, a leading psychotherapist and spiritual director, who has worked with literally thousands of priests, ministers, monks, religious sisters and others in Christian ministry to teach them ways to avoid stress and emotional burnout reports that a majority of those he has interviewed do not have honest prayer lives even though they are supposed to be women and men of prayer whose work is grounded in prayer. This is startling news, but is it really surprising? Look at your own life. You may desire a life grounded in prayer and a close relationship with God. You may even dedicate a space in your home for silence and solitude where you can go and pray undisturbed by domestic hubbub. And yet, in any given week how often do you go there to pray, to sit in silence, to offer up your concerns or ask God for help?  When the pace and demand of daily life increases often the first casualty is one’s prayer life.  Wicks discovered that even in situations where major life decisions had to be made those in ministry did not often pray for discernment and direction. Ask yourself, when you are facing those big questions and have critical decisions to make do you seek God’s help or do you forge forward as though it all depended on you?  Be honest with yourself.  What is you standard practice?

http://ssje.org/ssje/2007/02/11/an-urge-to-hug-sycamores/

How about this one from the Rule of St. Benedict: Idleness is the enemy of the soul. “Hey, wait a minute,” I shout out. “I’m suppose to sit quietly and do nothing. At least for a part of each day.”

    Let’s consider Benedict’s word choice: idle. Back in the 6th century when he was writing the Rule, I’m sure it had a negative connotation. Today, fifteen centuries later, it still doesn’t have a particularly stellar association. But, when I sit in silence and solitude, I sure don’t consider myself idle, as in doing nothing. Being still is a friend to my soul.

What about all the children, all the children around the world? Praying the news always, has to include them. The children effected by the bombing of the aircraft over the Ukraine; the children in the Middle East; the children coming across the borders in the U.S.

     This from my denomination, the United Church of Christ.

"The National Officers of the United Church of Christ and the Council of Conference Ministers — the leaders of the denomination’s regional conferences — share this pastoral letter addressing the tens of thousands of young refugees fleeing Central and Latin America and seeking safety in the United States. In a unified voice, UCC leaders declare their support for these children that are leaving their homelands out of fear. This is a unique moment that tests the church’s commitment for justice and peace .

"Recognizing that the influx of unaccompanied children fleeing violence in Central America requires a robust humanitarian and advocacy response, UCC leaders call on all settings of the church to “care for the stranger in our midst."

 http://www.ucc.org/news/pastoral-letter-child-refugee-07232014.html

     This heartfelt situation forces me to confront my beliefs, particularly as a Christian. Of course I welcome the stranger, of course, in the abstract I can say that. But truth be told, I do it better in theory than in practice. I don’t often allow discomfort and upheaval to come through my front door, through the border of my home. Saying that I don’t know how to welcome the stranger can be an excuse to nothing. And then there are all the political, practical ramifications. Can we really care for the children that have already come across? Will our caring encourage more to step over the border?  Will we be able to care for ‘too many’? What about the children born into poverty in this country? When I ask those questions it becomes clear to me that welcoming these children calls for a paradigm shift in the way we distribute wealth and services in this country.

    All of this, however, has to be beside the point for me. Why? Because I have opted out of delving into the politics of the news, and of voicing an opinion of what leaders should do. I have chosen to apolitical. Instead, I have chosen to be prayerful, to see life through a God lens, to listen and take heed to what Jesus said,

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Matthew 25:40

I led the summer service at my church yesterday. My meditation about gratitude went well, but for me the highlight of the service was Joys and Concerns. It is always a heartfelt time; we pour our hearts out to one another and to God as a community of faith. Joys and Concerns is what holds us together in love.

     Yesterday, in keeping with my topic, people expressed gratitude as they shared their joys and concerns. The most poignant moment came when a stranger asked for prayers for a friend who had tried to take her life. Who was this man? No one knows. Our church is off the beaten track; people don’t wander by, so people don’t’ wander in. But there he was, hearing my message that we can find gratitude in the midst of pain, hearing the prayer requests of others, and then, as a stranger, hearing that he was welcome to lift up his particular prayer.

Periodically I recommit to some kind of meditation practice, but alas, my best intentions dwindle after a few sessions or a few days. For one thing, I’m just not very good at following a practice that someone else has created and presented, although I’m well aware of their good intentions, as well as the benefits offered. We need people describing what they do so we have models, not models to follow, although follow we will, but models so we can create our own way. In fact, that’s what I do on this blog!

    “Soften the gaze,” is how Peter Russell describes it to Ian Lawton in the “Spirituality and Awakening” series wisdom@entheos.com . I resonate with that. Soften is easier for me than to try to release a thought. Soften helps me slide back into being. Softening helps me get rid of my thoughts and about thinking about my thoughts. Softening happens when I walk and when I’m doing the dishes. Softening gets me out of my head and into my heart.

Pastor Tom is on vacation this Sunday and I’ve agreed to lead worship. The service starts at 9:30, a half-hour earlier than in the winter,  and although it follows a similar format, there is an informality present in the summer that feels particularly heartfelt and prayerful.

     I’m planning to talk about gratitude, gratitude in the good times and in the tough ones. I’ll tell the story of my mom’s last words, ‘very grateful’,  ten days before she died at age 101, and then share a couple of stories of friends who have be able to discover and express gratitude in the midst of personal sadness and tragedy. My scripture choices are brief verses of gratitude from Paul’s letters, and the message of on-going, developing gratitude in the Prodigal Son.

     All of this feels very God led. I’ve written the invocation and the prayers that precede and follow Joys and Concerns. My ten minute talk, a sensible length for summer, is ready to go. Like the lilies of the field I’m neither toiling or spinning. Needless to say, I am very grateful.

“God Who Breaks Chains, guide, direct, and sustain the poor, frightened, and desperate children of Central America who have seen their peers murdered in their communities because they have not wanted to join gangs, because of vendettas against their parents, and even from police brutality. Thousands of them have fled their homes and, unaccompanied by adults, are crossing the border into the United States seeking asylum.”

     Thus prays Frederic Brussat in the Spirituality and Practice Blog, “Praying the News”. http://blog.spiritualityandpractice.com/blog/praying-the-news 

     What do we do with the children who have fled from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico? Perhaps better wording would be to ask what we do for these children. How do we address this incredibly complicated situation as Christians? The United Church of Christ and other denominations are reaching out with aid for the children within our borders.

     “She Who Hears the Cries of the World, inspire state and federal agencies to do the right thing to help the children seeking refuge. Give patience, courage, and hope to their parents and relatives. Give strength and perseverance to local American volunteers who are doing what they can to provide assistance and compassion to these children. Show us all how we can best be advocates for these innocents.”

     But the problem is much bigger than this. What do we pray for? We can pray for courage, patience, hope, perseverance, and pray we must. But do we have a solution to suggest to God? I stand in awe. The best I can come up with is a miracle. What if everyone prayed for one?

Again, I’ve posted the following on my cottagebythesea.net blog. But on this blog I want to add something more. No question everyone can be grateful, but for me gratitude doesn’t come only from desire and willingness. It comes from God; it is God’s way; it is the way scripture shows us how to be. Early on in his letters, Paul expresses gratitude. The Psalmist voices gratitude even in the midst of lament. Jesus was continually thanking his Father. Gratitude indicates that God is good, that God is love, and that’s where I want to begin and end. It’s the Good News, the Gospel.

Well, we enjoyed a rainy 4th and sunny days on the houseboat. In fact, there was so much to be grateful for. There were cool temperature for the road race, our friends enjoyed a super time together, and we had a big tarp to stand under to watch the parade. The two houseboats offered plenty of room for six adults and four teenagers, everyone got along well and and fun, and we experienced beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Those are pretty big gratitudes.

     The rainy 4th offered me time to pause about how I want to word my gratitudes. How easy it would be to phrase them in the negative. For example, it wasn’t too hot for the road race, our friends couldn’t be outside, we were crowded under the tarp…. The challenge is to stay grateful in a positive way, not voicing how it could have been better. Sure, it’s good there wasn’t lightening, but that’s not the point of being grateful. We’re grateful for what happened, not for what didn’t happen, or for what could have been worse. 

I’m doing fine about the weather. It’s going to be horrible tomorrow, but if that’s the only difficulty in my life, how lucky I am. No complaints.

      One family has called to say they can’t make the trip from New York to our party tomorrow, which is too bad because we’ll miss them.

      As I write, both our son and daughter and grandkids are stuck in traffic somewhere in Connecticut. They’re in different cars but there’s no contest about who will arrive first. I am, however, saying a soft prayer for their safe arrival.

     I have put the following on my cottage by the sea blog. www.acottagebythesea.net

If you don’t see any posts from me for the next five days, it’s because I’ll be living a life void of silence, solitude and simplicity. July 4th is like that for us. Tomorrow, in the rain, there will be a road race (I’m a groupy), the traditional town parade that goes by our house, and our annual Forth of July party. Usually the party is outside—swimming, games, chatting, and eating. This year, except for the swimming of course, in will be indoors. My husband cleaned the barn and has organized arts and craft for the kids (and grownups). The grill and salads will be set up in the garage, and we will eat in the house. Tomorrow’s challenge is anything but simple.

     Saturday we’re going with our kids and grandkids to Ft. Ticonderoga for a night before launching the two houseboats we have rented for two nights on Lake Champlain. A new experience for us all. Close quarters for six adults and four teens, and anything but silent or solitary.

    The only inclement weather is tomorrow. The forecast for the rest of our holiday couldn’t be better for tooting about the lake.