Blog Posts

I must keep silent~

11/2/2018

When God’s calls me to pray for people, I must keep silent. Intercessory prayer and gossip are not just incompatible, they can’t exist simultaneously.
Yes, I must keep silent so I won’t gossip or betray a confidence, but it is much more that that; talk, be it out loud to others, or silent to myself, gets in the way of prayer. When I pray for healing and peace for someone (which I believe God wants for everyone), I don’t know what that should look like for them; thus conversation and delving into details only hampers my prayer channel to God.
In other words, I need to keep completely away from all kinds of judgments about what ‘should’ happen, and pray Thy will be done.

Death of Fr. Thomas Keating~

10/26/2018

Father Thomas Keating died last night. He was 91, suffering from cancer. As we might say, “It was his time,” but nevertheless I am sad because his kind, animated, sparkling visage is no more. Through many audiovisual recordings of conversations, workshops and speeches Fr. Keating nourished my faith and deepened my spiritual practice. Yes, I will continue to watch on YouTube and be refreshed, but I will miss knowing that his earthly light is shining no more.
We mortals can’t imagine the bliss and peace that now surrounds Fr. Keating, but we have to believe it from our worldly vantage point. Christians embrace the message of hope, which Fr. Keating offered in tangible ways through Centering Prayer and his commitment in bringing the contemplative dimension of the Gospel to the public by co-founding Contemplative Outreach. He lives on through us whenever we pray and sparkle God’s love.

Fr. Keating's death has not been announced on the Contemplative Outreach website yet. I received notice of it because I subscribe to its daily posts. Keep checking.

www.contemplativeoutreach.org

God waiting in the wings~

10/22/2018

Just to keep you up to date, I continue to attend my private Bible study. It’s easy because I can show up anytime I want to. It’s difficult because the only human being I’m accountable to is me, which can be a challenge because I know me, and how I can slough off at times.
The way I’ve set up this Bible study up, however, means that I am accountable to God, and God’s very nature leaves the choice to attend up to me. God waits in the wings for me to show up; God can wait forever; God never gives up.
So watch out, pay attention. Once you notice God in waiting in the wings, God will never leave your sight; the choice will be up to you.

My own Bible study

10/16/2018

     Although I’m aware of the many benefits to joining a Bible study, I’ve decided to create my own private one. At the moment I don’t want another defined commitment on my calendar, nor do I want to go out to a meeting in the evening. The opinions and musing of others, therefore, will have to come from what I read. Plus, I want to get started now. In fact, I’ve already begun.
    I’m studying the Gospel of John. The text is The New Interpreter’s Bible, Each gospel section is divide into three parts: Scripture, Reflection, and Commentary. I started with Chapter 20, because I was drawn to Mary’s encounter with Jesus at the empty tomb. I’m planning to continue through the chapter to the end of the book and then start at the beginning: In the beginning was the word….
     I want to keep this study going at a steady pace, pondering and praying the entire way. I mention this because I have a tendency to rush and decide I’ve had enough before coming to the end. We shall see.

Power of love~

10/11/2018

Richard Rohr offers the words of The Cloud of Unknowing in his meditation today.cac.org/sign-up/

     Look. Every rational creature, every person, and every angel has two main strengths: the power to know and the power to love. God made both of these, but [God is] not knowable through the first one. To the power of love, however, [God] is entirely known, because a loving soul is open to receive God’s abundance. . . . [God’s] very nature makes love endless and miraculous. God will never stop loving us. Consider this truth, and, if by grace you can make love your own, do. For the experience is eternal joy; its absence is unending suffering.

     I long always to say ‘Yes’ to this message of love but I fail whenever I feel justified in placing restrictions on that love. “I will love everyone except ______, because, after all, I know he/she is really bad.”
    And yet I know better. Jesus’ message is to love unconditionally. The Gospels are replete with him telling us to love everyone, even our enemies. Hard to do, and yet the message that God shows no partiality, shows me how radical God is requiring me to be. Jesus definitely turns the world upside down with this one. Unless I return to the love idea I tell myself, I can’t do it. But, wait, I can do it, one moment, one situation,, one person at a time. When I do, I experience the Cloud’s invitation to eternal joy.

No more news; pray instead

10/8/2018

This morning my post on acottagebythesea told of my commitment to stop watching the news, stop being obsessed with it, stop letting politicians run my life. I have no chance of being the person God wants me to be if I spend my waking hours being judgmental and angry, and for sure the news will lead me along that path.
Specifically, if God is calling me to prayer for people, I have to do my part to keep my heart open. Being angry and judgmental closes my heart, closes out God, closes out communication between God and me, which is where true prayer lies. It’s as simple as that, and as challenging as that. Focusing on God, not on the news, is a way to start.

Prayer matters

9/29/2018

I’ve posted the following on my acottagebythesea blog. I want to add here that these two men have reminded me to pray for situations that seem so fraught with negativity and hopelessness.

      One of my takeaways from the Supreme Court hearings this week has been the relationship between Senators and Coons and Flake. Here are two men from opposite sides of the aisle and with differing political views coming together because of their faith, demonstrating that their faith guides what they say and do. Each has a deep moral compass.
     Embedded in his public comments before the committee vote yesterday, Coons shared that the evening before he specifically prayed for both Cavanaugh and Ford, and for the country, and that he would do so again this evening. In admitting this publicly, it is clear that prayer isn’t a throw away for him. Rather, it is central to how he leads his life, both personally and as a senator. His comments were palpable.
     In the past week Senator Flake’s words and actions indicated that his faith guides what he does and says. His speech September 26th on the Senate floor offered compassion and civility for everyone involved and for our country. Yesterday, standing in the private elevator for senators, he listened to the impassioned women who caught his attention; he looked them in the eye; he didn’t shut the door on them.
     The comity between these two men gives me hope. Comity, a new word entering public discourse: 1. an association of nations for their mutual benefits; 2. courtesy and considerate behavior toward others (Google search). I believe that comity happens when we give up acting out of ego, out of believing we have all the answers, out of thinking we are God.

Morning in Florence with God

9/16/2018

I’m more conscious of walking around with God in the early morning, at least when I’m in Florence. There are fewer distractions to draw my thoughts away. The streets are relatively clear of traffic, the sidewalks sparse save for a few runners; I don’t have to concentrate on maneuvering my way from spot to spot, from café to cafe. And then there is the heat; even in September there is the omnipresent sun.
Very grateful for this morning.

Accepting the way things are

9/14/2018

On this visit to Florence I’ve become aware of how different life has become from what I experienced during my childhood and even my parenting years. Cell phones, selfies, wearing attire, hair styles, tattoos are just the way it is these days. Most would agree that the world is changing exponentially.
The good news, at least as far as I am concerned, is that I have no regrets about the past, nor specific desires for the future. As I sit here writing in this little park, I feel myself accepting things just the way they are, and, as the saying goes, just the way they aren’t. I notice I have very few judgments about people and I’m less apt to analyze situations. It’s just the way it is, not good, not bad. Life is changing and people have to adapt. You might say I have a Zen approach in accepting what is.
However, as a Christian I attribute the calm I feel to my meditation and prayer practice. My moral compass is always shimmering and keeping me on track. I try to be honest with myself and others, and follow the Golden Rule.
This is grace, not of my own doing. I just show up to open my heart.

San Marco and Fra Angelico again

9/12/2018

I did it again. I took pictures of Fra Angelico’s frescoes in the monks’ cells at the Convent of San Marco. Before every visit I tell myself I don’t need another set of photographs; during every visit, I take pictures anyway; at the end of the day, I post them. So, here they are for your prayerful enjoyment.