Knocking Down the Walls

The whole of creation is a theater of grace, embodying and mediating the presence and saving activity of God on our behalf.  It is the stage on which the drama of salvation continuously unfolds.         (Thomas Aquinas)

It is less painful for us to think that the "drama of salvation" unfolded 2000 years (or more) ago than to grasp Aquinas' concept of salvation unfolding today.  But C.S. Lewis, borrowing a parable from George McDonald, tells us to imagine ourselves as a living house.  God comes in at our invitation to re-build the house.  At first, we can understand what He is doing---fixing the leaky roof, getting the drains right, and so on---the things we knew needed doing. 

But then, we cannot understand what he is doing as he starts knocking down walls and building new wings.  We thought we were going to be made into "decent little cottages," but He seems to have something else in mind.  God is forcing us beyond our boundaries, to higher levels than we thought we could go---or even aspired to go.  As Lewis says, "it seems to us all unnecessary; but that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us."

It is hard to make room in our lives for what Christ wants to do in us, especially since we tend to snuggle into our comfort zones and stay there.  But once we've invited Him in and given Him permission to re-build, He will carry out His plans for us whether we like it or not.  In the end, whatever He builds will be something greater than we could have imagined for ourselves.  In the meantime, we'll have to learn to live with the mess of ongoing re-construction.

On Praise and Thanksgiving

For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you (2 Chron. 20:12).

In the days of Jehoshaphat, king of Israel, vast armies of the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites began to gather against Israel.  When Jehoshaphat heard that the armies were marching against his people, he called an assembly "to seek help from the Lord."  During the assembly, the king stood up and prayed to God, ending with the words quoted above. 

The "The Spirit of the Lord" came upon one of the Israelites, who told the king:

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God's....You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you...Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat "appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever."

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men...who were invading Judah, and they were defeated....When the men of Judah came to the place...and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped (2 Chron. 20).

In times of fear and discouragement, the last thing we want to do is to sing and praise the Lord with thanksgiving, but to do so is to acknowledge that "the battle is not ours, but the Lord's."   We cannot sing and fear at the same time, and we are often more defeated by fear than by reality.  Jehoshaphat did not fail to muster an army to defend Israel, but they were led by the singers; they were led by praise. 

Even as we prepare our own defenses and resources, we need to sing and praise God, for ultimately, the battle is not ours, but His!






On Prayer as Listening

God wants to speak to us more than we want to speak to Him.  What if prayer were listening more than speaking?

Jesus was always referring to those who had "ears to hear."  Where do those "ears" originate?  How do you get them?

One thing I learned when studying Second Language Acquistion is that there is a "voice" in our heads---the Language Center of the brain---that never stops, that is impossible to shut off.  Because we are always talking to ourselves in our heads, it is very difficult to "be still and know that [I] am God." So when we come to prayer, it is easier for us to do all the talking than to just open our hearts and ears to hear what God wants to say.

For years, I thought the Rosary was but endless repetition, and I had a difficult time seeing it as prayer,  Now, however, I see it as a way to occupy the Language Center of the brain so that God has a chance to still our anxious thoughts and to infuse a little peace into our lives.  It is a way of "being still."

Another way I have found to be still is to read the Bible with a little curiosity as to what the Spirit wants to teach me, beginning with a prayer before I open it, that the Spirit would direct my reading and my understanding.  Most of us "tackle" the Bible as a reading assignment to be understood---but if we approach it as a way to open our ears to what God is saying to us, it becomes a different experience altogether. 

The Bible was not written as a "book," as it appears today.  Rather, it is a "library" of books, written at different times by different authors.  So sitting in a room with 73 books, we might choose one to browse through, stopping mid-way to read something that catches our eye.  The Bible does not have to be read from cover to cover.  Instead, it is a wonderful way to sit, to be still, to allow the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts and reading, much as would a teacher in a classroom.

When we come to prayer each day as a way to stop, to be still, to listen to the voice of God, it becomes a different experience.  Yesterday, I wrote about being present to the person and circumstances around us, about being non-judmental, and about giving the HOly Spirit space to work creatively.  The same attitude helps us to pray as listeners instead of as speakers.  I occasionally imagine myself sitting in a classroom, waiting for the teacher to tell me to open my book to page x and to begin reading. 

The most amazing thing in the world is to experience God speaking to us, directing our thoughts, and giving us the things we can never give ourselves, no matter how much "talking to ourselves" we do.

Being Present

I seem to be coming to a point in my life where I see that what the Spirit is demanding of me is only that I be truly present to others---

Macrina Wiederkehr: A Tree Full of Angels

One of the many things I've learned from gardening is to not look backward -- i.e., over plants that didn't make it,-- nor to look forward, but to look around---to see what is immediately in front of me, what needs to be done in the moment--in terms of assistance, repair work, prevention of future problems.

Despite our best efforts, some things will not survive; some, only for short time; and some will take root permanently.  What we can do is to be present and supportive, bringing whatever resources we have to that moment. 

Recently, I read an article by a nurse who at times could do little to alleviate suffering or to prevent death.  Gradually, she came to realize that what she could do was to be "fully attentive to the present moment...of those who were sick and suffering."  That experience, according to her reflection, "...gave her a reference point in developing the capacity to be patient, to be understanding of the human condition, to be non-judmental, and to be respectful."

Our role sometimes consists in this:  to be present, to accompany others in their search, to listen attentively, to allow creativity, and to give space to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of those we love.*

Sometimes there is nothing more we can do.  To accept that fact is to live out the words of Micah the Prophet:

He has shown you, O man, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God (6:8).

*from "Being a Carmelite: To Listen, To Allow, and To Yield to the Spirit" by Sister Maryphilip Surban, O. Carm.  [Contemplatives in Action, July 2011].

Faith Acts

When love ceases to act,

it ceases to exist (St. Gregory the Great).

I'm not a big fan of Facebook, as I've discovered too late that when you befriend someone on Facebook, that means that you have to read all the minutae of their lives and thoughts.  However, once in awhile, a gem appears, and this morning, Lo!  St. Gregory the Great.  Now this is a thought worth spreading!  Thanks, Karen, for including Gregory on Facebook!

It seems to me that Gregory's thoughts about love would help put to rest the never-ending debate about faith and works.  Gregory might just as well have said, "When faith ceases to act, it ceases to exist."  Faith, like love, is always moving; when it grows stagnant, it ceases to exist.  We often wonder how we can increase our faith, but Jesus told us that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.  That is because faith moves, grows, acts; it does not stand still, even though it stands firm.

Faith is not based on any strength of our own, but on God's revelation of His strength and His promises.  On the cross, Jesus was more than helpless; He was utterly defeated and overcome---but His faith was in God's ability to save Him, even in and through death.  Though He felt abandoned, He still trusted in the Father's love.  He knew the psalm that said, "you will not abandon your beloved to the grave," and He believed that God would rescue and raise up His beloved.  He willingly surrendered Himself and His life to the Father's will and wisdom----that is faith.

Faith knows that God knows, and it is content in that knowledge.  A recent movie called The Tree of Life illustrates the surrender to a greater wisdom and knowledge, as a mother learns to come to peace with the death of her son.  And the death of her son is the open door to grace for the father and the whole family.

Fear turns back in the face of obstacles; faith moves forward, knowing that God will not abandon us to death, but will make all things work for the good of those who are called according to His plan and purpose (Romans 8:28).  When faith ceases to move, it ceases to exist.  Thanks, Gregory, for your insight about love (and faith).

The Respectful Presence of God

Behold, I stand at the door and knock;

If anyone opens to me, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me.

(Rev. 3:20)

During last week's road trip to Ashville, I saw a window sign that said, Bidden or unbidden, God is present.  I liked the sign and thought about it for the next day or so.  But then I started thinking about Revelations 3:20, quoted above, and began thinking about the exquisite reticence of God, His "gentlemanliness," so to speak.

Though He is here, He "stands at the door," awaiting admittance.  He is waiting for us to open the door to His Presence, so that He can come into our lives.

Last June, one of my neighbors and I were discussing what kind of carpet she should put in her rental house.  I told her I liked the updated shag that I had chosen for the upstairs---no longer the horrible shag of the 70's, but a neat, trimmed look.  I opened the front door so she could see what I meant, and as I did so, the late afternoon sun highlighted a few strands of red and green tinsel that had been left on the stairs since Christmas.  Now, I'll be the first to admit that the stairs seldom get vacuumed, but this seemed a bit extreme.  I had not noticed the tiny bits of tinsel until the sun came through the door and immediately picked them out.  At that point, I saw the difficulty with shag carpet; no matter how neat it may look, it can still hide things that should be cleaned up.

Maybe the reason so few of us are reluctant to open the door to God's Presence is our just-below-the-surface realization that once we allow the light to shine in our lives, all the dirt hidden beneath our "neat" exterior will be exposed.  And maybe the reason God awaits our invitation to enter is that, like any good guest, He does not want to embarrass us by noticing what we do not want to be seen.

In Psalm 139, the psalmist says,

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

If we hear a knock at the door and open it to find Jesus waiting to be invited in, we might experience a moment or two of embarrassment, but until we allow the Son to shine in our lives, we will never see the leftover tinsel hiding in the shag carpet.

Magnificat

Magnificat: anima mea Dominum.   (My soul magnifies the Lord)


Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
(and my spirit exults in God my Savior)

Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
(because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid)

ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
(for behold, all generations shall call me blessed.)

Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est: (because he who is mighty has done great things for me)

et sanctum nomen eius. (and holy is His name).

Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies: (his mercy is toward, from generation to generation,

timentibus eum. (those who fear him)

Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: (with his mighty arm, He has done great things)

dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. (He has scattered those who are proud in their hearts)

Deposuit potentes de sede: (He has brought down rulers from their thrones)

et exaltavit humiles. (and has exalted the lowly).

Esurientes implevit bonis: (He has filled the hungry with good)

et divites dimisit inanes. (and has sent empty away the rich)

Suscepit Israel puerum suum: (He has helped his servant/child Israel)

recordatus misericordiae suae. (remembering to be merciful)

Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros: (even as He told to our fathers)

Abraham, et semini eius in saecula. (Abraham and to his seed forever)

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Praise, gratitude, thanksgiving, awe, song, worship----all the response of those to whom the Lord has revealed His glorious acts and His mighty arm of salvation.  Those who have escaped from the slavery of Egypt and the dark night of the soul will burst into praise and thanksgiving, because "the Lord has looked upon the lowliness of His servant."

When the Israelites were delivered, "by the strong arm of the Lord," from Pharoah's army pursuing them across the Red Sea, Moses and the people sang this song:

I will sing to the Lord,

for He is highly exalted.

The horse and its rider

He has hurled into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my song;

He has become my salvation.....(Ex. 15).

How blessed are those who have been redeemed from bondage to the forces of evil, those who know they could never have extricated themselves from what held them down!  They will never stop rejoicing in God's "strong arm" of redemption.  And their confidence will nevermore be in their own strength, but in God's.

Moses' song rejoices in the acts of God in the past, but also looks forward with confidence to the future.  No nation on earth will be able to conquer or stop the people God has redeemed, until God has brought them into the Promised Land and planted His inheritance.

On this birthday of America, I imagine Mary's and Moses' prayer might have been echoed in the hearts of those who had escaped the Old World and been delivered safely across the ocean to a new and virgin territory, a place of new beginnings.  Their confidence must have been in the God who brought them this far and would bring them to the next place.

In Jesus' day, it was the meek and lowly who rejoiced in the strong salvation of God; the rich and powerful needed no redemption.  They rejoiced in their own strength and sleekness.  When Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God," He was looking at and describing the crowds and the disciples who were following Him.  He was encouraging them in their present (lowly) condition, telling them that God "respice humilitatem"--regarded, looked upon, saw---the pitifulness---of his little ones.

Mary's and Moses' prayers are perfect.  If we have been brought out, we rejoice in God's strong arm; if we are suffering still, we know that God sees, God knows, and that His arm is strong to save us.  We know that we shall see the salvation of our God, and that we will be delivered from all our fears.