Snowy Monday

I’m not sure what it is about a late start because of snow and the monday after time change that has my world so turned upside down.  This morning I was reading the story of the founder of the Daughters of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious order.  The founder emphasized that taking care of the poor (loving others) was the Order’s primary job.  If they were at prayers and someone came for help, they were to leave their prayers and help them.  By doing so, they would be leaving God to serve God.  It helps to remind me especially on those days when I feel out of sorts that those who leave the food pantry here at the church and come by my office for assistance with utilities or rent are not interruptions to work but the work.  Reminds me of the old Orthodox prayer that asks God to remind us the interruptions to our day are sent by God.

The reminder has helped me focus today.  But, I am ready for the end of late starts and snow days.

At the Center of a Centered Life

I took a couple of days off during Spring Break.  I didn’t write on the blog which is obvious.  But I also did not check my email often, like every coupe of hours.  I checked it in the morning, responded to what needed to be and either deleted the email or filed in for later reference.  It was liberating.  The church is still up and running; I didn’t miss anything I couldn’t live without.  By the way it was the same with facebook.  Checked it once and went on my way.

Thursday afternoon, Cindy, Emily, and I went to a museum downtown and walked around Santa Fe.  then, we went to eat.  Yesterday, we were suppose to go to Abiqui and play around but Emily woke up not feeling well.  So we stayed around the house and piddled.  Did do laundry and go to the grocery store, but I read this week’s Economist magazine from cover to cover, took a nap,  and was a slug for part of the day.  It was great.

On day 20 of 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed is this quote “But Americans, somehow, manage to convert time into busy time, because being busy is one way we measure who is important.  Yet busyness scatters our inner life.”  One of the things God has been trying to teach me this Lent is to slow down, enjoy the ride.  ”When you slow down, Greg, you can hear my voice better.”

Loving Wrongdoers

O God,

Searcher of my heart; you know my words and my thoughts even before I do.  As I reflect and remember those who have wronged me by what they said to me or to someone else; as I remember hurtful things done to me; help me to remember and to look at them as icons of you.  Give me the faith to forgive, to bless, and to pray for them.  Help me to forgive as your son, Jesus, forgave.  Amen.

This is Little Light of Mine

Today’s reading begins with “of who do you think when the expression ‘influence others for Jesus’ comes to mind?”  The book lists some of the great saints in the history of the Church.  I added some people who were influential to me in my Christian life.  The whole point being your good works should point others to God and when asked why did you did what you did, you answer because of God’s love.

After I read today’s reading, I opened my Benedictine Prayerbook to the morning intercessions.  A couple of the intercessions went this way:

That Christians manifest your mercy and their pardon by their love for others.  Lord, give us hope.

That nations work unselfishly t0 give food to millions of starving people throughout the world.  Lord, give us hope.

That the fertility of silence give life an power to our words and deeds.  Lord, give us hope.

Hmm…. Coincidence probably not.  Still smarting from that one.

Loving All Kinds

The last couple of days readings have been about seeing and loving the needy and loving all the different kinds of people who love God.  It has made a song by Brandon Heath hum through my mind.  The words of the song are a constant reminder to look and listen for the hurts around me and  to do something.  Here are the words of Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath for you to ponder:

Looked down from a broken sky

Traced out by the city lights

My world from a mile high

Best seat in the house tonight

Touched down on the cold black tar

Hold on for the sudden stop

Breathe in the familiar shock

Of confusion and chaos

All those people going somewhere

Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one’s forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Step out on a busy street

See a girl and our eyes meet

Does her best to smile at me

To hide what?s underneath

There?s a man just to her right

Black suit and a bright red tie

Too ashamed to tell his wife

He’s out of work he’s buying time

All those people going somewhere

Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one’s forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

I’ve been there a million times

A couple of million eyes just moving past me by

I swear i never thought that i was wrong

Well i want a second glance

So give me a second chance

To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one’s forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so i can see

Everything that i keep missing

That i keep missing

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach?

Give me your heart for the one’s forgotten

Give me your eyes so i can see

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Loving the Face in the Mirror and the Faces at Home

This past weekend it was 2 years ago that my mom died.  Day 11 and Day 12 readings struck me.  My mom loved me and I loved her, but now as I look back I can see some of my own earlier self-esteem issues came from her.  She was a depression child and that affected her and how she thought.  She was always afraid of running out of money as she got older.  She wanted to go to college after high school but her dad, my grandfather did not have the money and thought college was a waste of time for girls.  She never really got over that.  She never did love “the face in the mirror.”

When we are kids we think are parents are the kings and queens of the word.  Along in our teen years, we discover they are not perfect and so we think they are complete idiots.  Some where during or after college we come to a more mature understanding of our parents.  No they aren’t perfect.  They made mistakes in trying to raise us.  But, they did the best they knew how with the best of the ability they had within their own limitations.  And maybe that is what a mature love is.  Loving friends and family despite/inspite of themselves and knowing they love you inspite/despite yourself.

Each day I remind myself that I am created in God’s image; I am an icon of God even if I doubt that some days.  Knowing that I am loved by God enables me to love the faces at home.

Promised Love

The “Facing the Day” thought for me today was “God’s promised love is as good as God’s faithfulness.”  That gives me confidence because I’m not nearly as faithful in loving God or loving others as I should be.  That is what I work on everyday.

Today is the anniversary of the death of George Herbert.  George Herbert was Anglican priest and poet who lived from 1593-1633.  He gave up a promising political career to become an Anglican priest.  He died three years from tb after going to his first parish.  At his death, he gave a stack of his writings to a friend with the instructions to publish them if it would help someone or burn them.  In one of Herbert’s poems he compares the role of a country priest to the sun shining through stained glass windows, which he loved.  We are to be the glass that lets God’s light shine through.

May I be as faithful in letting God’s light shine through me as God is in God’s faithfulness in loving me.

Looking for God

It had been a tough Sunday morning.  I had woke up irritable; everything and everyone was making it worse.  The hymns were to slow and unfamiliar.  The liturgy, dry and predictable.  The priest’s sermon forgettable.  It was with all this going on that I walked up to the communion rail.  I lifted my hands up to the receive the wafer, ate, and drank from the cup.  Then, I felt the overwhelming presence of God.  I heard God say even when you are irritable, I still love you.  I’m here at the table every week.  I’ll be here next time you come.

Come to the table and see God.

The Persistent Patient God

Alright, this Lenten fasting thing is already getting old and we are only in the beginning of week two.  My spiritual director encouraged me this Lent to follow the Eastern Church Lenten fasting guidelines.  It involves a vegan diet with simple little meals.  For lunch yesterday it was a bowl of vegetable soup.  Supper was stir-fried vegetables and rice.  Yesterday, we had our monthly cup of tea and conversation.  I mentioned that I seemed to be getting tired easily and seemed to be getting grumpy easier. He gave me that little smile he gives me and said yes.  He said whenever we deny the body something it wants it rebels and demands it way.  Apologize and ask forgiveness for any offenses you caused by being short but persevere.  Then, he said enjoy the fast and look and see what God is trying to tell you and point to you through the fast.  All you are feeling is normal.  Join the rest of us.

Today’s reading includes the story of the Prodigal Son.  The father in the story is God.  Just like the father in the parable, God waits for us to come home.  God stands there on the front porch, looking, waiting for us.  This morning some dots connected for me.  God is standing on the porch waiting for me as travel the road back to him during this Lenten fast.  Enjoy the fast; enjoy the journey.  God is waiting with a great big embrace.

Eikons

The Greek translation for the Hebrew word image is eikon or icon.  When ever I read or hear the word icon I think of the icons that hang on the wall in the study at the house or the icon on my desk at work.  The wikki definiton of an icon is “it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy.”  The icons of Jesus, the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and St. Benedict are there to remind me of their presence; to remind me to love God and to love others.

In the book 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed Scott McKnight reminds us we are icons.  We are created to love God, love others, love ourselves,  and love the world God has given to us.  We were created to reflect and manifest God to the world around us.  We become the icons we were meant to be when we love, when we live the Jesus Creed.

The hard part for me is to be aware constantly that the reason I’m created is to be an icon.  That is what Lent is for; to remind me to live as an icon for 40 days or at least to be aware I should be living that way.  Some days I get it, other days well….