Jan 5 - Of Miracle Making and Relationships

"Whoever hears these words of of mine and does them is like a wise person who built a house upon rock..."
RoB Prologue:33 (Chittister, Page 16)

In Ms. Chittister's reflections for today (Jan 5, pages 16-19) I am reminded that family is not "just a routine relationship" and work is "our exercise in miracle making". Powerful reminders.

Today I tried something different. For the first time this year I read my psalm and Benedict's Rule early in the day, before heading off to work, then waited until this evening to write my thoughts and reflections. Previously I have been waiting for a "good" time to read, reflect, and write the blog entry. Tonight I came back to the reading and am working on the blog entry.

My day worked differently too. I more reflectively included thoughts of God after the reading time as I was starting to organize more work. More than once I came back to the "miracle making" line. It reminds me that others have said that work and family can be seen as times when we co-create with God. I certainly believe God calls us to use our time to assist in making our world a better place.

This miracle working and remembrance that family (and really, most other) relationships are not routine helps counter the frustrating agreement I felt as I read this morning's psalm:

Why are the nations in an uproar? *
Why do the people mutter empty threats?
Psalm 2:1

May we remember all the creative, miracle making times we have so we are less likely to join the uproar of making empty threats (or any threats, for that matter...)

A Note To Anyone Reading:

This entry is part of a series that is developing as I read The Rule of Benedict, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, Joan Chittister, Crossroads, 2010. Unless stated otherwise I am using the translation St. Benedict's Rule from her book. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.