Mar 30 - Holy Week Mystery

Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
Wash me and I shall be clean indeed.
Psalm 51:8

Those who are sick or weak should be given a type of work or craft that will keep them busy without overwhelming them or driving them away.
Benedict's Rule 48:24 (Chittister, Pg. 216)

At every stage of our lives, every one of us has a sign of hope and faith and love and commitment to share with the people around us.
Chittister, Pg. 217

Stages of life -- I look with wonder at what is the same and what changes, where I let go and where I don't... 44 years ago I first listened to Jesus Christ Superstar. I was at a place where I was first trying on my own understanding of God's call and first pondering the mystery of Christ's sacrifice and God's salvation. Many Holy Weeks since I still listen to Jesus Christ Superstar, and still fall deeply into the music and words finding yet new meaning in Christ's sacrifice and God's salvation. As I ponder the events of Holy Week I am still amazed at the mystery and wonder of our Lord's precious gift.

A Note To Readers:

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book. Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.

Feb 17 - Chaos Ordered, Order Transfigured

O Lord, I call to you;
my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *
lest, if you do not hear me,
I become like those who go down to the Pit.
Psalm 28:1

On the feasts of saints, and indeed on all solemn festivals, the Sunday order of celebrations is followed...
Benedict's Rule, 14:1 (Chittister, Pg. 116)

The lesson is that we must keep the human dimensions of the faith very much in mind and find in models from the past proof that daily chaos can be ordered and the ordinary transfigured for us, too.
Chittister, Pg. 117

Transfiguring the ordinary. In my area we had the day off for snow. A fine example of chaos being ordered. Everything has changed, yet the view out the window is wonderful. Later I will go out and clear my driveway and sidewalks. And what is ordinary is transfigured. Waking up in the morning becomes a time of discovery as we look out the window at the clean white blanket of snow over what has been a dull brown lawn...

Does the chaos of my life become ordered, are the ordered mundane moments of my life transfigured? It all depends on my attitude. If I call upon the Lord, if I enjoy the special days as they come along, if I remember I am only human, it seems that days are transfigured, that the moments become special, even when surrounded by the mundane...

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.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.

Feb 6 - A Prayer When I Am Up To My Neck

Save me, O God, *
for the waters have risen up to my neck.

I am sinking in deep mire, *
and there is no firm ground for my feet.

I have come into deep waters, *
and the torrent washes over me.

I have grown weary with my crying;
my throat is inflamed; *
my eyes have failed from looking for my God.
Psalm 69:1-4

God, please be with me when this is how I feel. On those days, keep me safe so I get to the other side of my pain and frustration so I can again praise you and thank you.

[and here are the other two quotes I read today...]

...we control our tongues and remain silent, not speaking unless asked a question...
Benedict's Rule 7:57 (Chittister, Pg. 93)

Benedict says, over and over, listen learn, be open to the other. That is the ground of humility.
Chittister, Pg. 94

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 30 - Not Our Own Will

Hear my prayer, O God; *
Give ear to the words of my mouth.
Psalm 54:2

…that we love not our own will nor take pleasure in the satisfaction of our desires…
Benedict's Rule 7:31 (Chittister, Pg. 83)

…I must accept the will of God, knowing that in it lies the fullness of life for me…
Chittister, Pg. 84

I ask God to hear my prayers, one of them being that I accept his will for me. I find this to be an ongoing prayer, one I repeat daily, so it seems. Even as I understand that I am broken and need to keep praying that I accept God's will, I still fall into comparing my inside feelings that I lack holiness, with the outside vision of how I think others are holy. And I keep falling into the trap of thinking if I have the outside trappings of those others my inside turmoil will lift. Can't I just let go and move on?

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 29 - Perseverance And Listening

Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is a consuming flame,
and round about him a raging storm.
Psalm 50:3

...we must be vigilant every hour…
Benedict's Rule 7:29 (Chittister, Pg. 83)

It is not perfection that leads us to God; it is perseverance.
Chittister, Pg. 83

Persistence I have, and it provides hope that I can grow closer to God; Perfection will not happen in this life. I am glad of persistence. I need the second, third, fourth, … one-hundred and eighty-ninth chance. Continuing takes persistence. While I am trying and trying again I am also glad God does not keep silence. God is not silent. While I only hear (or expect to hear) God's voice on rare occasions I have heard it. Much more often I hear (and see) God not directly but in actions that involve God: Prayers answered, well lived lives that reflect God, active natural events, pleasant days... I hear God even more directly in God's echoes in scripture and spiritual conversations with others.

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 28 - Nourishing The Soul

I entreat you with all my heart, *
be merciful to me according to your promise.
Psalm 119:58

We must then be on guard against any base desire, because death is stationed near the gateway of pleasure.
Benedict's Rule 7:11 (Chittister, Pg. 80)

Choosing God means having to concentrate on nourishing the soul rather than sating the flesh
Chittister, Pg. 82

Remember, the call is for nourishment of the soul, not denial of the flesh. A sentence later Sister Joan reminds us this is about not giving ourselves entirely to the pleasures of the body.

I don't need to worry about never having a pleasant and fulfilling meal, or the joy of feeling my body respond during a workout, rather I need to watch for living my life only for the pleasure of the body. Having made a commitment to the spiritual, I am called to make choices which favor spiritual growth rather than only spending time satisfying myself.

When I think about it again the choice is much simpler: It is just a choice to spend time with God rather than by myself. Or maybe, it is the choice to include God when I am by myself.

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 27 - Realizing God

My heart is stirring with a noble song;
let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *
my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.
Psalm 45:1

That we may take care to avoid sinful thoughts, we must always say to ourselves: "I shall be blameless in God's sight if I guard myself from my own wickedness."
Benedict's Rule 7:18 (Chittister, Pg. 80)

God, Benedict says quite clearly, is within us to be realized, not outside of us to be stumbled upon.
Chittister, Pg. 80

(Added on Jan 28, from journal entries on the 27th)
We invite God into our lives, or at least I did. I live my life and look at my actions in the world. I may well have periods when my heart is stirring with the noble songs of my love for God. Then there are the periods where I simply put one foot in front of the other, and then there are the times I forget God, where I only look out for myself, or maybe even forget to take care of myself... These times, when I fail to even care for myself, may be the times I am most in danger from Satan. (But I will save Satan for another discussion...)

This then is when my heart needs to be stirred with a noble song, this is where having a habit of reaching out to God, a habit strong enough to push through my own personal laziness, is important. So far I have reached back to God, pushing past my own selfishness, often enough that I still recognize God's call to move beyond my own sinful thoughts. For this I say "Thank You" to God.

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 24 - Silence and Talking

O Lord my God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
Psalm 30:2

We absolutely condemn in all places any vulgarity and gossip and talk leading to laughter, and we do not permit a disciple to engage in words of that kind.
Benedict's Rule 5:8 (Chittister, Pg. 73)

The goal of monastic silence, and monastic speech, is respect for others, a sense of place, a spirit of peace. The Rule does not call for absolute silence; it calls for thoughtful talk.
Chittister, Pg. 74

Silence and Talking: I read this and know I still have a long path ahead of me. Experience shows me the results are better when I listen and share than when I simply run my ideas over everyone else. Often someone else has thoughts on the same subject. Sharing and working together we arrive at a clearer, more complete response. To do this I must be silent (at lest for a time).

This sounds great when working with others, but how does this help in my spiritual life, my becoming more the person God calls me to be? Again, I simply need to get out of my own way. I need to become quiet. To listen. Got will communicate, once in a while directly, far more often through the world around me. But, if I am busy talking, I am unlikely to hear any communication from God.

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, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. 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.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 20 - Placing My Hope In God

Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
Examine my heart and my mind.
For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.
Psalm 26:2-3

Place your hope in God alone. If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not yourself, but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge.
Benedict's Rule 4:41-43 (Chittister, Pg.61)

Whatever the motive, Benedict reminds us that the consciousness of God's presence, behind us, within us, in front of us, demands a change in heart, a change of attention from us. From now on we must think differently and tell a different truth.
Chittister, Pg. 62

Yes, examine my heart and mind. I have walked faithfully. I live this life in trust that God faithfully walks with me. My experience, though, is God is more faithfully walking with me than I am with Him. As I read the rule I see a path. I am to place my hope in God alone, not my great ideas. I let go of my schemes and listen for God's guidance.

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. 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.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule from the translation in this same book.
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.

Jan 4 - Living In the World

These people reverence God, and do not become elated over their good deeds; they judge it is God's strength, not their own, that brings about the good in them.
RoB Prologue:29 (Chittister, Pg 14)

There is much wisdom for me in the portion of the Rule today, and in Ms. Chittister's reflection. I am not called to be a solitary ascetic desert Father or Mother, as much as I may wish to compete in this area. As a 21st century Christian and oblate I am called to live among my family and coworkers, among the church members in my parish and the oblates and community I am connected with. My mother provided an example that makes sense: When I am flying in an airplane I expect the pilot of that plane to be paying attention to flying the plane, not closing her or his eyes and praying.

I will be honest: This is hard for me. I read about St. Benedict and other saints (Benedictine and otherwise), I see fellow parishioners and coworkers, and I see accomplishment and honor. It is like reading about Jesus in the Gospels where we see a few great acts, but so little of Jesus and the disciples spending long days walking to the next town, talking one-on-one, just living each day. I forget that doing the laundry, preparing the monthly report at work, and being present are all about reverencing God, and all call for God's strength, not my own.

There is a portion of psalm 66 that seems appropriate:

Bless our God, you people; *
make the voice of his praise to be heard;

who holds our souls in life, *
and will not allow our feet to slip.
Psalm 66:7-8

I pray to remember that as I let go of my preconceived idea of what "holy" is, God will not let my feet slip.

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.

Jump-starting and New Year's Resolutions (and God)

The headline "Jumpstart your New Year's resolution" appeared in my email "In" box this morning. What spoke to me wasn't a renewed interest in getting back on the health and wellness site that sent me the email, but more the concept of starting anything at all.

For the first time in several months (OK, since early September) I wrote in my journal this morning, mentioning that life has changed, I have resolved a health issue, that it is a new year, etc. Then, just before I glanced at my email, I began to wonder which little project I should attempt "today". Four came to mind before I could finish writing down the first one, so I captured the first four in my journal and glanced at my email...

No, I don't have a New Year's resolution this year, at least not one that I have written down. I do want to be a good husband, grandpa, and employee. I still love taking walks and taking pictures, but I also find it so easy to read a book or watch a movie for several hours at a time...

As I write this I now remember the missing part: God. God was not in my journal entry either.

Today is the tenth day of remembering Jesus has come into our lives, my life.

No "Jump-Start" needed. Nor some glowing and bouncing New Year's resolution. Just the same old, same old: continue to do the work that God has called me to do, and trust that He will call me, all I need to do is listen...

(Now, where is that pad, I need to write down the shopping list...)

Infrastructure and Cultivating and Caring For Creation

In her book In The Heart of the Temple ( Copyright 2004, Joan D. Chittister, published by BlueBridge) Joan Chittister claims St. "Benedict's theology of life is clearly based...on the passage in Genesis that teaches that humanity was put in the Garden 'to cultivate it and care for it.'" This catches my attention as I consider "Infrastructure". By infrastructure I refer to the many technological elements most of us take for granted: clean drinking water, electricity, roads (and cars to drive on them), internet access, radio, television, snow plows, etc., etc., etc.

Catches my attention? I live for this. God put me (and all of us, I believe) here on earth to be His hands, to do His work. We humans use many different methods in this work, and clearly infrastructure is a part of all this. We harness the power of the sun and direct it to our homes, for example. We call that the "power grid", and (with perhaps the exception of geothermal energy) the sun is the ultimate source of ALL our power - oil and coal is simply solar energy converted by green plants to carbon based molecules we then "burn". Wind energy is from the heating (by the sun) and cooling of different parts of the earth. OK tidal energy may use energy from the moon rather than the sun, but I think you get what I am saying.

Our drinking water and sanitary sewer systems, our communications systems, the roads and railroads we travel on - all are built by us, they are "Infrastructure". Cultivating and Caring? We use each part of the infrastructure to carry out God's work. Do we always use these elements wisely? No, of course not, we are only human, our nature is to sin.

It turns out "Infrastructure" is an interest of mine. I don't see infrastructure as good or bad, any more than I see "forest", "cities", "church", politics, or many other things as good or bad. I certainly see us using them more or less wisely, more or less as God may have intended us to use them.

And another thing: I must remember (and this can be really hard) that my view of how God intends us to use infrastructure may not be your view, and neither view may be how God would really like us to use or care for our world.