"In"

...our Lenten Pilgrimage of Prepositions continues .

"To" and "from" are both prepositions often used to express directional action, indicating destination or origin.  Both also invite the question "where?"  which in turn leads us to prepositions of place like - in, on, at, by, over, under, etc.  The most common of these is probably "in."

When asked where are you?  Our response will often be something like, "I'm in (name your city, state, or country),"  or "I'm in town," or "in my car."  We describe emotional and relational states as "in love," "in a relationship," "in touch," etc.  Descriptions of life circumstances include, "in trouble," "in the soup," "in a dark place," "in a good place," "in control," etc.  We always seem to be "in" something.

Let me suggest that perhaps the ultimate "in" is what we call time and space.  Our lives take place in a continuum of thoughts and events that succeed from one to another through past, present, and future.  The continuum we call "time."  The dimension in which thoughts and events occur we call "space."  We are ultimately and always in time and space, both of which are considered boundless or infinite or eternal. Eternity is therefore not a time or place in the future but rather the time and place where we always are.  We live in eternity.

The names we give this eternal existence are most often the Divine Names of our religious and spiritual traditions.  Even scientific language becomes ethereal when speaking of ultimate reality, using words like "mystery" and even "faith" or "trust" when speaking of ultimate matters.

Regardless of the language we use to speak of the infinite and eternal the fact is we are "in" it!

The Apostle Paul when speaking to a group of people in ancient Athens quotes one of their own poets and says: "In God we live and move and have our being."





   

"From"

In the previous blog I mused a bit on the preposition "to" in the Lenten phrase "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  Soon after posting those thoughts I realized there is another preposition in the phrase.  This is the often assumed if unspoken "from."  If "to" implies the journey and experience of life as we know it, then "from" invites us to consider the origin of this life.

In the biblical story of creation the name given to newly created humankind is "Adam" which literally means "from the earth."  Adam is not a personal name for an individual, but rather a descriptive name for the whole species.  Humanity comes from the earth.  

The chemical composition of a human body contains the same elements that make up the planet and atmosphere we call "earth."   We are mostly water (hydrogen and oxygen approximately 75%) and mineral (carbon approximately 19% ), with smaller amounts and traces of another dozen or so gases and minerals.  

Too often we think of earth as the ground beneath our feet when in actuality earth is the land and all that lies beneath, the rivers, lakes and oceans that cover a majority of its surface, as well as above in the thin layer of life supporting gasses we call atmosphere. From the earth means we are all of this. We are dirt, water and air.  We are body and spirit.  We are bread, water, and breath.

Even our thoughts and imagination come from the earth.  Consider these words from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's Human Phenomenan:  

"To think we mush eat...Sometimes we need bread; sometimes wine, sometimes the infusion of a chemical element or hormone; sometimes the stimulus of color; sometimes the magic of sound passing through our ears as a vibration and emerging in our brain in the form of an inspiration…so many different thoughts come out of the same piece of bread! Just like the letters of an alphabet, which can produce incoherence as well as the most beautiful poem ever heard, the same calories seem to be as indifferent as they are necessary to the spiritual values they nourish.”

We are Adam.  We are Human. We are "from the earth."

So, now we have "to" and "from," but beyond both lies "where."   

Next week our Lenten Pilgrimage of Prepositions continues.

"To"

Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. ~ Genesis 18:27

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
~ from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer burial service

We are stardust. We are golden. And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell

Incarnation is already redemption...Christmas is already Easter because in becoming a human being, God already shows that it's good to be human, to be flesh.   ~ Richard Rohr

Today is Ash Wednesday, the day in the Christian Tradition when we are ritually reminded of human mortality and frailty by having ashes placed on our foreheads in the shape of a cross.   Liturgically, we listen to, read, and recite biblical passages about sinfulness and the need for penitence and redemption.

But what if the ashen cross reminds us, as Richard Rohr says, that "Incarnation is already redemption?" What if our salvation is in finally discovering who we really and already are.  

And, who are we?  According to one blunt description I recently read on the internet: "We are ghosts driving a meat covered skeleton made of stardust riding a rock floating through space."  The humbling imagery of Ash Wednesday is even more blunt:  We are dirt - we live - then we are dirt again. Dust to dust.

However, between the "dust" of birth and death is a tiny preposition expressing motion toward a particular destination.  In the "to" we are amazing creatures with intelligence, imagination, desires, emotions, hopes, dreams, and so much more!  The "to" is awareness of the mystery and wonder of it all, mystery and wonder that infuses all of creation and especially humans, eternal mystery and wonder that many of us call God. But not a God over and apart from creation, rather, God with us, in us, and through us.

Ash Wednesday is a day to contemplate mortality in order to remember immortality.  The awesome (in the true sense of the word) "to" we call life is our destination, now and always!

As on recent past Ash Wednesdays, I invite those of you in the Clearwater area to join in a different kind of observance that captures some of my thought above.  If you can, please join us!  If not, then wherever you may be, I encourage you to, in some way whether attending a formal service, sitting in silence somewhere or going for a walk, take a few moments today and reflect on your immortality - your "to".

 “Stardust to Dust

--a Deep Time Creation Liturgy

for Ash Wednesday”

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Trinity Clearwater Presbyterian Church sanctuary

A multi-sensory, multi-media, contemplative liturgy of humanity and the cosmos through a guided, self-paced station to station pilgrimage that connects the miracle of creation with the wonder of life, seeking new dimensions & understandings of our presence and responsibility in God’s creation.

You may begin the pilgrimage anytime within the designated times.

Believe It or Not?

Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe. ~ Thomas, John 20:25

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. ~ Jesus, John 20:29

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1

"I'll believe it when I see it."

The absurdity of this statement really hit home early this morning.  You see, I've been hoping to see the current alignment of 5 planets in the early morning sky.  Unfortunately I'm learning that here in "sunny" Florida this time of year early mornings have a tendency to be cloudy or foggy, evolving into clearer skies later in the day.  This was the case again today.

As I gazed into a cloudy horizon I couldn't see the planets but I knew they were there and believed they were aligned just as scientists and friends who have see them say so.  I couldn't see the alignment but I believed it was there.  If I saw it, belief would have become null because then I would have known it.

I wonder how much of of our understanding of beliefs (whatever those may be) is distorted because what we really want is verifiable knowledge?   Then, if we don't have proof we don't believe it.  This is belief leading to knowledge, and this kind of belief could be just another word for hope.

I could also say, "I know the planets are there and aligned," but only through the stories or testimony of others whom I trust.  This kind of knowing is what I think of as "faith."  Faith is knowing something is true (but not necessarily factual), even when you don't have verifiable proof, because you trust your source of information.   Faith is belief that grows from trust.

Without going too far down this rabbit hole, because it only leads us to absurd questions about the sound of trees falling in the woods and God creating rocks too big for God to move, for me it all comes down to belief becoming faith built on trust. This leads me to the question: Could "trust" be just another world for love.

Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. ~ Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:13

By the way, even though I didn't get to see the planet alignment, I did see this (clouds are good for something - believe it!):

   

Embrace the Mundane

It's just another day

Slipping into stockings, stepping into shoes

Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat

It's just another day   ~ Paul McCartney, "Another Day"

If you're holding heaven, then spread it around

There's hungry hands reaching up here from the ground

Move over and share the high ground where you stood
So heavenly minded, you're no earthly good    ~ Johnny Cash, "No Earthly Good"

Earlier this week I heard a podcast interview (The Right Kind Of Crazy) with Adam Steltzner a NASA engineer who helped develop and land the Mars Rover.  One of the things Stelzner shared was the importance of embracing the mundane of one's work and life.  Even landing a rover on Mars is not all adrenalin and cheers.  Actually the process took (and continues to take) years of day to day tedious work by many people.  

Our culture of got-to-have-it-now information and entertainment creates the illusion that we should be doing or being something exciting and extraordinary all the time.  The Internet even allows us to enter this illusion by allowing us to continuously share our "exciting" lives with others via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

The truth is the majority of our lives are mundane.  However I want to suggest that instead of mundane being ho-hum and boring, we recapture the word's original sense, meaning "of this world, earthly," as opposed to other-worldly and heavenly.   Actually by embracing the mundane and becoming aware of each and every moment of our lives is an amazing thing.  Just "being here" and being aware of being here is truly wonder-filled and miraculous.

So, the next time you think your life is ho-hum or boring, think of it as mundane - grounded in an amazing process of existence and awareness that is extraordinarily ordinary.  Maybe this is what the Psalmist says with, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

Have a mundane day! 

   

  

  

We Know What We Know

"The truth you believe in and cling to makes you unavailable to hear
anything new."   ~ Pema Chodron

Within recent days three celebrity performing artists have died.  It has been interesting to read, watch, and hear on social and traditional media the many different tributes to David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and Glen Frey. There have been memories of first albums, concerts and movies. People have shared stories of how one of these people influenced, and in some cases changed, their lives.

What I find curious about this is not that these people's lives have had profound influence others, but not necessarily on me.  I'm familiar with David Bowie's major hits, but never intentionally listened to his music.  I've seen a number of films Alan Rickman was in and enjoyed his acting abilities.  I'm much more familiar with the music of The Eagles, but could not have told you the name of any individual member of the band, until Glen Frey's death.

All of this leads me to reflect on just how limited each of our perspectives of life are, how the sphere of our knowledge, experiences, interests, and influence is much smaller than we imagine, Perhaps living  in an age of instant connectivity and information has created an illusion that we are more informed, connected, and involved in the world than we really are, even with and perhaps especially those closest to us.

One of my seminary professors use to say, "We know more than we know we know,"  However, the opposite is probably truer, "We don't know nearly as much as we think we know."

Paul Simon put it this way in his song "The Boxer,"  "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."

For now, I think I'll stop my rambling and go listen to some David Bowie music and see what all the fuss is about.

Right Now

Right now,
In the morning dark lights of cars and trucks flicker for a second as they pass the tiny portion of highway visible in the distance, red lights south, white lights north.
My love sits across the room.
The dog sleeps on the sofa.
Coffee aroma fills the air.
A manatee lumbers somewhere in the dark waters outside the window.
Someone is sleeping.
Someone is awaking.
The sun shines brightly on the other side of the earth.
A sunset inspires wonder.
A sunrise brings anticipation.
Millions upon millions make daily journeys into and out of cities.
Lovers embrace.
Lovers quarrel.
Births.
Deaths.
Happiness.
Sorrow.
The refrigerator motor runs.
Darkness has turned to soft morning light.
Dusk has faded to black.
The air is filled with travelers, reading, drinking, eating, chatting.
Astronauts circle the globe.
The earth hurls through space.
You read these random words.
Red and white lights arrive at their destinations.
Right now becomes "then."
"When" becomes right now
flickering by,
filled with everything, everywhere.
Right now is "all" we have.
Savor it.

Perfectionism

I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, God, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  ~ Jesus, John 17:20-23


Today is the Feast Day of Epiphany in the Christian tradition, especially the Eastern Christian tradition.  It is the day marked by the story of the Magi seeing and following a bright star to the Christ Child, Jesus.

Here is how Merriam Webster defines epiphany:

1. 1capitalized :  January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ
2. 2:  an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3. 3a (1) :  a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) :  an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) :  an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosureb :  a revealing scene or moment

How appropriate it is that on the Day of Epiphany I have had something of an epiphany concerning the scripture passage quoted above.  For quite a while now I have struggled for a phrase or word to describe how I have come to experience God, the Divine Presence.  The title of this blog, "One Eternal Presence," is one of the phrases I use, reflecting an awareness of Divinity that infuses all of creation. Some might call this pantheism or panenthesim, however even these beliefs and words contain a form of "theos" the Greek word for God that is contained in just about every word or phrase used to describe belief or disbelief (atheism) about God. It also connotes a God over and apart from creation and humanity.

Toward the end of Jesus' final discourse with his disciples in the Gospel of John (chapters 13-17), Jesus prays for his disciples and in that prayer includes "those who will believe in me through their word."  In other words, "you and me." Then, he says the amazing words above.

The epiphany for me in this passage is "that they may become completely one" - with God!  "The Greek phrase is "teleioo eis heis," with the key word being "teleioo" which means to make perfect or complete.

So, all of this is to say I may have found my phrase or word! (at least for now) Instead of a monotheist, or pantheist, or atheist, or any other kind of "theist," I've discovered I'm a "teleiooist," a "perfectionist" not in the sense of "rightness" but of "completeness."  God is perfect, complete, and we are part of that perfection and completeness!

The exciting thing about such an epiphany, as with all epiphanies, is that this is not the final word on God, but rather a threshold into a whole new way of perceiving, thinking about, experiencing, and exploring the Divine that is and always will be One Eternal (Perfect) Presence.

Have a great Day of Epiphany! 
     

A New Year Dawning

As one year ends and another begins, I offer for your reflection two of my favorite poems by the late Irish poet, philosopher John O'Donohue.

For a New Beginning

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

Blessing for a New Year (Beannacht)

Follow this link to hear the late John O'Donohue read "Beannacht."

Both poems are from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, by John O’Donohue

Love

The fourth and final Word of Advent is "Love."

The expectation of Hope, the wholeness of Peace, and the belonging of Joy all lead to a profound and pure sense that each of us is inseparable from one another, from the Divine, and from all creation. Far from a sentimental, romantic, or physical attraction, the Love of Advent is the glue that binds humanity and holds the universe together.

Love is not something we have, hold or give as much as it is participation in and relationship with the Life Force of all creation. The intensity is greater in some relationships than in others, hence the mystery of love between humans and for animals, nature, music, art.

Through the ages, as humanity has searched for meaning and purpose, we always seem to come around to that "crazy little thing called love."  It is the at the core of most religion.  Christian scriptures say that without love we are nothing but "clanging cymbals," and that God IS Love. Hebrew scriptures say that the first and foremost rule of life is to love God, others, and self with our whole being.  Love is the basis for the five pillars of Islam.

Love is what we discover in pure vulnerability with ourselves, each other, and with God or whatever our concept of the the Divine may be.  The Words of Advent - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love - bring us to such a place of vulnerability.  We call this place "Christmas."

Here is my Advent / Christmas offering for you - one of the best expressions I know of Love as vulnerability, "The Rose" by Amanda McBroom.

Merry Christmas!

Amanda McBroom sings "The Rose"

Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed

It’s the heart that fears the breaking
That never learns to dance
It’s the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun’s love, in the spring
Becomes the rose

Joy

The third Word of Advent is "Joy."   

Like the other words of Advent, joy has a much deeper meaning than our popular understanding.  Most of us have a tendency to equate joy with happiness.  Even though the two are often experienced together and one usually leads to the other, joy and happiness are not the same.

I have come to think of joy as a state of being or a perspective on life, while happiness is a fleeting experience of pleasure. Joy is the source of happiness. However, one can be joyful even in sadness. Joy is the deep gladness that we are alive, that we participate in and affect this amazing, wonderful experience we call life. 

Joy is the wellspring of laughter, tears, smiles, and frowns.  Joy is the immense sense of belonging when hiking canyons, climbing mountains, standing on the seashore, or looking across vast plains. Joy is knowing the One Eternal Presence is with us, in us, and around us.  Joy is light in darkness.

This is how Advent Angels sing of "great joy" among us, and the Psalmist says, "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 

 

Peace

Continuing to explore the words of Advent "Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love," we consider the second word of Advent - "Peace."

Ask most people to define "peace" and we use words like "calm, serene, and tranquil;" or phrases like "lack of conflict" or "absence of war."   Peace is all of this, yet much more.

The Peace of Advent is grounded in a biblical understanding of completeness, wholeness, and harmony.  The Hebrew word for peace is "shalom" which is used to describe the wholeness of body, mind and spirit; covenant relationship between two people, or nations, or with God; prosperity or success; and the end of military battle.  The Greek work "eirene" takes on all of these meanings with Christ as the model for and source of peace, hence the title "Prince of Peace."

In this biblical sense the Peace of Advent is not passive or theoretical, but active and practical.  It is also both inward and outward. We can be peaceful in the midst of conflict, as well as a peace maker between conflicting parties.  However, in order to bring peace to those around us we must have peace (wholeness and harmony) within us.

The Peace of Advent, the same sung by angels to shepherds, is not so much an invitation into tranquil rest as it is a call to action within ourselves and with others.  Just like the popular hymn says, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin in me."

May the Peace of Advent be with you!

Hope

Last Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) was the unofficial beginning of the “holiday season.”  Over the next six weeks or so there will be many parties, dinners, musical programs, family gatherings, and public celebrations.

In the midst of the holiday season we Christians observe Advent, four weeks before Christmas that remind us of the fullness of our human experience.  One way we do this is by centering on four words (one for each week): Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.  Hope comes first because without hope we can't experience the others. Unfortunately for many people the word "hope" has become confused with "wish."

Here's how I see the difference. On the one hand, to wish is to have a strong desire for something to occur that has an equal, if not strong, probability of not happening. Hope, on the other hand, is a state of mind, an attitude or perspective of assurance that the world is as we expect it to be.  One could even say that wish is a verb - something we do, while hope is a noun - something we have.

In a theological, spiritual sense Hope is the assurance that Divine Goodness (meaning wholeness and fullness) is at the foundation and core of Creation.  At first glance, in light of all the pain and suffering in the world, this may seem rather glib or pollyannaish.  And, if we think in terms of "hope" as "wish" it is.  However, coming to a place and perspective that within each and every person and all of creation there is a Divine Spark (however dim or bright it may be) we begin to sense the essence of true Hope.  Wishing comes and goes.  Hope stays.

Advent is a season to reclaim Divine Hope in our lives.

Happy Thanksgivng!

Wherever you are and whoever you are with, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and weekend!

Give thanks with a grateful heart!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What's In Your - - - Obit?

What's in your wallet?
~ a credit card commercial


Several years ago I got the idea for a fun group (or individual) exercise from one of author Robert Fulghum's books.  It goes like this - ask everyone to bring out their wallets and/or purses and basically go on a scavenger hunt using a list of things like a band aid, expired drivers licence, grocery list, etc.  Make it your own fun list.  It is always interesting and often surprising (sometimes embarrassing) to see what people carry around with them.  It also gives a little insight into who we are.

Recently I heard an interview with another author, Austin Kleon, who shared his regular practice of reading obituaries to remind him that "living" is the real purpose of life.  Years ago I also regularly read obituaries to remind me of the impermanence of life.  There is also that funny line attributed to several people from Mark Twain to Henny Youngman, "I read the obits everyday to make sure I'm not in them."

Bringing these two things together with the quote above raises the question, "What's in your obituary?"  How do you want to be remembered?  Who will read it?  Who will write it?

How about writing it yourself? That's right. Take a few minutes and write your own obituary.  Tell those closest to you, your family, your friends, your work colleagues, your neighbors - tell the world how you want to be remembered. Write it down.  Ponder it.  Then share it, not by letting others read it, but by - living it!  Give whoever will eventually write your actual obituary enough good material to work with.

(Camera zooms in to close-up of Samuel L. Jackson)             "What's in your obit?"

Veterans Day

Veterans Day (and others like it) always sends me into a turbulent spiral of conflicting emotions.  To put it plainly, I want to honor people who have served, while at the same time resist sentimental glorification of war and militarism that parades as patriotism in today's world.

My observance of Veterans Day has for the past forty-something years been simple - a phone call to my brother Tom Walton to simply say thank you, without any elaboration.

This morning I am painfully lamenting that I can't make that phone call today.

And so I observe the day by sharing what I said about my brother's military service and patriotism at his funeral this past July.   

___________________________________

"Tom was a worker.  I think he had his first job when he was 6 years old.  At least that’s the way it seemed to me.  He was always cutting grass, bagging groceries, stocking shelves, or working the butcher counter.  He was a true worker.  He put his all into anything he did.

This is one of the main things that made him the patriot he was.

Tom loved and served his country with the same honor and trust he lived the rest of his life.  He loved his fellow military veterans in a bond that only those who have been there have and know - a bond forged in the abyss of war.

I’m going to say something here that may offend some of you, but many of you will know deep inside the truth of it.

Regardless of ideology, nationality, creed, or pledge - War is the tragic flaw of humanity and it not only takes life, it ruins it for many who survive.

My brother, patriot that he was, was also a living testimony that 13 months, perhaps a single day, or even a particular moment in war will change a young man’s (or woman’s) life forever. 

Tom lived with the demons of Viet Nam. But in spite of his war demons, Tom was a patriot.  And his patriotism was forged in places many have been but most of us don’t really want to go.

Having said all of that, I want to publicly say thank you to Tom’s brothers and sister of the American Legion, especially post 145 where he served with utmost pride.  You were truly a second (and maybe sometimes first) family to him.  God bless you."

___________________________________

Thank you, Tom, and all other veterans!  

My simple hope and prayer is that the human family can one day eliminate the need for Veteran's Day.  After all it did begin as Armistice Day of "the war to end all wars."

Mind-Body-Spirit

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”    ~ Jesus

I'm trying to adjust to a new life rhythm.  You see, for the past twelve years my work week has been back-loaded with the lion's share of deadlines and meetings coming Wednesday afternoon and evening through Sunday.  Since moving to a new congregation this schedule has been flipped 180 degrees and now my week is front-loaded from Sunday to Wednesday morning.  The thing this change seems to have affected most is this blog space since from its beginning I have mostly written and posted it on Wednesday mornings.  All of this is to partly explain why you didn't see this post yesterday and why it has been coming to you sometimes later on Wednesdays. My muse has become confused as to when to appear!

Now, with that out of my system, this whole dynamic also has me thinking about life rhythms and how physical routines and activities affect our thoughts, imaginations, emotions, and spirit.  I'm reminded of the body-mind-soul connection and how Spirit traverses every aspect of our lives. 

Mindful and thus authentic spirituality requires attention to all areas of our being.  Most of us are pretty good at one or two while neglecting the other(s). Maybe while exercising we ruminate on negative thoughts of things in our lives.  Or perhaps we feed our minds with good reading or listening while consuming a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream.  We could be meditating every day while sleeping only 4-5 hours a night.  There are too many examples in our lives, so I won't belabor the point other than to repeat that body, mind, and spirit (heart, soul, and mind) are integrated, and care of our whole person is necessary if we are to care for one another.

Jesus reminds us in the quote above of the ancient Truth that in order to love and care for another we must first love and care for our whole selves.  It all goes together. 

So, whether it's Wednesday or Thursday, be kind to yourself and then to someone else!   

Spirit(s)!

This coming weekend we celebrate and commemorate two holidays: Halloween (All Hallows" Eve) and All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day). At least one of these, Halloween, has evolved in the U.S. as another huge cultural event and "consumer holiday."  For all practical and economic purposes Halloween is just an extension of the ever lengthening "holiday season" that was once Christmas.  For me it conjures (a good Halloween word) an image of Santa sitting with a Jack-o-Lantern on one knee and the Easter Bunny on the other.  All we need do is give him an American flag backdrop and we can extend all the way into July!  Or why not make it a whole year by putting a hard hat on him and take it all the way to Labor Day?

Now, after a little fun cynicism, what is this all about?  The answer is straight and simple: Spirit(s)! There is something in the human spirit, which is really just and extension of The Spirit that needs to celebrate, commemorate, remember, and honor the wonder of our existence. No one should be surprised that most of the holidays (holy days) we celebrate have their roots in religion, either directly or grafted.  Even our so-called "secular" celebrations like July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, etc are infused with religious language and imagery in order to give spiritual credence and validation to nationalism, consumerism, and militarism.  Ironically, even all of our human "isms" are, in their own rights, rooted in and driven by Spirit(s).  

There is something deep inside the human experience that yearns for meaning and purpose and the expression of the same. The dark side of these yearnings too often leads to "isms" that fuel fear, violence and war.   However every now and then this simmering yearning boils up and over and we have the overwhelming, uncontrollable urge to light fires, string lights, dance, sing, wear costumes, adorn domiciles, gather in communities, laugh together, cry together, remember the tenuous amalgam of life and death - all in order to experience and express an Eternal Connection to the utter wonder, awe and amazement of the existence of it all.

Happy Halloween / All Saints' Day!  And may the Spirit(s) boil up and over in your life in fun, reflective, and joyous celebration!

God Sized Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
~ Hebrews 11:1

Recently a parishioner shared that her understanding and experience of God took a dramatic turn years ago after reading J.B. Phillips best selling and now classic book Your God is Too Small. This got me to thinking about the "size" of "my God," and how the size of our God affects our faith.

Our faith is only as great as our understanding of God. Now this may sound like a simplistic, formulaic statement but it really is true in exactly the opposite way. The smaller our God, the easier it is to create simple formulas and rituals to please and appease in order to gain favor. Unfortunately much of formal religious practice falls into this category as we attempt to define and categorize God. And in doing so we make God simple, ironically, through complex theologies.

But what if, as most religious scriptures proclaim, God defies definition and categorization? What if the "size" of God is unlimited? And if we are indeed infused with the Spirit and Image of such a God? Then potential and possibilities within any given moment of our lives are also boundless. Another way to express this is that God is present in all experiences of life whether small, large, or in-between. God is not large or small, but rather One-Size-Fits-All. God is the universe. God is also each and every breath we take.

The opposite of faith is not doubt but rather certitude. Whenever we are certain of God's size, be certain this is not faith. Faith is living in the boundless, unknowable mystery and awe of a One Size Fits All Eternal Presence.

Life - Use It or Lose It

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.    ~Jesus

Last Sunday I gave a sermon on the wealthy man who came to Jesus asking, "What must I do to have eternal life."  And Jesus tells him that knowing and keeping the commandments (being a good religious person) is not enough. The man must also "sell everything he owns and give it to the poor."  Jesus then goes on to say to his disciples that giving up one's possessions is the path to true riches, i.e. eternal life.

For most of us this sounds pretty drastic and even harsh.  However, looking at a couple of Greek words used in this passage opens the story up so we can reimagine it and appropriate it.

The word for life used by both the wealthy man and Jesus is "zoe" (pronounced dzo-ay') and it means vital, animated, full, vigorous life.  The man is not talking about life after death or going to heaven. He wants to know how to live fully and authentically here and now.  Most of us can resonate with that!

But what Jesus tells him, to give up all of his stuff, disturbs us just as much as it does the wealthy man.

Perhaps a better way to understand this is to harken back to Jesus' words quoted above which he says to potential disciples earlier in the story.  When he talks about losing and gaining life, Jesus uses the word "psuche" (pronounced psoo-khay') which means the breath of life, the seat of feelings, desires, affections, and aversions, or the soul.

Now, what if eternal, full, authenic life is found by letting go of our souls?

This all brings me around to something I heard on a podcast recently.  Author Todd Henry in talking about his book "Die Empty" shared a story from a group he was in where the quesiton "What is the most valuable real estate?" was asked.  The answer turned out to be - a cemetery - because this is where an endless wealth of hopes, dreams, ambitions, ideas, and inspirations lay unlived. Henry then goes on to say that we should strive to live out as much of our life (our "psuche") as possible in order to experience optimal life (our "zoe").

So, it looks like life is a whole lot like vacation time - use or lose it!  Or, we could echo Jesus and say, "Lose it and gain it!"  

Why not go out and give up some of your soul to somebody or something today?




  

Home

Last week we moved from Washington, DC to Clearwater FL.  The cultural and climatic change is quite dramatic and will take some "getting use to."  However, in time we will become acclimated and life will be as "normal" as ever.  One day in the future it will feel like home.   After all, isn't "home" what we are all looking for - to be who we are, to be loved, to love, to be needed and appreciated, to be safe.        

This week marks the 4 year anniversary of One Eternal Presence.   It began as a way to share my experience while on sabbatical in the summer of 2011and soon became a weekly reflection on faith and life.  Along the way I've shared wisdom gleaned from others and offered some of my own insights on experiencing the interconnected wholeness of life.  In many ways OEP is my way of encouraging us all to be at home wherever we are.

Since OEP's anniversary always comes the week after World Communion Sunday, it is a reminder that even though we may practice religion in different ways we still remain one human family, sharing the same planet while carrying similar hopes, dreams, sadness, and joy.  Our common needs far exceed our individual fears.  We really do share the heart of God.

In the end, as the old saying goes, home is "where the heart is."  Our true home is in the One Eternal Presence of God.

Moving!

We are in the throes of moving and so it was several days after the fact when I realized I did not post a blog last week.  This week I thought I should at least briefly bring you up to date on the status of "One Eternal Presence" (OEP) as we move from Washington, DC to Clearwater, FL. 

Thanks to some people who have asked will I continue publishing OEP.  The answer is absolutely Yes!  There will not be a post next week as we settle in at Clearwater.  I plan to resume regular publication the first week of October, which by the way will be the fourth anniversary of the "One Eternal Presence."

See you in a couple of week!

   

Midnight Madness!

I was wide awake at 2:30 am this morning. You have probably been there before - you're dead tired the night before and are fast asleep "before your head hits the pillow" only to wake up in the wee hours with your mind full of life's troubles.  The lists of troubles that kept going through my mind had too much to do with the Washington Nationals blowing another baseball game, but also things at church that need to be done before my final Sunday at CHPC, as well as the many details associated with moving.  I am also currently consumed by bureaucracy as I try to get a recently purchased used car tagged so I can get it out of our back yard and actually drive it. I finally did go back to sleep close to 4:00 am, so the 5:30 alarm was way too soon!

After Peg and I put out 15 bags of clothing on our curb for the Purple Heart to pick up, putting finishing touches on a prayer to say at the House of Representatives tomorrow, taking Peg to the Metro so she could make a flight at DCA, and walking the dog I finally sat down for a few moments of quiet time.

It was then that I began to put things in perspective.  As much as I love baseball, it is just a game played by millionaires who are making even more millions for others.  In preparing for our move we have already given away more "stuff" than most people in the world would ever hope to own. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church has been here for 150 years and will continue to thrive without me. We are moving to another wonder congregation Trinity Presbyterian Church in a sub-tropical vacation destination and can afford to purchase a 2nd car to make life there more convenient.  Modern travel makes Peg's work possible. I've been invited to pray at the Untied States Congress 13 times.  I know where all of my family members are and everyone has a job, clothing, a roof, food, accessible health care, and friends and family who love them. And, my dog Wilson reminds me to be the person he thinks I am.

So, what's the problem?  I think I'll take a nap!

Wisdom from Wayne

Dr. Wayne Dyer died earlier this week.  I've heard him speak on several occasions, watched many of his PBS specials, and read even more of his books.  His practical, inclusive, holistic, and interfaith approach to spirituality has spoken to me and helped me grow into more non-dualistic understandings of the human-divine experience.   My observation is that he also evolved through the years from a psychological self-help author into a true enlightened mystic.

In four years of writing this blog I have referred you to many quotes and sources of my own spiritual evolution.  Rarely, if ever, have I deferred totally to a blog by someone else, but I do so today in memory and honor of Wayne Dyer.

Please follow this link for a brief reflection on Wayne Dyer and a few quotes from among his many quotable insights.
  

Stuff and Joy

A person can accumulate a lot of stuff over a lifetime.  In preparation for moving, I'm spending a lot of time these days going through stuff, both at home and at work.  Among many reactions to the things I'm finding, two seem to come to the forefront.  

The first is - "Why in the world do I still have this?" The response to this is usually a quick heave into shredding, recycling, trash, yard sale, or donation pile.  Examples:  old college and seminary text books, cancelled checks (remember writing checks?), old bank statements, 3.5 floppy disks, photos of people I don't know, playbills, church bulletins, ticket stubs, and so much more.

The second reaction is - "Oh, I'm so glad I still have this!"  The response is usually to sit for a moment and remember someone or some place special in my life, then putting it aside to be packed.   Examples: just about anything my children created, family photos, little things that belonged to my parents, my great grandfather's pocket watch, things I will actually use, and not so much more.

The main difference between these two reactions is a question I learned to ask from reading a book about downsizing, Marie “KonMari” Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. The simple question is: Does it bring me joy?

It's a good question for all of us to ask about much of life - Does it bring me joy?  

    

Anything / Everything

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.  But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.  Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes.  All is a miracle.

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet God feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.

~Jesus

Look deep enough into anything 

and you will see everything.

The universe in a grain of sand.

Eternity in each fleeting moment.

A leaf holds the milky way.

Each breath the Wind of Creation.

The faintest sound the cosmic "ohm" -

an echo of the Eternal Voice,

"Let there be...!"

And it was good - very good!

Look deep enough into anything 

and you will see everything.

Look deep enough into your soul

and everything is a gift.