Peacewhisper Notes
Love is alive. We are alive.
"Beyond the sorrow and disappointments in life, deep in the fabric of things, there is a blessing: the blessing of existence, of having been chosen to be...." (William Cleary, We Side with the Morning)
In sight of the risen Christ, may we offer praise and gratitude that we too, are alive!
A Lenten Journey
We invite you to return and pray with us as we journey together through this Lenten desert. We are encouraged
to walk into the desert led by the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus was.
Week 1 - One Step
I need to continually encourage myself during Lent, as I fail to live up to my expectations and goals. Teresa of Avila urges us, "to see where we are as simply another starting point for future journeying toward God. And if a person should do no more than take one step, the step will contain in itself so much power that [they] will not have to fear losing it."
I continue to take one step at a time.
Week 2 - What If
What if this hum in my head ~ this swirling energy in my body was really God entering this world in a way only I could allow?
What if this simple willingness ~ this quiet surrender, was my highest calling ~ the one thing I was born to do ~ to be?
What if I really trusted that all else was up to God, even making me ‘good’ and helping me love it all?
What if it was really this simple ~ to sit and open to His Presence, to Her Embrace, transforming every longing heart?
What if each full in-breath opened some door to Spirit’s Wind ~ each full out-breath released that healing breeze into my personal reality?
What if everything else was just pure joy of living into what had already been made new?
By Paul Lemon, Retreatant
It is not in understanding that we come to believe, but in believing that we come to understand.
Let us reflect on our own "WHAT IF?" questions.
Week 3 - Alone
Jesus was alone in the desert. Jesus was alone in the Garden, even though apostles slept close by. Jesus was alone on his Passion walk, even though surrounded by people. Jesus was alone on the cross, even though his closest few stood by. The unfathomable loneliness, rejection, and helplessness Jesus experienced give us a clue to our deepest calling, to a place where we experience the very heart of God.
"The shadows fall. The stars appear. The birds begin to sleep. Night embraces the silent half of the earth. A vagrant, a destitute wanderer with dusty feet, finds his way down a new road. A homeless God, lost in the night, without papers, without identification, without even a number, a frail expendable exile lies down in desolation under the sweet stars of the world and entrusts Himself to sleep." - Thomas Merton
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Week 4 - Poverty of Spirit
Poverty of Spirit ~ Recognition of our own spiritual poverty/nothingness; an emptiness of self and total dependence on God. And Jesus showed us how ~ he emptied himself, humbled himself, made himself nothing in his complete dependence on his Father.
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” (John 5:17)
“My teaching is not my own, but is from the one who sent me.” (John 8:38)
“I do nothing on my own. . ." (John 8:28)
“Who, though he was in the form of God. . . emptied himself. . . humbled himself. . .” (Phil 2:6-8)
A difficult concept to grasp and contrary to our normal way of thinking and functioning. But, as we know, Jesus turned everything upside down. He came to show us the true way. When we look at Jesus on the cross ~ alone, rejected, broken ~ “We see into the very heart of God. . .The cross reveals how vulnerability is the very path to intimacy.”
(The Passion and the Cross, Ronald Rolheiser)
Our spiritual journey is meant to lead us so deep that we embody that sentiment, "I do nothing on my own."
Week 5 - Rugged Journey
A rugged journey
we stumble along
with Jesus and his cross
we try to be stong.
The cross is so heavy
we fall on the way
but hope and love draw us
so we will not stray.
God is in waiting
for us to arrive
for here in God's heart
we are most alive.
Jesus's rugged journey led him to the cross, to death, to resurrection and glory.
These last days of Lent, may we reflect on our own rugged journey and where it may lead us.
Week 6 - Beauty and Hope among the Thorns
"Jesus does not take away the sin of the world by somehow carrying it off . . . Nor does he take it away by paying off a debt to God for Adam's sin and ours. He takes it away by transforming it, by taking it inside of him and not giving it back. Jesus took away the sin of the world by taking in hatred and giving back love; by taking in anger and giving out graciousness; by taking in envy and giving back blessing; by taking in bitterness and giving back warmth . . . by taking in sin and giving back forgiveness. Our task, too, is to help take away the sins of the world. We do this whenever we take in hatred, anger, envy, bitterness and hold them, transmute them, and eventually give them back as love, graciousness, blessing, forgiveness."
(Ronald Rolheiser)
May the beauty of these words enkindle hope and love in our hearts, amidst our own thorns.
May the beauty of these words enkindle hope and love in our hearts, amidst our own thorns.
RESURRECTION
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ALLELUIA! LOVE IS ALIVE!
May we be fully alive in love.
