Image by irBri via FlickrMy two-year-old granddaughter’s frequent line is “Mine. Kyla do it.”I smile and accept this is the language of an immature, but growing toddler who has a long way to go yet in life.Yet her tone of voice and words sound vaguely familiar. Then I recognize it.“Mine. I will do it. Me-me-me” echoes my prayers.My prayers lately have been very me-centered. Though I have pitch up prayers for others like icing on the cake, deep down my words are pretty much – me-me-me and mine- mine-mine.I wonder what all of our collective prayers to God sounds like to Him. Reminded of this scene from Finding Nemo and the seagulls:Our prayers may start out sounding beautiful and even musically, but the chorus of me-me-me is never far away. I love the Muppets and this video illustrates my point:Remember the scene in Bruce Almighty when Bruce is overwhelmed with hearing all the prayers.God smiles and accepts each of our efforts in talking with Him. I know He lovingly understands our human … [Read more...]
ABBA – Lectio Divina
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him “Abba, Father.” Romans 8: 15Image by absolut xman via Flickr“Abba, Father.” AbbaAbbaAbbaThank you Lord for gathering me so near to Your heart.AbbaI rest in Your strong, yet tender arms and drink in Your love into my parched soul.AbbaI snuggle onto Your lap with a clarity that I know You and You know me.AbbaFor a brief precious moment in Your sacred embrace, I know throughout my whole self that I am a cherished child of God and all I whisper is,Abba.No fearNo anxietyNo urge to be elsewhere except with my Abba.AbbaAbba … [Read more...]
A Prayer from St Augustine – Quote of the Week
Image via WikipediaI beg of You, my God,let me know You and love You so that I may be happy in You.And though I cannot do this fully in this life, yet let me improve from day to day till I may do so to the full.Let me know You more and more in this life, that I may know You perfectly in heaven.Let me know You more and more here, so that I may love you perfectly there,so that my joy may be great in itself here, and complete in heaven with You.O Truthful God, let me receive the happiness of heaven, which You promise so that my joy may be full.In the meantime,let my mind think of it,let my tongue talk of it,let my heart long for it,let my mouth speak of it,let my soul hunger after it,let my flesh thirst after it,let my whole being desire it,until such time as I may enter through death into the joy of my Lord, there to continue forever, world without end.Amen.St. Augustine … [Read more...]
St. Augustine
Image via WikipediaThe commemoration of St. Augustine will be celebrated in many churches this coming Sunday. How much to you know about this man from the early church?St. Augustine is considered by many scholars to be the most important figure in the ancient Western church. St. Augustine was a very busy 5th century Catholic bishop of a prosperous town in North Africa, called Hippo, in what is today Algeria. He was born in North Africa. His mother was a Christian, but his father remained a pagan until late in life. After a rather unremarkable childhood, Augustine drifted through several philosophical systems before converting to Christianity at the age of thirty-one. During this time, Augustine fathered a child by a mistress. This period of exploration, including its youthful excesses are recorded in Augustine's most widely read work, the Confessions.Returning to his homeland soon after his conversion, he was ordained in 391, taking the position as bishop of Hippo in 396, a position, … [Read more...]
Spiritual Breathing
Image via Wikipedia Take deep breath. Pause a minute and breath in deeply. Feel your chest rise and expand with each inhale and relax as you exhale. Taking deep breaths is healthy for us in so many ways – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4 In the Bible breath is a powerful symbol of the presence of God. The air we breath every moment of our life is invisible, but life giving. The breathes we take, most of time without our control or even our awareness keeps us alive. The air surrounding us is a massive ocean—invisible, yet completely necessary for our life, for we are quickly dead without it. Makes me wonder if one reason God created the air—and how his living creation breaths - was to show us how great and immediate and … [Read more...]
Spiritual Questions – Lectio Divina
When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?"They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."Matthew 16:13-16 (The Message)Image via Wikipedia"What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?""And how about you? Who do you say I am?"Questions.Lord, I think You love questions.You have sprinkled Your Bible with them.You love to ask them to us, making us feel uneasy enough to stretch out of our comfort zones, yet secure enough to try to discuss them with You.God - the Master Teacher, the One who already knows the answer – still asks us questions.You invite us to pull up a chair and to say, “Let’s talk about this? What do you think?”I am thankful You are God who asks questions.I am also thankful You are … [Read more...]
How Close is God? Karl Rahner Quote of the Week
Can it really be possible We are so tightly bondedthat our breath is one breath?Can it be You are intertwinedIn every thought of mine That steps into consciousness?Can it be that Your great loveForever mingles with my own?If so, I gladly lose myselfIn the closeness of Your presence.Karl Rahner … [Read more...]
Are You Ready?
Image by UW Digital Collections via FlickrI have been watching the live video streams this week from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly taking place in Orlando Florida. While listening to debates over policy makes my eyes glass over, the committee reports brim over with inspirational passion. Story after story is shared of making difference in lives of people suffering from malaria in Africa to tornadoes in Missouri. Powerful stuff.Each day a communion worship service takes place. I have stopped all my activities and worshipped in my office, virtually transported to Florida. Bishop Mark Hanson’s sermon the first day still lingers with me. He read from Luke’s gospel the story of Mary being told she will carry God’s child. Hanson asked the question:Like Mary, are we ready to be moved by the power of the Holy Spirit?Am I ready? Am I ready for God to interrupt my routine and expectations?Am I prepared to let go of my feeble attempts to control my future and really trust in His care?Am I … [Read more...]