Holy God, the source and giver of all wisdom, in your love, give to each of us a hearing heart and the will to listen deeply for your guidance, that the decisions we make will honor you, and our life together give you joy as we serve, praying in your Name. Amen.
I heard this at my most recent retreat and was arrested by the sentiment of a hearing heart. If you are a frequent reader of this blog you know I have been writing about listening and ears and the whole concept for a couple of months now.
A hearing heart.
The will to listen deeply for guidance.
Oh yes, and the strength to trust and obey what we hear!
Many religious institutions are in transition as fewer men and women seek to follow and serve God through ordination or monastic life. So I ask that you pray for these friends who have been so crucial and instrumental in my formation as a follower of Christ. You can meet them at the link below.
Almighty and everlasting God, we pray you, bless your servants, the Associates of the Community of the Transfiguration. Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we may know and do your will. Guide, strengthen and protect us by your Holy Spirit, that we may walk in your ways all the days of our life and in the end be brought to life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week. It was wonderful. Bob let me experiment with one of his cameras. I needed lots of coaching! When we created the cover for the book Poems we discovered that the iPhone photos I mainly take did not have enough dpi (dots per inch) to create a good book photo cover. So I set about learning a new skill. Tried to relax as I fudged the photo up then took it again, repeatedly.
The opening photo is from New Found Gap, elevation 5,048 feet. We had to travel there to see most of my favorite spring flowers. With global warming they had already bloomed and faded at the lower elevations. First photo is a hillside just covered by May Apples that were still in bloom.
Just before we arrived I had read this selection from The Edges of His Ways by Amy Carmichael: April 26
Sometimes we wake feeling “down,” and we feel like that all day long for no reason that we can discover, only it is so. It is useless to try to feel different; trying does not touch feelings. It is useless to argue with oneself; feelings elude arguments. Be patient–feelings are like the mists that cover the mountains in misty weather. The mists pass; the mountains abide. Turn to your Father; tell Him you know that He loves you whether you feel it or not, and that you know that He is with you whether you feel His presence or not. “I beseech Thee,” said one long ago, “let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying, . . .” I suggest that you ask the Holy Spirit to bring some “saying” of His to your mind that has helped you in the past. That saying wherein He has caused us to trust, “the same is my comfort in my trouble: for Thy word hath quickened me.” Our Lord can enable us so to live that of our inward “toil and dejection” others see nothing.
photo by r m dutina
“The mists pass; the mountains abide.”
I do love the writing of Amy Carmichael! The Lord can enable us so to live that others see nothing of our inward toil and dejection. I am certainly not there yet, but it is a lofty goal. Amy Carmichael suffered “For most of her life, she suffered from a nerve condition called neuralgia, which caused chronic pain, fatigue, and migraines. Then, due to a spine injury, she was bedridden and in severe pain for the last twenty years of her life.” Today Neuralgia is defined “Neuralgia is the medical term for severe, shooting pain that occurs due to a damaged or irritated nerve. Neuralgia can affect any part of the body, causing mild to severe pain.”
Then a spine injury that left her bedridden for 20 years?!? I can hardly imagine. Yet she carried on her Christian ministry in India and wrote booklets that comfort us even to this day.
Lord, thank you for her life and writings. Thank you that she is no longer suffering with pain. Bless her memory I pray.
Have you ever noticed a Bible verse repeating over and over again in your life?
In our recent readings for the Second Sunday of Easter we read Psalm 16. Verse 11 is especially meaningful to me.
“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 NRSVUE
When I skipped church as a young teenager and walked the paths in the park worshiping God, it seemed as if David’s experience was my experience, too.
In 1993 I attended a silent retreat. When Psalm 16 came up I felt led to take verse 8 with me and practice God’s presence as I walked the Convent grounds.
I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8 NRSVUE
The practice that day deepened my faith and my trust in this God who is always at my right hand. Isaiah 42: 6 verses a and b go along with this verse.
“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you…”
When I attended the Jewish funeral service for our dear “Aunt Cloty Gutman” in May, 2002 they read this Psalm. I was deeply touched as I remembered again that we both shared trust in this God whom David extolled.
The path of life, fullness of joy, pleasures forevermore … why would I seek after anything else?
I learned early in life that the God of Jesus is Who I wanted to seek. After dabbling in things of the world and even tasting the occult, I realized that only Jesus is eternal. Only God Almighty is going on forever. That is Who I want to follow. That is Who I want as my leader.
Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” 3 The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
4 Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.
5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. 6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight. The Complete Jewish Bible
Well that pain in my neck is not just from my unruly neighbors or a bad night of sleep. I have been learning what it means to live with cervical spondylosis and radiculopathy (compression or irritation of a spinal nerve). Seems more like ridiculousness than radiculopathy!
I decided to seek medical help when my neck began popping, sometimes 10 times in an hour. For several years I have had daily headaches the doc could not explain. Also recently some numbness in hands when I crochet or knit. I at times awake with 3 fingers on right hand totally numb. Often dizzy, ringing in my ears (tinnitus). Not certain if that is related or not?
Discomfort at night, difficult to get comfortable. At time, must throw off my wonderful foam pillow, take off the necklace and use the dog bone pillow. Sometimes the neck, shoulder and head pain wakes me up.
I used to sleep on my side. Can no longer do that due to pain.
Already taking Gabapentin. I take Tylenol all day and night. At first doc thought it might be reaction to Tylenol. Stopped all Tylenol, no relief. Using 1/2-1 muscle relaxer at night.
I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. When TMJ flares I am a mess. And now this.
China gel – (menthol rub) can help, but only for a short time. I have joked I need to shower in it. Using an Ice pack when the pain is really bad.
Already had rotator repair in right shoulder twice, partial tears. I think that is torn again, but not eager to repeat surgery and neck is worse than shoulder though shoulder aches daily.
No cartilage in my right thumb joint. Degenerative disc disease in lower back. Is that what this is? How to treat it?
Well I saw the Physician Assistant and the x-ray showed cervical spondylosis and radiculopathy. She sent me to PT and gave me a steroid pack.
Messed up the very first day!
I began by not reading the tiny print and took all the first day tablets at once. What a doofus!
PT suggested a new pillow (through Amazon) and a cervical collar. I purchased both. The cervical collar is a deal you inflate and sit with for 10 minutes, twice a day.
I look thrilled, right?
One journal entry reads: The pain last night was frightening. After cooking for several hours my neck began to hurt. Actually I began to hurt all over. Then I got the traction collar thinking that would help. It felt good, but did not help the pain. By the time I got ready for bed I was almost in tears. China gel on neck. Towels upon new pillow to try to contain the menthol fragrance. There is something here I did not reckon upon. Can cooking for several hours, looking down at the counter, the skillet, the various pans, lifting the pressure cooker off the flour, the flour canister … do any/all of those actions make my neck worse?
The steroids hit me really hard. I will think long and hard before I take those again. Sleeplessness, drenching sweats in my sleep, yuck. Physician’s Assistant also said to stop the Diclofenac I take for arthritis pain as it can make steroid side effects worse. I was not thrilled, but I followed her advice. I did have fewer digestive issues this round of steroids.
The PT exercises are questionable. The therapist is certain my shoulder is okay as my strength there is good. Some exercises make me feel much worse. I wonder if the others are doing anything? I will persist and talk myself into doing them more. I am no where near the reps the therapist wants me to get to.
There was a saying “After 40 we patch, patch, patch.” I have added “After 70 we just crumble.” But I am alive. None of this is likely to kill me. I continue to cling to my prayer.
I am determined that this day,each time I am drawn up short by pain, I will praise You, for I love You better than life – even better than quality of life.
Lord, I cling to You!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4 NIV
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5c NIV
When we listen to people, our own language softens. Listening may be the cardinal act of giving. Paul Hawken
Our church offers personal prayer once a month at all three services. This fell into disuse recently when the leader had to step down and no one stepped up to take his place. I wanted to join the prayer ministry. It was made clear to me that in order to do that I would need to take up the leadership and thereby ask the Lord to resurrect this important ministry to our church.
I prayed and I did take it on. March was our first time to present ourselves again to the congregation as available for prayer. I had two people who were willing to become intercessors. Before the training occurred for them one stepped back down.
We had a great training session via Zoom with my old friend Hawley Todd. For decades he lead the Episcopal Healing Ministries. He had worked with St. Timothy’s before regarding this ministry and knew a few of the folks who are still participating. Hawley had trained me many years ago, too. The training was on a Monday night. Six out of eight intercessors were able to attend. On Saturday night I got a message that one man was going to have to step away as his health would not permit him to participate. This was a great disappointment to him.
April was our second time to offer personal prayer. Sunday was bit chaotic. One person had planned to be out-of-town to see Grandkids that week. The person she was usually paired with was suddenly called out of town for family needs. So I prayed during that service with a person who was already scheduled to fill in.
The next service the same two of us prayed while a newly trained member “shadowed” us. She finally joined in when the second person came asking for prayer. The third service was covered by the pair that usually pray together. In all we had six people come asking for prayer.
Whew! All that to say this ministry is about listening. Listening to the suffering of our fellow parishioners. Listening to the Lord as we are guided what to say. I agree with Paul Hawken, “Listening may be the cardinal act of giving.”
Hawley cautioned us not to carry the concerns out of the church with us. He suggested that we go wash our hands before we leave. Washing, as a way of releasing those cares. I admit, I was so wound up by the time I left the church, I forgot to wash my hands. I did though when I got home!
This morning while reading Henri Nouwen’s book about the desert fathers and mothers, The Way of The Heart, he quoted Diadochus as writing, “Ideas of value shun verbosity. Timely silence, then, is precious, for it is nothing less than the mother of the wisest thoughts.”
In this sort of prayer we aim to listen to people, to pray what they ask us to pray and leave the rest of God. We try not to get carried away with the sound of our own prayers. We trust God to read the heart of the person before us and help us to put their request into words. We try to present them with the ‘cardinal act of giving.’
This is not the usual way of loving your fellow church goers. We do not ask, “How are you?” and then think about our response while they are still speaking. This means setting aside our self and our will and serving an other with attention and prayer.
Yes, there are certain phrases I use when I pray, but the most important thing is what the person expresses as their deepest need or thanksgiving. I agree with Diadochus. Ideas of value DO shun verbosity. Simplify your prayers and you will see what I mean.
May all those who request prayer from you be blessed with brevity and the attendance of our Lord who promised that where two or more are gathered in His name, He would be there. Matthew 18:20
I have various stones and shells near my prayer chair. I often am drawn to them as I enter prayer. One shell is a called a shark eye or moon shell or various other names. Most common seems to be shark eye.
I was looking at the sections delineated on this shell by the ridges and colors. One morning that led me to wonder if all the shells go in the same clockwise direction?
Well there you have it. The shells have a direction. My prayer time can provide a direction that makes time not reverse as much as stop. A prayer can be outside of time as we know it.
I often use the image of the nautilus shell when I am trying to center down into the silence of God’s heart. You might remember the glass artwork I purchased.
For me I focus upon each section of the shell individually. Beginning at the outermost edge, I am aware and surrounded by all the noises, fragrances, sensations of the world around me…. all the distractions provided to me. As I choose to move to the next section, my surroundings grow smaller, fewer things to draw me from God. As each section (where the nautilus used to live) grows smaller, I try to draw closer to the Lord. Reaching for more of the essence that gives me life. Just as a monk throws a hood over his head I want to close out the world and be with my God.
The cowl (sometimes known as a capuche, especially for friars) is the hood worn by the Carmelite monks. The monk wears a monastic cowl that hangs over his upper back and is used to cover his head during the winter months. Although the cowl serves a practical purpose in keeping the monk’s shaven head warm, the cowl is more importantly a sign of mourning. The word “monk” is derived from Greek words meaning “one who mourns in solitude.” So what does a monk mourn? The Carmelite monks mourn for their own sins and the sins of others, begging for God’s mercy and justice. The cowl is a reminder of Christ’s Dolorous Passion on Calvary for sinners, a death that He would have endured had there been but one poor sinner.
The Holy Rule exhorts the Carmelite to “place the helmet of salvation on [his] head,” and this is what the Carmelite does every time he covers his head with the cowl. His head being covered in the brown wool and his face hidden unless you look directly at him, the monastic cowl also serves to hide the monk so that God alone might know his countenance. https://www.carmelitemonks.org/HolyHabit.php
When I emerge from the meditative prayer I bring with me a renewed sense of God’s presence even amidst the myriad distractions of the world.
I want to live from the inside out, always within the center-down silence. Having to struggle to get back is not the direction I choose.
Teach me, Lord, and help me know how to grow from the peaceful sanctuary within.
Show me please where to refresh our love. Give me attitudes that will unravel me from the sin which so easily entangles.
Make me one with You, Lord, so I will know how to be close to all that is around me.
Help me, Father, and be glorified in my life.
Whatever way you choose to pray and draw close to God, I hope it is with a sincere heart giving plenty of time for God to speak and for you to listen for that still, small, holy voice.
Next time you get to visit the beach I hope you find gems to bring home!
Gratitude places you in the energy field of plentitude. Glow with gratitude and see how awe and joy will make their home in you. Michael Bernard Beckwith
Br. David Steindl-Rast shares this compelling invitation: “Imagine a society in which mutual trust has the leverage that our present social order accords to fear. Imagine a society in which mutual caring has the leverage that our present social order accords to egotism. If we reach the critical mass of grateful people, a surprising reorientation can take place.”
Brother David has amazing insights and goals that boggle my mind. I want to live in the world he imagines. Mutual trust, mutual caring and a critical mass of grateful people! Yes! Let’s do that instead of all the other nonsense politicians and reporters spend time upon.
At our Maundy Thursday service I heard this for the first time. I WAS SO IMPRESSED, I had to worship with it on repeat. Regardless of what you think about the photos that accompany the music, just listen and be blessed. (The photos all seem to represent post crucifixion.)
“Stay with me, remain here with me. Watch and pray.”
Such simple statements. The disciples in the garden found it impossible to do. The Lord prayed and pleaded with the Father. They kept falling asleep. Can we stay awake?
This was perhaps the most meaningful end of Lent I have ever had. I think this music made a huge contribution to that experience.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” 39 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Now the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26:36-46 NRSVUE
In the book I used during Lent entitled Lent with The Desert Fathers, a prayer written by St. John Chrysostom was quoted. One portion reads:
“Let no one lament persistent failings, for forgiveness has risen form the grave.” “
Isn’t that amazing? Even the disciples who kept falling asleep thought he Lord asked them to watch and pray, even they were forgiven. So are we.
This is from a meditation sent by Practicing the Way during Holy Week.
“It’s still shocking: Jesus passed through death and, as you read these words, inhabits a body that ate Galilean fish and bears puncture marks from the cross, and yet is utterly different — a “walking, talking piece of new creation,” in the words of BibleProject’s Tim Mackie.
Have you contemplated this idea? Jesus, right now and right there with you, too! Our wonderful Jesus, passed from death into life and per the promise of the Father into us to live and dwell and direct our steps.
Oh such glory to God!
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” John 14:16-21 NRSVUE
The same, “yet utterly different.”
It is said He walked on earth fifty days before the ascension. As He lives and moves within us I propose that He is still walking the earth. Ponder that. Pray with that idea. Thank the Almighty for this amazing work.
Oh. Brings me to stillness and quiet within. Let all the earth keep silence before Him. Let all the earth declare His mighty works of glory.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. Romans 8:11 NRSVUE
Surrender to the Holy Spirit. Let Christ live and move through you. Wait before the Lord in every endeavor. Trust God to work through you as you walk in obedience to the Almighty. Be amazed at the Indwelling Christ. And give thanks.
This was noted on the website by Monasteries of the Heart which features Joan Chittister and the work of the Benedictine Sisters in her community.
April 4: “If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you will look forward, do so prayerfully. But the wisest course would be to be present in the present gratefully,” wrote Maya Angelou, who was born on this date in 1928. Angelou was a prolific author, poet, and journalist, as well as a Civil Rights activist.
Such wisdom from Maya. I have enjoyed reading some of her work. Such a life and what amazing telling of that life. The above is an challenging quote!
Look back forgivingly. Look forward prayerfully. Wisest course is to be present in the present GRATEFULLY.
Maybe it is because I am aging. Perhaps from walking closely with my neighbors who are dying? The gratitude in my heart seems to grow daily. Even when I am caught up in my own physical pain, I am able to be more grateful than in the past. I often recite my prayer below.
I have determined that this day, each time I am drawn up short by pain, I will praise You for I love You better than life - even better than quality of life.
I hope you can turn this time of year into a season full of forgiveness, prayer and gratitude. I believe we could all benefit from that effort!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 