Saturday, October 31, 2009

Preparing for the Final Exodus Plague ~ in my prayer

We’ve talked about asking questions when we pray.  We’ve talked about listening to our Triune God’s questions when we pray.  


What do you think?  Is it working for you?


I love the questions ~ assuming you’re asking me the same questions!


Some where in this journal made public I share with you my prayer.  In my profile maybe?  The first post?  I don’t remember…




“God, are you the same now than you were before being Human?”


“God, are you Emmanuel ~ God is with us ~ always...before you were Human
...while you were Human
...NOW?


“God,  since you’re Alpha & Omega, why do the scriptures present you differently
 before you were Human
...while you were Human
...NOW?


“God, why did you want to be like me?”




I feel God asking me questions.


“Child, are you different now that you know I Am with you
...feel I Am with you?”


“Child, since I Am Alpha & Omega,  do you love me differently
before I became One with you in Flesh
...while I Am Flesh
...NOW?”


“Child, will you be with me in Alpha & Omega?”


“Child, will you Love like I do?




Ah man...I cry.












You know what?  I have a tendency to add a “because” to my questions.  


You know what?  I add “Then why…” to my answers.
                                                     “But…” to my answers.
        “if…” to my answers.




Whoa…






I believe God leaves out the “Because’s,” the “Then why’s,” the “But’s,” and the “If’s.”


I believe God leaves out all qualifiers in his answers because God is Love...
God’s Love is unconditional...
God’s Will is to be Love…






Ah man...I cry.








My humanity is riddled with conditions.  


I judge.                      I compare.                      I make mistakes.  








I wonder if God manifested to be like me to experience conditions.


My child judges.       My child compares.       My child makes mistakes.








God is ever present. God is unconditional love. God searches for me...regardless.




Remember when we didn’t know what to do with all that new knowledge we ingested in the Garden so we hid in the trees?   Remember when we ran to God at the tomb when we heard God was looking for us?  




THAT answers my prayer question, “God, are you Emmanuel ~ God is with us ~ always 
….before you were Human
...while you were Human
...NOW?




Ah man...I cry.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Canaanite Woman ~ in my prayer

Ah man…

Here we go…again...


I  call  The  Canaanite  Woman
  Jesus’  spiritual  director.


Yesterday my prayer helped me explore the idea...the tradition...my heart...of sin and with sin.

I was challenged on retreat, as i've said ~ repeatedly...ah man...sorry 'bout that ~ because it sounds like I suggest that Jesus sins in the story.

I hold Jesus did initially respond to the Canaanite Woman through the tradition he understood:  She is an outsider.  I hold Jesus did initially respond through the tradition he understood:  The First to be tended are the "lost sheep of (The Chosen)."

Jesus' response to her is in accordance with the popular consensus. Subsequently 'righteous', if you will in the eyes of the crowd.  No sin.

Now, here is the lesson in the story for me supported by Hebrews 4: 15.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable 
to sympathize with our weaknesses, 
but one who has similarly been 
tested in every way, 
yet without sin.


Jesus understands Human Free Will because Jesus lived with Human Free Will.  Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses.  Jesus' Human Free Will was tested in every way.  Jesus' attitude was adjusted.  Jesus was without sin in God is Love.

I  call  The  Canaanite  Woman
  Jesus’  spiritual  director.



The Canaanite Woman challenged the popular tradition Jesus lived.  Jesus heard her.  Jesus' attitude adjusted...

Jesus was tempted to follow the tradition of recognizing a CHOSEN people.  Jesus' new knowledge came from the fruit of a different tree.  Jesus ate.  Jesus glorified God with his new knowledge in...through...with God is Love.  God is Love unconditionally.


ALL are CHOSEN.

Wow...ah man...

I cry.



Breathe.




I pray I will always hear another's prayer.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am greeted by another.



I pray I will always feel God's Love through another person.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am with another.



I pray I will always live God is Love.



I pray (others' souls) will leap in (their) wombs, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I greet them.


Let's sit back.  Feel our hearts beat.  Breathe and sigh...








Saturday, October 24, 2009

The Canaanite Woman ~ in my heart, in the stillness

Ah man…

Here we go…


I  call  The  Canaanite  Woman
Jesus’  spiritual  director.


Here’s why…

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, The Transfiguration bringing belief through a human mind, I feel this could be one of the loneliest times for the Man Jesus.  It seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled TRANSFIGURATION. Christology in my naiveté.


I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, The Triumph of the Cross ~ in my heart.  It seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS in the challenge,

To love God is to follow the commandments as outlined in the Tablets.  God’s commandments are concrete and measurable.  I can see clearly when someone ~ including me ~ breaks any of the Ten. The Ten are behavior based.


It is much more challenging to clearly define Love One Another, Turn the other cheek. The Greatest commandment Jesus outlines requires an attitude adjustment.

Whoa...how arrogant is THAT?  I am quoting myself.

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, Who do the Crowds Say I AM ~ in my heart, in my life, in my stillness…

Alright.

Alrightalright.

I know I hide in the Garden’s Trees when I am afraid to face God.  When I am afraid of facing other people I can simply stop answering the phone, if you will.

See, for me…

Sin ~ for lack of a better word ~ against society isn’t necessarily sin against God.  However, when I live through God is Love...sin ~ for lack of a better word ~ against God IS always sin against other people.

A great example from Jesus’ life to help me explain where my prayer concretely takes me home with that thought.

Mark 2:  23

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

Scripture is riddles with such examples of sin against society and sin against God.  Share the ones with me that bring you home, if you will.  Let’s talk about it.  Let’s pray with it.

Alright.

Alrightalright.

Now really begins the Canaanite Woman as Jesus’ spiritual director.  Oh boy...this is the part of my retreat sharing when many of the others blasted me!

Am I THAT nervous writing this here or is it the coffee in my system?!?

Alright.

Alrightalright.

Jesus was raised by people that truly loved God.  Truly held God in the center of their hearts.  I believe that.  Jesus grew up hearing over and over how he was one of the Chosen People; that others were not so privileged.

The Canaanite Woman challenged his processing human mind ~ tradition, history, society’s cultural teaching ~ when she heard him calling her a dog. As far as she was concerned ~ and I am concerned ~ Jesus was implying that she and her kind weren’t worthy, if you will, for the children's’ bread.

S H E   S A I D  to the very human Jesus, “Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

I cry…

I can see...can feel...Jesus stopping in his tracks.  I can see...can feel...Jesus turning around to face her... walking toward her with his arms outstretched...hugging her... holding her tightly against him.  I can hear...can feel...him whispering in her ear, “You are so right. I AM here for you.  I love you.  Thank you.”


Ah man...I cry…



I pray I will always hear another's prayer.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am greeted by another.



I pray I will always feel God's Love through another person.



I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I am with another.



I pray I will always live God is Love.



I pray (others' souls) will leap in (their) wombs, and be filled with the Holy Spirit always when I greet them.



Let’s rest.  Sit back.  Feel our hearts beat.  Breathe and sigh.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Canaanite Woman ~ on my mind

I call The Canaanite Woman Jesus’ spiritual director.

Here’s why…

I am very nervous.  I was blasted once when I presented this prayer in a retreat.  I understand totally why others find it just wrong.

Never the less, I am very nervous…

I bring back the question Jesus asked the scholar of the law, “How do you read it?”

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, ‘Who do the crowds say I am ~ in my heart, in my life, in my stillness.’  It seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled CHRISTOLOGY. Christology in my naiveté.

I bring back the topic from an earlier prayer, ‘The Triumph of the Cross ~ in my heart.’  It too seems so long ago...maybe in archives labeled TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS.
Christology in my naiveté.

WARNING:  tangent!

I just realized how labels work!  I can click on any of the labels at the bottom of each post or at the very bottom of the visible page and the computer brings to the front all of our previous prayers on that subject.

I really need to take advantage of this.  I really need to edit the posts to add labels...

Alright.

Alrightalright…

Jesus’ humanity is so important to me on so many levels of my consciousness...in my heart.

The Canaanite Woman.           Matthew 15:  22-28
The SyroPhoenician Woman.  Mark 7:  24-30

Jesus is walking with a crowd of people when an 'outsider' ~ that’s important ~ woman approaches him.  She needs his help.  She asks for his help.

He tells her his mission is with (the Chosen People).  He tells her it just wouldn’t be right to take food from Israel and toss it to the dogs.  Ah man...I can’t imagine what it must feel like for anyone...much less Jesus...to refer to me as a DOG!  Whoa…

What would I do?  How would I feel?  How many times have I called a person a Dog...less than me...thought of myself as ‘better than...
...CHOSEN…
CHOSEN over another…





Alright.

Alrightalright.

Let’s rest with that.  Sit back.  Feel my heart beat.  Breathe and sigh.

Another day, huh?

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Breaking it down to simplify ~ Abraham with God & Jesus feeding the crowd

Remember Abraham and God sitting on the hill pondering Sodom and Gomorrah?  I remember it going something like this:

God told Abraham the plans for the cities.  I can hear God sigh...
Abraham begins his intercessory prayer, if you will, "Let me ask a question."
God's answer is definitive, "Alright. I hear you.  I'll modify the plan."

Get this...Abraham apologizes to God for taking so much time, "If it is alright with you, let me ask another question."  God doesn't even hesitate, "Go on..."

How many more questions does Abraham bring to God?  And, God stays around...
Abraham is breaking down the city crowds into smaller and smaller groups.

Eventually, God and Abraham stand up, brush the dirt from the seat of their pants and go their separate ways.

Imagine now if Abraham continued asking questions.




A huge crowd sat around Jesus...listening...feeling the presence of the Triune God.  Staying right there.  I imagine Jesus getting hungry so figured everyone else was hungry too.  Nice, right?

Jesus asked questions. "  How many people are with us do you think?"  "How much money do we have to get some food for everyone?"  "Can we do it?"

His friends told him there was no way that could happen because the crowd was too big.  They suggest that the people be sent away to care for their own needs.

HA!

In one of the gospel stories, Jesus   broke   down   the   big   crowd   into   smaller   groups,  "I'll tell you what...rearrange the people in smaller groups of 10."  Look at that!  Seeing the big issue's smaller parts put everything into a new light...a manageable task.

Emmanuel took up where Abraham left off.  Continue the conversation.  Pray constantly!

I liked starting my day with this post.  I feel my heart beat...breathe...and sigh.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Teach me to pray ~ I am going at it again, Brothers and Sisters!

Bless your hearts for reading this.  Again, I am inviting you to Exodus and the Canaanite Woman.  Man, I am really setting myself up!

Remember the earlier Tower of Babel post?  Try this:

While working today ~ preparing breakfast, getting the kids ready for school, walking down the hall to the Chapter Room, riding the subway to work,  sitting at your desk, standing in front of your classroom, winterizing your garden ~ remember to invite God into your business.  Think about the Exodus and the Canaanite Woman stories.  Ask God questions within the deepest part of your heart.  Listen to God's questions within the deepest part of your heart.
Pray Emmanuel

ora et labora

Good night.  rest.  breathe.  feel my heart beat and sigh

Teach me to pray ~ Encouragement before we share Exodus and the Canaanite Woman






Beautiful prayers presented in the Gospels lately.  Listen to these passages as we prepare our Exodus and the Canaanite Woman prayer sharing:


Mark 10:35-45.  We'll hear this Gospel this Sunday at Mass ~ October 18th, 2009


THIS IS THE LINE THAT HITS ME HARD when I ask Jesus to teach me to pray.  Just look at how he answers a question?  Ah man...I cried...


Emmanuel


(Jesus) said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'


Luke 10:25-37 from October 5th, 2009


Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"


Listen to that!  wow...see where I am going with this? Please, tell me what you think...what you're feeling...


I really didn't mean to take any more time from your day; BUT!  hehehe


WARNING ~ tangent


I received some feedback recently concerning this journal I am sharing with you.  I heard the person say something like this, "your stream of consciousness (drives me crazy!)."  Ah man...that is really who I am...it is really how I pray...


I tried very hard to make this post short, succinct,  to the point...well, there you have it brothers and sisters!


alright


alright alright


Look for Mark 8 right around verse 22.  I cry...


Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"


We'll get into everything else about this most exquisite healing story later.  I LOVE IT!


Look at all the questions.  THAT is prayer for me.  


lectio divina


Talking with God.  


Asking Questions.  


Listening to God.  


Answering God's questions


We've already shared God asking the first two persons, "Where are you?"  We've already shared Jesus asking us, "Who do the crowds say I am?"  Moses asking God, "Who do I say sent me?"  Did we talk about Abraham asking God questions ~ "what if there are 50...?" ~ while sitting with God on the hill overlooking Sodom?  I should check our archives...THAT story is so important to me.


Ah man...one more thing...


Could all the questioning be like a child?  Didn't Jesus embrace the children in a story encouraging us to come to God as a child?  


God bless you.  Thank you for your patience.  Let's pray about the Exodus story and the Canaanite Woman remembering to ask questions...to listen...to hear God's questions...to answer God's questions...


Before closing for the night...go back to Jesus asking the Expert in the Law, "How do you read it?"  Let's feel encouraged to let our Holy Spirit rest in our hearts while reading the Exodus and the Canaanite Woman stories.  let me just ask this...Have you found the link I LOVE in the two stories?  You might not like me when I finally get there...


Time for me to sit back...rest...breathe and sigh







Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pray for me. Pray with me.

I really want to write down my thoughts and feelings about the last plague to hit Pharaoh in Exodus 11 and 12 but am very nervous.  I, then, ask you to pray for me and pray with me.

Sit back.  Relax.  Read the passages.  Sit back.  Relax.  Feel our hearts beat.  Recognize our breathing.  Let our breathing match our heart beat...

Listen.  Feel.  Love.  Question.  Listen.  Feel.  Love.




Next find the Canaanite Woman in the Gospels.  She is also referred to as the SyroPhoenician woman.

Sit back.  Relax.  Read the passages.  Sit back.  Relax.  Feel our hearts beat.  Recognize our breathing.  Let our breathing match our heart beat...

Listen.  Feel.  Love.  Question.  Listen.  Feel.  Love.



Another day, huh?

Peace...

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Tower of Babel ~ am I building one?

Ah man…

Before I legitimately ask myself and you the question, ‘Am I building a Tower of Babel’ let’s recap the story.

We were building a tower in the middle of town.

Some suggest we were building the tower in case we needed to escape from another devastating flood and were not the invited guests on an ark.  I don’t know...that’s applying too much Scripture as History for me…I don’t know why I added this snippet into this post; but, I did.  I am a mess.

The story itself states we were building the tower “to make a name for (myself).”

Whoa...now, I ask myself...and for your reactions…’Am I building a Tower of Babel in this very public journal?’

WARNING ~ tangent

actually, the term Tower of Babel isn't in the Bible; only, "the city and the tower."

Alright...alrightalright.

I am kinda thrown by God talking out loud, if you will, either to God's self or another about the folks in the city rather than directly to them,


"Then the LORD said: 
'If now, while they are one people, 
all speaking the same language, 
they have started to do this,
 nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do. 
Let us then go down and there confuse their language, 
so that one will not understand what another says'." 

God consistently talked to folks directly ~ the first two people, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and other prophets I haven't brought to this prayer journal yet, Mary at the tomb


Alright…alrightalright.



Here we go.

God did come down to see what we were doing.

I wonder if our tower building motivation...our tower building attitude...our tower building goal...would be affected if upon seeing ‘a stranger among us’ ~ God in any recognizable manifestation ~ we invited ‘the stranger among us’ to join us in our work?

Ora et labora...

‘God, drop this straw in this mud while I mix it in.’

‘God, hold this hand made brick in place while I slather it with mortar.’

Kinda brings me back to the Preparation of the Gifts, again, when God acknowledges our cooperation with God in the Mass...our relationship with God through the Mass…

Ora et labora...

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will become our spiritual drink.


So, there you have it.

I joined several blog directories recently hoping to reach more people.  I hope to reach more people like me simply looking for others with whom to pray.  I sought affirmation from two Benedictine Abbots, a few Religious...my family and friends...complete strangers whose blogs touched me…

I pray I do seek others to work and pray with me
rather than forge a platform for my own agenda.

Suppose when God comes down to me to see what I am doing at this keyboard…
  
   I invite God to click SPELL CHECK.
   I invite God to click...
   I invite God to click POST this page...

Ora et labora...

Ah man...

I pray I open every potential blog post I write inviting God to join me.
 
I pray this very public prayer journal shares my relationship with God.

I pray I am honoring Emmanuel ~ God is with me.
 
I pray I am more in love with God than in love with myself...
   ...making a case for God in my life...
   ...rather than ‘making a name for myself.’

I need time to sit back...feel my heart beat...sigh...and breathe...

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Who do the crowds say I AM ~ Remember Moses?

Moses meets God face to face.  Ah man…
Listen to the conversation they had.
Meanwhile Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.
So Moses decided, "I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned."
When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Here I am."  Exodus 3
WARNING ~ tangent
One of my all time favorite movies is Prince of Egypt.  I am brought to tears everytime I see the Burning Bush scene.  God strokes Moses with the flames...gently...lovingly. Moses stands there entranced with God’s touch.  It is just  beautiful.  Moses feels God’s love...
Alright…
Alright…
Alright…
God introduces God’s self to Moses, “I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." 
Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."  


But Moses said to God, 
"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?" 
He answered, "I will be with you; 


ah man...THERE's an answer to Jesus' question, "who do you say I am?"!  I pray I will answer, "you are with me."


and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain." "But," said Moses to God, "when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' 


if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you."
I just can’t get over God telling Moses, “I AM”
And, today….Jesus asking, “Who do the crowds say I AM?”.
I have to tell you, I KNOW I left the punctuation off my statement :  I just can’t get over God telling Moses, “I AM”   See, I believe God waits for us to complete the I AM.  
I go back to The Garden.  We are told God created everything; yet, God asked The One to name everything.  Wow. God invites us to work with him in everything.  
I am seeing an amazing connection right now between God and The Word Incarnate within the simple, "I Am."  Whoa...it doesn't get more beautiful than this!


Sometimes, I realize I need God to be with me.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM with you.”
I can answer Jesus, "You are with me."


Sometimes, I realize I need to know God’s love.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM in love with you.”
I can answer Jesus, "You love me."


Sometimes, I realize I need God to hear me.  I hear God saying to me, “I AM all ears.”
I can answer Jesus, "You are heard."


Sometimes, I realize I need God…


And, now...Jesus asks us, “Who do you say I am…”
I pray I will answer Jesus 
when asked, “Who do you say I am?”.


I pray I will hear God when Jesus asks me, “Who are YOU?”.
I pray my actions will answer the question…


It is time for me to sit back...to feel my heart beat and sigh.