Examen ~ Advent ~ A little Child to guide us.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

~ Isaiah 11: 6-9

The beginning of a new Church Calendar Year.  There are many reasons I love Mother Church.  Advent is one.

Preparation.  

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 
‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’

For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.”

Luke 17:  20-21 

Remember Saul’s conversion?  It came out of nowhere!  He is doing what he knows is best for the people,  ‘STOP THIS Jesus is the Messiah NONSENSE!  Stick to the Book of Law!  Our traditions, our customs are tried and true.  Our traditions, our customs are most pleasing to God.’

WARNING ~ tangent

Know what?  Paul doesn’t talk about that day.  Although he acknowledges something happened in his first letter to the Corinthians (chapter 15: 3) He doesn’t share his experience with us directly.  I imagine he did with someone since the story shows up in the Acts of the Apostles ~ chapter 9.

Makes me question why I blog my relationship with God...Remember that prayer, Tower of Babel?

Alright...alrightalright.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; 

and you will find rest for your selves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." 

~ Matthew 11:  30

Emmanuel.  Learn from Jesus and I will find rest.

Thus says the LORD: 

How long will you be deprived of wisdom's food, 

how long will you endure such bitter thirst?

I open my mouth and speak of her: 

gain, at no cost, wisdom for yourselves.

Submit your neck to her yoke, 

that your mind may accept her teaching. 

For she is close to those who seek her, 

and the one who is in earnest finds her.

See for yourselves! 

I have labored only a little, 

but have found much.

~ Sirach 51:  24-27

Why do I complicate it?

“MyYOKE is easy”...what exactly is the yoke?

Joshua ben Sira says it isn’t that complicated:  submit to Wisdom working through me.

“SEE  FOR  YOURSELF  (EXCLAMATION POINT)”

Jesus says it isn’t that complicated:  “take My yoke and learn from me.”

Once again, what exactly is the yoke?  Get Ready.  Be Prepared.

THE  YOKE  IS  THE  LAW.

And, what is Jesus’ law?

“LOVE  GOD.  LOVE  ONE  ANOTHER.”

Remember when Jesus asked the Pharisee versed in the Law that beautiful prayer question just before defining His ‘yoke’?

“TELL  ME,  HOW  DO  YOU  READ  IT?”

Saul lived under a complicated yoke.  The Law dominated his life, his life with God.  He Loved God so much but, apparently, could only find God in the Law.  With that said, listen to Paul's letters differently.  I hear Paul complicating Jesus' easier yoke sometimes. Other times, he seems to be clearer...especially as he matured.  What do you think?


I pray I will hear "Love God.  Love one another" always.  Even when picking wheat on the Sabbath is necessary.  Even when I am faced with the dilemma, "is it easier to say, 'I forgive you' or 'get up and walk.'


It was my soteriology that created such a stir last week.  Actually, sharing my salvation theology thoughts and feelings created the stir last week.  Maybe I need to follow Paul’s example and casually, humbly allude to my relationship with God rather than shout it from the rooftops, if you will.  The truth is...I want so desperately to find another who thinks and feels about our Triune God as I do…

With that said, I am going to stick my neck out there again!  This is important to better understand my Examen prayer.

Examen is my Preparation…

Alright...alrightalright.

Tomorrow?  I am exhausted.  Let’s rest.  Feel our hearts beat...and...sigh...

John's Gospel in my heart, in my prayer ~ John 18:37

John’s Gospel challenges me.  I struggled for years trying to grasp John’s gospel as Gospel, if you will.  John’s Gospel is filled with editorial comments:  Jesus knew...Jesus was testing them...I was Jesus’ beloved.  

WARNING ~ tangent!

Hehehe.  Looks like this son of Zebedee never really let go of “When you’re king, can I sit at your right?”  Those Zebedee boys…

Alright...alrightalright.

I feel John’s Gospel is more like a document testifying to his relationship with Jesus rather than relaying events.  John’s Gospel, then, is more like his blog, if you will.

The Synoptic Gospels do have editorial comments, too, I’ll give you that. I do believe their comments are added through the Midrash tradition, though.

I like Midrash.  Every time a homily is presented, a preacher exclaims, two people share God Talk...we are midrash-ing...hehehe.  

I understand the most famous of the Midrash additions in the New Testament is ‘all are invited; but few are chosen’  something along that line, anyway.

I join a group of men from my church every week for God Talk.  We share how The Word affects us personally.  Imagine...MEN engaged in God Talk...openly...vulnerably...without fear of being wrong!

Whoa...as usual, I am all over the place here, huh?

Alright…alrightalright.

Scholars separate John from the other three evangelists, the Synoptic Gospels.  I don’t pretend to know what all of that means. It is enough for me to just hear it said…

Alright...alrightalright.

I am getting way over my head, here...digging myself into a hole too deep…

Alright...alrightalright.

I started this prayer post with the intention of writing three lines…

Even as I share my thoughts about John’s Gospel...my challenges and struggles...my whole theology is based on John’s Truth and God’s Will in Emmanuel ~ God is with us...

Here we go…

I share in my profile that I hold John’s Truth ~ God is Love ~ as my own.

John shares with us how Pilate and Jesus’ conversation progressed during Jesus’ trial.  Here Jesus outlines so clearly...so succinctly...Why God manifested as Human...What The Word made Flesh ~ Emmanuel ~ mission was, 

“For this I was born 

and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.”

~ John 18:  37

Whoa…

In a much earlier prayer post ~ The Triumph of the Cross ~ In my heart ~ I suggested Jesus’ trial and crucifixion were natural consequences of his behavior.  

Am I in trouble yet?  

I hold that The Cross was ~ still is in too many ways ~ a natural consequence of Jesus’ words and actions. Jesus bucked the religious system. He challenged everyone: the righteous and societal sinners alike ~ you and me. I believe Human Jesus understood this; that it didn’t take Divine Jesus to ‘prophesy’ the catastrophe...

It is our propensity to judge one another.

We judge God’s Word relentlessly to support our personal agenda..our tradition...our culture...

Man alive, we judge Jesus through Jesus’ own words and actions.

We judge The Word manifest in Flesh.

And we kill him…

See, when I hear John report Jesus’ words...one more time…

 “For this I was born 

and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.”

~ John 18:  37

I am struck to the heart.  I cry.  I praise God.

I am on this page!  God is Love.  I cannot grasp the tradition that God’s Will is for Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sins.  I cannot grasp that God wants ANYONE to be killed. I believe...feel our Triune God knew that as Word Made Flesh God would be crucified. Our Triune God is all knowing...omniscient.  Knowing and Willing are two different things:  apples and oranges, if you will.

I am on this page!  God is Love.  I can clearly hear God saying, “Maintain Integrity to God is Love.  Stay the course with the message Emmanuel.” 

The ultimate God is Love for me

God is walking through the Garden looking for the First Two People even after knowing what they did…calling out to us,

“Where are you?”

Jesus waits for us at the tomb even after what we did to him...calling out to us by name,

“Mary.”

I wonder sometimes if Original Sin ~ if in fact there is such a thing or is it tradition ~ is a lack of integrity, a lack of responsibility, a lack of accountability...After all, the First two people kept making excuses and blaming another for their behavior.

JESUS MAINTAINED INTEGRITY.

JESUS MAINTAINED A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY.

JESUS ASSUMED ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE WORD.

And we killed him.

I can hear God saying to Jesus, “Maintain Integrity to God is Love.  Stay the course with the message Emmanuel.  I am with you through it all.  BE God is Love ‘even unto death; death on a cross’. Let them kill us if they want to. Let them kill us if they need to.  Wait for them at the end.  Wait for them at the new beginning.  Show them Emmanuel Always.”

Ah man…

I cry.

Feel our hearts beat and sigh...

Teach me to pray ~ Lectio Divina ~ St. Paul's Conversion Story and Mark's Gospel 13

Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge of God’s Word. It is a way of praying with scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray and even sing and rejoice from God's Word, within the soul.

I am kinda envious of the definition you just read because I didn’t write it!  I love the final line, “Pray and even sing & rejoice from God’s Word within the soul.”  

Ah man…

I pray I will sing and rejoice from God’s Word within my soul always.

Alright...alrightalright.

Lots of Scripture in this post!  Pray Lectio Divina and meet me at the end.  I see so many similarities in Saul’s conversion story and Mark’s Gospel.  


Here's my approach to Scripture in my prayer.  It starts the minute I hear the 'subject,' if you will, of the passage:


I bring to mind God is Love & Teach me to pray. 
I introduced this on September 6th as "Teach me to Pray."


How do I remember the passage?
Again, "Teach me to Pray" under one of the many tangents!


How am I feeling right now?
Just this week when I brought The Zebedee Boys to prayer.


I hold onto Jesus' encouraging words, 

"The kingdom of heaven is among you"

within you...

RIGHT NOW...

Emmanuel.

Are there questions asked in the passage? 
Remember the prayer "Teach me to pray ~ exodus prep?"


Alright...alrightalright.  Let's go!

Sit back.

Feel our hearts beat.

Be aware of our breath.

As (Saul) neared Damascus on his journey, 

suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 

He fell to the ground and 

heard a voice say to him, 

"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 

"Now get up and go into the city, 

and you will be told what you must do."

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; 

they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 

Saul got up from the ground, 

but when he open ed his eyes he could see nothing. 

So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 

For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. 

The Lord called to him in a vision, 

"Ananias!"

"Yes, Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, 

"Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street 

and ask for a man from 

Tarsus named Saul, 

for he is praying. 

In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come

 and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

"Lord," Ananias answered, 

"I have heard many reports about this man

 and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 

And he has come here with authority

 from the chief priests to arrest 

all who call on your name."

But the Lord said to Ananias, 

"Go! 

This man is my chosen instrument

 to carry my name before 

the Gentiles and their kings 

and before the people of Israel. 

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. 

Placing his hands on Saul, 

he said, 

"Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, 

who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—

has sent me so that you may see again

 and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, 

and he could see again. 

He got up and was baptized, 

and after taking some food, 

he regained his strength.

~ Acts of the Apostles 9:3-19

whoa...

Let's take a minute to let this rest with us...

The next part might prove to be a challenge...


I already brought to you the passage:  Mark's Gospel 13.  It's about The Son of Man's second coming.

Bring to mind God is Love & Teach me to pray. 

How do I remember the passage? 

How am I feeling right now? 

I hold onto Jesus' encouraging words, "The kingdom of heaven is among you...within you...RIGHT NOW...

Are there questions asked in the passage? 

Take a walk and come back...

Alright...alrightalright.

Sit back.

Let's feel our hearts beat.

Become more aware of our breathing...

Marry our heart beats with our breath...

Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

~ Mark 13: 24-32

What do you think?  How are you hearing these passages?  How are you feeling right now?  Is the similarities between these passages as strong for you as for me?  Ready to talk about it?  


Let's pray...

In Emmanuel...Have I experienced "The Second Coming of Man?"


Quite frankly...YES!  a resounding YES!  

   ...e v e r y   t i m e   I   p r a y...
      

  alright.

  THAT is a little dramatic, wouldn't you say?  ah man...

  to qualify: every time I feel Emmanuel when I pray

  every time Emmanuel helps my attitude

       evolve more into God is Love.

  every time my behavior reflects God is Love.

I cry.

Peace... 

Jars of Clay lyrics "There Might Be A Light" and Song of Songs ~ in my heart, on my mind, in my life

The Second Chapter in Song of Songs

starting with the 8th line...

Hark! my lover-here (my lover) comes

springing across the mountains,

leaping across the hills.

My lover is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Here (my lover) stands behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattices.

My lover speaks; (and) says to me,

"Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,

and come!

"For see, the winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of pruning the vines has come,

and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,

and come!

"O my dove in the clefts of the rock,

in the secret recesses of the cliff,

Let me see you,

let me hear your voice,

For your voice is sweet,

and you are lovely."

Catch us the foxes, the little foxes

that damage the vineyards; for our vineyards are in bloom!

My lover belongs to me and I to (my lover);

(My lover) browses among the lilies.

Until the day breathes cool and the shadows lengthen,

roam, my lover,

Like a gazelle or a young stag

upon the mountains of Bether.

Ah man.

I cry.

I AM... Love

Pray with me.

I imagine our Triune God as the Gazelle when I hear Song of Songs with my heart.

I wonder why I love God sometimes from

behind my wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattices.

Pray with me.

I wonder why I sometimes hide from God

behind a wall...in the Garden's Trees...

I wonder why I sometimes choose to forget God

 comes looking for me

in The Garden...

"Where are you?  Why are you hiding?"

I wonder why I sometimes don't recognize God

when God waits for me outside the tomb

calling out to me by name...

"Mary, who are you looking for?"

Why am I afraid to be with

Emmanuel...

I pray I will always invite our Triune God into all I do.

I pray I will always seek our Triune God into all I feel.

I pray I will always feel our Triune God’s presence while I pray.

Pray with me.

I imagine I am the Gazelle when I hear Song of Songs with my heart.

I wonder why I keep God

behind a wall,

gazing through the windows,

peering through the lattices.

Ah man.

I cry.

Pray with me.

Remember The Transfiguration prayer I brought to the front so long ago...

Label:  transfiguration…

Peter, John and James wanted to build three tents for Jesus, Elijah and Moses.  

Pray with me.

I wonder why I sometimes place God

behind a wall...inside a tent...

I wonder why I sometimes keep God to myself...

box God in...

I wonder why I sometimes believe my wall built through my custom...

my culture...

my tradition...

my institution...
is the one true tent, box, walled courtyard.

I wonder why I sometimes choose to forget

the Canaanite Woman...

Why am I afraid of

Emmanuel...

I pray I will keep our Triune God free to express unconditional forgiveness.

I pray I will keep our Triune God’s creation alive.

I pray I will climb the wall, open the windows, clear the lattices.

Jars of Clay presented a concert in my town Halloween Weekend.  When I heard There Might be a Light I felt transported to my daily prayer in the second chapter of Song of Songs starting with the 8th line...

Jars of Clay ~  There Might be a Light

I wait outside your house

And sing below your window

And I look for the light to show, I know

I know that it will come on, come on, come on

Come on soon

There might be a light

Somewhere in your mind

When you think of you and I

I wait for it to shine

I know it will come on, come on, come on

Come on soon

It will come on, come on soon

And it's just the way things go

When you love someone and they don't know

Sparks and hearts, they have to glow

They just glow, they just glow

You know they just come on, 

come on, come on, come on

They just come on, come on, come on

There is no delusion, to you I don't exist

I am only shadow

Only a ghost can wait as

long as I have for this

And I, I can't wait much longer

'Cause there might be a light

Somewhere in your mind

When you think of you and I

I know there will be a light

It might not burn very strong

But I know it's coming on

It will come on, come on, come on

I sit back.  Breathe and feel my heart sigh...