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...

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?

Who do the crowds say I am ~ in my heart, in my life, in my stillness

Emmanuel ~ God is with us.

How many times have we found this to be true even when we’ve ‘stepped back from God,’ if you will?  God came to us in the Garden. God came to us at the tomb.

I hope to talk about the times God came seeking our assistance; to work with us ~ Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve, Preparation of the Gifts for the Eucharist.  I loved touching on the times God came to us just to visit ~ Abraham & Sarah, The Transfiguration. A few times God talks about us with others ~ Job, The Tower of Babel ~ I really need your help with that one.

Today, let’s talk about Jesus asking us, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

This blows me away...I hear Human Jesus seeking affirmation from us.  How Human...The Word Incarnate...The Word Made Flesh...the very human Jesus.  I ask my friends, my family this very question every time I am introduced to new people, ‘Do you think they liked me?  Did I make a favorable impression? Am I making sense?  Do people get what I am talking about, what I am doing here?  Is what I am doing enough?’  I hear Jesus asking me these same questions...God has a crush on me...

I pray I am not afraid to ask God the same questions.

I remember the first time I had a crush on someone. I asked a mutual friend, ‘What do you think?  I like (that person).  Do you think (that person) likes me?’  I hear God asking me, 'do you like me? I love you. Do you love me?'

WARNING ~ tangent

I suppose you’ve figured out at this point...I hold to a pretty Low Christology.  I know most contemporary theologians...christologists...moved away from Low/High Christology.  I miss this linear thought.  It helps me to better understand...to better feel...to better pray...when I recognize how I ‘got there,’ if you will.  See, when I think...feel...pray...with human Jesus I know...feel...am still...in God’s love because God walked a mile in my shoes, if you will, with “nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bread, no haversack, no coppers” -- just our company.  I find I hold that Emmanuel is constant...always...because “the kingdom of God is within (me)."  Again, I am challenged with ‘what comes first:  attitude or behavior?

Alright…

Alright…

Alright…

I hear Jesus’ orders not to tell anyone about being The Christ differently.  I hear him thinking, ‘I believe that, too...don’t tell anyone...I am not ready...thank you for affirming me...affirming my message...Emmanuel...God is Love…’

whoa...

let's sit back...feel our hearts beat and sigh

The Transfiguration

I am changing my mind. This blog is my daily journey through scripture. However I want to begin that format with a significant Church Calendar date. Until then, hear about significant scripture to me. Please engage me with your experiences. Otherwise this blog is for naught. Each passage I will share in the next few days brought me to "God is Love" and "teach me to pray."

I start with "teach me to pray." I find Contemplative Prayer, Meditation, and Prayer in Action, prayer in work ~ ora et labora ~ throughout God's Word. I start with The transfiguration.

I am struck by how often people in Jesus’ company asked him to teach them to pray. I imagine Jesus’ confusion ~ perhaps astonishment is the better term ~ when he realized that his companions perceived barriers when simply trying to pray. I hope that, today, I can simply pray.

Jesus invited a few of his closest friends to join him in prayer. “While (Jesus began) praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah…(Luke 9: 28-36)” One part important to me continues with Luke’s 33^rd line, “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and, one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them ~ all of them including Peter, John and James ~ and they became frightened as they entered the cloud.”

They were praying when “they entered the cloud” but, perhaps, too frightened to notice; too busy “making three tents” to Be Still in full contemplative prayer with Jesus.

I imagine that every time Jesus prayed, he transfigured. Jesus’ contemplative prayer experience was so different than his friends’ experience upon “entering the cloud” that he must’ve realized 1) his true uniqueness and 2) the depth of “teach us to pray.”

I feel this could be one of the loneliest times for the Man Jesus. I can only imagine how alone the Divine Jesus may still feel when those of us spending so much time walking with Him are intimidated by intimate prayer.

Jesus’ mission is even clearer to him at this time: teach all to pray without fear, to talk with God without fear, to love God and each other so completely without fear. Be prepared to pray “to death, even to death on a cross.”

my heart beats and i sigh