Saturday, February 20, 2010

Lent: Exodus

With God is Love, 
I just can’t grasp 
the last plague to hit Pharaoh’s Egypt
at face value as a lesson 
about God.  
With the Good News in my heart,
I just can’t grasp 
the last plague to hit Pharaoh’s Egypt 
at face value as a lesson 
about God.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel 
of every house in which they partake
of the lamb.
     Exodus 12: 7
Perhaps 
if I hear the Good News as 
“I am chosen” 
this Exodus Story will mean more to me
at face value.
For on this same night 
I will go through Egypt, 
striking down every first--born of the land, 
both man and beast
Exodus 12: 12
Wow...This is why I love God…
I suggest God doesn’t distinguish between people.
I suggest God Loves every one.
...ouch…
With God is Love as the Good News I hear,
~ With God Manifested and walking with me ~
How many times do I hear Jesus say,

“offer the other cheek…”
“offer your cloak…”
“walk two miles…”
“love one another…”
With God is Love 
as the Good News I hear, 
this Exodus Story today is more about me…
     ...how I judge…
             ...how I justify my judgement…

     ...how I choose...
            ...how I justify my choices…

     ...how I blame…
            ...how I justify the blame I place...

     ...how far i will go to
            ...offer the other cheek...
            ...offer my cloak...
            ...walk two miles...
            ...love another.
WE choose by painting
the Blood of the Lamb
"to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house"
     ~ and perhaps continue to choose ~ 
who is God’s most loved and, 
subsequently, 
more deserving to live.  
We had to identify
 ~ perhaps continue to identify ~ 
for God who is better than
…After all, God is Love. 
Warning:  TANGENT
   OK…
I invite another to join me for the most spectacular part of my day…
Mass.
I say,
 “Come pray with me in my tradition although you traditionally celebrate differently than me.  Hear God’s Word with me throughout God’s history with me:  
The Word before The Word was made Flesh, 
David’s cry of joy, sorrow, fear, anger, 
The apostles’ attempts to live like Jesus,
 The Word Manifest.  
BUT...
stay seated while I join
 others like me 
at the alter to receive Jesus…
My strength.
My courage.
My hope.
My joy.
My love.
The Eucharist.
What could happen...
what would happen...
for my invited guest if I were to 
“apply the 
Blood of THIS Lamb
to the two doorposts and the lintel” 
of my invited guest’s house?
I wonder if I were one of the decision makers in Moses’ company if I would have the strength...the courage...the hope...the joy...the love...to suggest to my fellow Oppressed, “Maybe the oppressors would ‘see the light’ ~ if you will ~ of our God if we apply the lamb’s blood to their doorposts and their lintel.”
In my heart, I hold an image of Jesus hanging from the tree as the “New Fruit” of Knowledge.  
I thank God that we are invited to ingest…digest…“New” Knowledge through the Eucharist daily ~ invited being the operative word!  I pray that I use my “New” Knowledge to better worship God, to better love God, to better be with God…I hope that I never use my “New” Knowledge to blame another, to protest another, to discriminate against another.  The fear of committing the same pattern of sin today as the First Couple in the Garden is unbearable.
In my heart, I hold an image of God Manifested hanging from the tree as the “New Fruit” of Knowledge.
The Word Made Flesh is mocked, humiliated, nailed to a tree...killed...by us.
Yet, three days later Our Triune God waits for us in the same spot were we buried him away.
Yet, three days later Our Triune God calls out our names when we still don't recognize Our Triune God.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Exodus 12 ~ Pray with me ~ today

Imagine if Moses and the oppressed
painted the blood of the lamb
"to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house"
of the oppressors.

No one would've died....

Let's sit with this a minute.
Let's feel our hearts beat.
Let's notice our breathing.

Let's talk in a few days, huh?






Saturday, February 6, 2010

Exodus 12 ~ Pray with me ~ still...

In earlier Prayer Posts I asked 
you to bring another to the table.  
Please bring another today, too.
Let’s pray together.  
Explore together.  
Hear Jesus’ Gospel Prayer Questions together...

“How do you read it?"
~ Luke 10: 26
"What are you thinking in your heart?"
~ Luke 5:  22
Sit next to each other…and with me.
Be aware 
our shoulders are touching
our folded knees are touching
Invite God to sit with the two of you...and with me.
Be aware 
our shoulders are touching
our folded knees are touching
Be still our souls with this a while…
The three of you...with me... read the Lord’s Prayer 
from the Aramaic together…
hear the others’ hearts sing this prayer
hear your heart sing this prayer

"Oh Thou, 
from whom 
the breath of life comes,
who fills all realms 
of sound, 
light 
and vibration.
May 
Your light be experienced 
in my utmost holiest.
Your 
Heavenly Domain 
approaches.
Let Your will come true - 
In the universe
 (all that vibrates)
just as on earth 
(that is material and dense).
Give us wisdom 
(understanding, 
assistance) 
for our daily need,
detach 
the fetters of faults 
that bind us, 
like we let go 
the guilt of others.
Let us not be lost 
in superficial things
(materialism, 
common temptations),
but let us be freed 
from that what keeps us off 
from our true purpose.
From You 
comes the all-working will, 
the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all 
and renews itself from age to age.
Sealed in trust, 
faith 
and truth.
(I confirm 
with my entire being)
~ The Prayer To Our Father
(from the original Aramaic)




Be still our souls with this a while…




Read Exodus 12: 7 from your Bible.

Again, sit a minute with just that line…


Read Exodus 12: 12 from your Bible.


Again, sit a minute with just that line...
while our eyes are closed
while aware of our hearts’ beat
while our breathing is smooth and deep


Hear, again, Jesus ask, 


"How do you read it?"
~ Luke 10: 26
"What are you thinking in your heart?"
~ Luke 5:  22



What questions are surfacing for you?
Ask your prayer partner, 
"What questions are surfacing for you?"
Ask me, "What questions are surfacing for you?"



Ask God,
"What do I do with these questions?"
while imagining 
what could have happened if 
the First Two People
had asked the question, 
"What do I do 
with all these new questions 
I have now, God?"

rather than Hiding in the Trees?



Ask God,
"What do I do with these question?"
while visualizing Mary Magdalene  
at the tomb asking
 'the gardener',
"Where is my Master?"

rather than Hiding in the Trees.

Peace.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Exodus 12 ~ Pray with me

With my mantra

          God is Love


I just can’t grasp the last plague in particular to hit Pharaoh’s Egypt. 
The bloodshed suggested to come from God is too much for me.


I ask my heart, 


          “Do I accept this as a historic event or myth?” 

Actually, either way...it is too much for me.  
It just doesn’t shout from the mountain tops, “God is Love.”


Let’s pick this apart.  


I am only bringing God’s conversation with 
Moses. 


I am NOT bringing Moses’ conversation with 
Pharaoh or Pharaoh’s servant.  


This is important.
I hold Moses word choice
        just may have been influenced 
by his passion while desperately pleading his case.


Alirght.  Alrightalright...  


(The Israelites) shall take some of (the lamb’s) blood 
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house
in which they partake of the lamb.  
Exodus 12:  7


Alright.  Alrightalright...


Pray with me.  
Sit back. 
Take a deep breath.  
Forget the rest of the story for a minute.  
Forget everything you've heard about this story right now.  


Be with God.


      My prayer question here...


"Why did the Israelites have to mark their doors?"


What are you thinking?  
How are you feeling right now?  

Let's move forward another day, huh?

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Advent Examen ~ Elizabeth and Mary

Praise God, huh?


All who pray with me know how much the interaction between 
Mary and Elizabeth 
changed my life.


I pray always that I will feel 
my spirit ‘leap within my womb’ 
as I greet another person.  


I pray always that others will feel
their spirit ‘leap within their womb’ 
as they greet me.


I pray always that my interactions with others 
will exemplify God is Love.


I pray always that my behavior 
will exemplify Emmanuel.


I pray always that I will recognize 
Emmanuel in others.




I hear this as the first reality of the New Law:


  Love One Another...




I hear the Old Testament
 ~ Elizabeth ~ 
welcoming the New Testament
 ~ Mary ~ 
right here…


I hear the New Testament 
~ Mary ~ 
bringing the Old Testament 
~ Elizabeth ~ 
through the transition…


The barren Elizabeth 
is the prophet here for me…


The barren Elizabeth 
is the first of the ‘old law’ 
to bring forth the proclaimer of Great Things to Come...






Praise God, huh?










When am I Mary with Emmanuel
 gestating within me?


When am I Elizabeth in Advent...
 waiting to feel Emmanuel gestating within me?







Peace...

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Advent Examen ~ Jars of Clay, Worlds Apart

Hear the Jars of Clay “Worlds Apart” lyrics.
Hear the prayer questions to our Triune God.
Hear the prayer questions to ourselves.

Ask someone to read the lyrics to you

while your eyes are closed
while you’re aware of your heart beat
while you’re breathing is smooth and deep

Ask the person you invited to read this to you to sit next to you

be aware that
your shoulders are touching
your bended knees are touching

Invite God to sit on the other side of you

be aware that
your shoulders are touching
your bended knees are touching




Worlds Apart

I am the only one to blame for this.
Somehow it all adds up the same.

Soaring on the wings of selfish pride,
I flew too high
and like Icarus I collide with a world
I try so hard to leave behind.

To rid myself of all but love.

To give and die.


To turn away and not become

another nail to pierce the skin. 

To pierce the skin 
of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans.

To pierce the skin 
of one who loves
more abundant than the tear of a world.

To pierce the skin
of one who
embraces every heartache.

Can I be the one to sacrifice?

Or...Am I the one to grip the spear
and watch the blood and water flow?


To love you ~ take my world apart.
To need you ~ I am on my knees.
To love you ~ take my world apart.
To need you ~ broken on my knees.

All said and done
I stand alone
Among the remains of a life I should not own.

It takes all I am  to believe
In the mercy that covers me.

Did you really have to die for me?


All I am for all you are because
what I need and what I believe are worlds apart.

I look beyond the empty cross

forgetting what my life has cost

and wipe away the crimson stains

and dull the nails that still remain.

More and more I need you now.

I owe you more each passing hour.
The battle between grace and pride

I gave up not so long ago.


Steal my heart. 
Take the pain.

Wash the feet. 
Cleanse my pride.

Take the selfish. 
Take the weak.

Take all the things I cannot hide.

Take the beauty. 
Take my tears.

Take this sin-soaked heart and make it yours.

Take my world apart.

Take it now.
Take it now.

Serve the ones that I despise.
Speak the words I can't deny.

Watch the world
I used to love
turn to dust and fall away.


I pray, 
and I pray, 
and I pray

take my world apart.


Jars of Clay from the album Jars of Clay, 1995




Be still your soul with this a while…


The three of you read this together…


hear the others’ voices sing this prayer
hear your voice sing this prayer





"Oh Thou, 
from whom the breath of life comes,

who fills all realms of sound, 

light 
and vibration.

May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.


Your Heavenly Domain approaches.


Let Your will come true - 

In the universe
 (all that vibrates)
just as on earth 

(that is material and dense).

Give us wisdom 

(understanding, assistance) 
for our daily need,

detach the fetters of faults that bind us,
like we let go the guilt of others.


Let us not be lost in superficial things

(materialism, common temptations),

but let us be freed 

from that what keeps us off 
from our true purpose.

From You comes the all-working will, 

the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all 

and renews itself from age to age.

Sealed in trust, 

faith 
and truth.
(I confirm with my entire being)



~ The Prayer To Our Father
(in the original Aramaic)