The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception ~ Original Sin from my heart Part Two

It be great if you'd travel with me through

 the first part of this prayer post.

You'll find it just before this prayer post.

I don't know how to move the posts around...

Alright...alrightalright.

Bear with me…

The last prayer post lead us through a prayer, I hope.

Let’s process.  Ah man, I wish you and I were face to face right now.  I’d love to see your face while you talk with me...pray with me...while we hug each other…

Whoa...just dawned on me...you might not want to be face to face with me!

WARNING ~ tangent

I started with ‘bare with me’ but googled the question, “is it bare with me or bear with me.”  answer:  Bear with me is requesting patience and Bare with me is asking to get naked.  I thought, “Well, I am asking the other person to ‘strip’ The Word with me…"

Then I thought, “Just donned on me” would be kinda cool.  Like “Now, let’s get dressed, again”…”get real,” kinda notion…

Alright...alrightalright.

The last prayer post lead us through a prayer, I hope,

incorporating two of my “Top Ten” prayer questions Jesus presents in the Gospels:

“How do you read it?"

~ Luke 10: 26

"What are you thinking in your heart?"

~ Luke 5:  22

I actually typed "How I read" the passage I asked you to read and for someone to read to you.  I opted NOT to include, “You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!" ~ Genesis 3:  11.

I am so sorry...Honestly, I don’t want to be dishonest.  I wanted us to loose our selves from the tradition of Original Sin being Disobedience and look at something else especially on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Alright...alrightalright.

This is "What I am thinking in my heart."

God is Love.

God is all forgiving.

So, God looked for Adam and Eve...calling out to them,

“Where are you?”

God is all knowing.

Yet, God looked for Adam and Eve...calling out to them, 

“Where are you?”

Adam and Eve were hiding from God…

I pray I will run to God for help when I sin.

Could hiding from God in our nakedness, 

  in the times we just don’t know what to do, 

  in our vulnerability,

  in our sinfulness

be Original Sin?

God asked another question,

“Who told you that you were naked?”

Adam blamed Eve…

I pray I will always accept responsibility for my own sin.

I pray I will always be accountable in my own sin.

God asked another question,

“Why did you do such a thing?”

Eve blamed the serpent…

I pray I will always accept responsibility for my own sin.

I pray I will always be accountable in my own sin.

Could blaming another for our nakedness,

  for the times we just don’t know what to do,

  for the times we find ourselves vulnerable,

  for the times we see our sinfulness

be Original Sin?

Paul tells us through his letter to the Ephesians 

on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception,

as he 

chose us 

in him,

before the foundation of the world,

to be holy and 

without blemish 

before him. 

God chose us to be holy and without blemish before him.

I pray I just won’t hide from God...regardless.

I pray I will accept God’s invitation to be holy before God...regardless.

How many times do we hear our Triune God tell us

   “Peace.”

   “Don’t be afraid.”

   “I am always with you.”

   “Come to me.”

Isaiah tells us what Emmanuel is all about…

I am the LORD, your God,
who grasp your right hand;
It is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I will help you.”

~ Isaiah 41:  13

The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open up rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the broad valleys;
I will turn the desert into a marshland,
and the dry ground into springs of water.
I will plant in the desert the cedar,
acacia, myrtle, and olive;
I will set in the wasteland the cypress,
together with the plane tree and the pine.

~ Isaiah 31: 17-19

Mary knew this when the Gabriel came to her.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be…?”

~ Luke 1:  26-34

Mary didn’t hide among the trees 

although she was greatly troubled by what was said.

Mary didn’t cower behind the trees 

although she was greatly troubled by what was said.

Instead, Mary thought about it.

Instead, Mary brought her own prayer question, 

“How can this be?”

Instead, Mary accepted,

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”

~ Luke 1:  38

This is the fullness of the Immaculate Conception for me.

Mary stands before our Triune God always.

Mary accepts the kingdom of God within her always.

Mary nourishes a complete relationship with our Triune God always.

Something in Mary impressed Joseph so much he didn’t abandon her

...he didn’t blame her.

When Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 

but before they lived together, 

she was found with child through the holy Spirit.

Joseph her husband, 

since he was a righteous man, 

yet unwilling to expose her to shame, 

decided to divorce her quietly.

~ Matthew 1:  18-19

This is the fullness of the Immaculate Conception for me.

Another recognizes that Mary stands before our Triune God always.

     that Mary accepts the kingdom of God within her always.

     that Mary nourishes a complete relationship with our Triune God always.

Peace.


  this might make more sense if you read the first part first...

Praying with the Lord's Prayer ~ The Genesis Story on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Part One

Ah man…

There is so much for me in this Genesis story.

We heard it on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Let’s read it again. 

When they heard the sound of the LORD God 
moving about in the garden at the breezy time of the day, 
the man and his wife 
hid themselves from the LORD God 
among the trees of the garden.


The LORD God then called to the man and asked him,

 “Where are you?”

He answered,

“I heard you in the garden;
but I was afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid myself.”

Then he asked, 

“Who told you that you were naked?

The man replied,

 “The woman whom you put here with me
she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”

The LORD God then asked the woman,

“Why did you do such a thing?”

The woman answered, 

“The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

~ Genesis 3:  8-13

Now, I believe so whole heartedly 

our Triune God is all knowing.

I believe so whole heartedly

our Triune God is all forgiving.

I believe so whole heartedly

our Triune God is Love.

With that said,  ask someone to read this passage to you 

while your eyes are closed

while you’re aware of your heart beat

while you’re breathing is smooth and deep


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

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

 “Where are you?”

 

“I heard you in the garden;
but I was afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid myself.”

“Who told you that you were naked?

 “The woman whom you put here with me
she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”

“Why did you do such a thing?”

“The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

~ Genesis 3:  9-13

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)

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...

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...