Shining Spirit

It took time and patience to create this lovely mosaic. Just the right colors, a variety of shapes, the arrangement which brings out the beauty of each tile and the beauty of the whole design when all the pieces compliment each other. The colorful tiles certainly did not fall into place by themselves. A creative mind and a steady hand were required.

But, if you tilted the mosaic or displayed it on a shelf, all the pieces would end up on the floor. It isn’t finished. Something is missing, something absolutely essential. Grout. It is grout that holds it all in place, anchors the individual pieces so that a lovely design is created. No grout, no mosaic.

So in the spiritual life for the followers of Jesus. “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God…and He holds all creation together.” (Colossians 1) Holds it together, individually and collectively. Your life, my life, our lives together. Lots of implications in that biblical statement. Think about it. Good news for this good day.

Today I will stretch my wings.
Today I will fly.
I have the ability to rise above the moment
and to float in the breath of the Eternal.
I have been equipped to be extraordinary.
I possess and am possessed by the Spirit.
Today, for the good of all creation,
in service to Christ’s Kingdom,
as a gift of my deep gratitude,
I will stretch my wings
and I will fly.

Take the earbuds out of your ears,
listen to the silence.
Turn the television off, you
can catch the news later.
Listen in the silence.

That smartphone in your pocket,
mute and leave it in the bedroom.
Begin to hear nothing.
Thousands of inhales and exhales
will go by today unnoticed,
say hello to five couples right now.
Slowly. Slowly.

Is what awaits in the day
more urgent than this moment of
uniqueness? Of course not.
In the silence you will meet yourself,
the real self, the unadorned self.
Don’t be impatient.

The self you meet holds a
golden key to a door
to an encounter,
to a mystery.
A key. Yes.
Take it.

Let the silence be filled with the sound
of the latch opening, the door moving
in a familiar ark
Now step through.
Hello

Listen with your ears
until you hear with your heart.

See with honest eyes
until you become what you see.

Speak words
until you create wonder.

You have the means to
make miracles.

This day is a laboratory
and you have at your fingertips
all the eternal elements
that succor and sustain.

Be courageous.
You are not alone.
Remake your world and
I will remake mine.

From the crucible of Sacred Mystery
we will fill the universe
with songs and begin to
heal the hatred and
the hurt.

When all the little fragments of reality come together, far beyond our understanding or explanation

When all the little atoms and molecules, dreams and hopes join their essences in one moment

When all the Memories, the Magic, the Mystery find Coherence

When the common becomes Sacred and the Sacred becomes common

This is the result. Just this. Enough?

I think so.

Some people say it’s hard to look up these days. One thing after another drives our vision to our shoe tops.
Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, flooding, pandemic, not to mention political hatred and tribal war. Others of us feel like up is the direction of hope. It would seem that way given the stunning rainbow(s) a few days ago. But, for sure, neither aggression nor abdication is going to pull us out of the growing darkness. There are solutions to the problems facing the human race. The problems are solvable. But isn’t it clear yet that solutions have to be based on mutuality. We’ve tried power, self-interest, political persuasion and war. And here we are. The “post-Doom” people say it’s too late. The line in the sand is behind us. I think one thing is certain. Angels and atheists, religious folks and those who reject religion, fundamentalists, evangelicals and progressives and all the other human beings who aren’t sure what label to wear must set aside mean-spirited mandates and meet in the arena of mutuality. We are playing a no-win hand and the stakes are far too high for bluster and bigotry. If you don’t like the phrase “seek first the Kingdom of God”, try “seek the common ground of the human heart.” Chances are we will end up in the same place. When the last bird sings, will it really matter who won?

You’ve heard of a “Dear John” letter? Not the kind of letter you want to find in your mailbox. I wonder who “John” was and why he got bad news. What did he do to make his girlfriend unhappy? Is there such a thing as a “Dear Jane” letter? Anyway, nobody wants to open a letter and read sad or bad news.

My mind played around with this idea when I read the words of the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Jesus followers in Corinth. Here are his surprising words: “Clearly, you (Corinthians) are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you.” Imagine that! People could read the Corinthian followers like they would read a letter.

So spend some time asking yourself “What kind of letter am I? What do people understand about Jesus and his Way when they read my behavior, my language, my attitudes?” We are living letters. Be sure you aren’t sending out “Dear John” letters to the reading world around you. Something to think about.

It is a struggle to break free,
to disengage from the pleasures
of floating aimlessly on this placid
surface. Floating is easier than flying.

But was I made to float? Is that who
I am? I admire the beauty of flight,
see how she glides on the wind. How
he soars and dives on the friendly currents.

To float or to fly. Is it one or both?
My mind is so accustomed to either/or.
But I am both/and. I have wings for one
and feet designed for the other.

I am doubly blessed. To float or to fly?
Yes.

How amazing to turn the corner and there it is! The Reminder
that aloneness is not an option. Never alone. Sad at times, yes. Frustrated or fearful, but never left without the blessing of living under the rainbow. Take heart. The signal is in the sky. The Sacred Presence is present. Look up!