He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Col 1, 15-20
We are fast approaching the end of the Christmas season. In former days, before they removed the Baptism of the Lord (and the wedding feast at Cana) from the observance, it would be over already. Now the Baptism of the Lord closes the Christmas season. Since we cut a real tree each year, ours almost never survives that long. I undecorated it and took it outside the other night. However, we have left the rest of the decorations out until the conclusion of the season.
I see why the retreat would remind us, after we have focused so long on the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, that his existence is from everlasting to everlasting. We of course see this in the previous session's reading from St. John's gospel, and will likely get another reminder in the next session, which uses the beginning of the first epistle of the beloved disciple.
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
Conforming (phase 2), God So Loved the World - The Birth of Jesus (step 9), session 5
In the beginning
This session uses my favorite Gospel from the different masses of the feast of Christmas. The vigil mass calls for St. Matthew's account of the genealogy of Jesus and the events from St. Joseph's perspective. The midnight mass reading is the only one to use St. Luke's account of the angels and the shepherds and no room in the inn, and is the Gospel that our parish uses at every. Christmas. mass. for the last ten years, because "everybody wants to hear this one," I guess. The mass at dawn is supposed to use the aftermath of the shepherds' visit, still from St. Luke.
For me, the Gospel designated for the mass during the day is the one that best captures the magnitude and context of the events of which all the others are mere details.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - Jn 1, 1-5
It is as if God himself has delivered these words back to me today, when I have so desperately needed them to overcome my own darkness!
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. - Jn 1, 6-13
This is the very point of the only-begotten, eternal son of God becoming a son of Adam: that we might be granted our place as children of God!
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. - Jn 1, 14-18
I love this gospel reading, and my determination to read it on my own on Christmas day faded away in the decompression of our dear grandchildren being gone and the decision to spend the evening with friends. I am so glad that I have now been brought back to a chance to reflect on it a bit (even if it does mean that I'm about two weeks behind where I should be in the Exercises).
This session uses my favorite Gospel from the different masses of the feast of Christmas. The vigil mass calls for St. Matthew's account of the genealogy of Jesus and the events from St. Joseph's perspective. The midnight mass reading is the only one to use St. Luke's account of the angels and the shepherds and no room in the inn, and is the Gospel that our parish uses at every. Christmas. mass. for the last ten years, because "everybody wants to hear this one," I guess. The mass at dawn is supposed to use the aftermath of the shepherds' visit, still from St. Luke.
For me, the Gospel designated for the mass during the day is the one that best captures the magnitude and context of the events of which all the others are mere details.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - Jn 1, 1-5
It is as if God himself has delivered these words back to me today, when I have so desperately needed them to overcome my own darkness!
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. - Jn 1, 6-13
This is the very point of the only-begotten, eternal son of God becoming a son of Adam: that we might be granted our place as children of God!
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. - Jn 1, 14-18
I love this gospel reading, and my determination to read it on my own on Christmas day faded away in the decompression of our dear grandchildren being gone and the decision to spend the evening with friends. I am so glad that I have now been brought back to a chance to reflect on it a bit (even if it does mean that I'm about two weeks behind where I should be in the Exercises).
Saturday, January 03, 2015
I know better
I know I'm supposed to know a better Answer. I know I've professed to.
But lately I'm finding my father's path pretty damned compelling, and my Answer pretty elusive.
A good, decades-long friend recently shared about a strong Christian he's recently heard of who struggles with this, who manages to persevere in Christ despite his challenges. I'm strengthened, encouraged a bit, to hear of it.
A good, decades-long friend recently shared about a strong Christian he's recently heard of who struggles with this, who manages to persevere in Christ despite his challenges. I'm strengthened, encouraged a bit, to hear of it.
Conforming (phase 2), God So Loved the World - The Birth of Jesus (step 9), session 4
I've been so pleased with my progress in the Exercises, and was so looking forward to the Christmas season, but it has been an emotional quagmire and I have not exercised the slightest bit of spiritual discipline in the face of it. Last night was relatively calm, but that calls into clarity just how stressful our life has become, as there was still ample conflict.
The Magi
The popular bumper sticker a couple decades ago proclaimed that "Wise Men Still Seek Him," in which case the last couple weeks have revealed my lack of wisdom. It seems as if I don't trust him to lead me beside still waters, to provide abundant pastures for my fulfillment and his glory. (or to help me keep my metaphors straight.)
I want to bring him my very best, but I doubt that I have a very best to bring. I want him to take what I have and let him make it a better offering, but am having trouble trusting myself in the midst of the turmoil. I want to hear his guidance directing me the path by which I am to go home - or on to where he is leading me - but am filled with doubt that he will.
Here is where I am, God, and you are no longer an infant who must be visited by others. Please bring me home.
The Magi
The popular bumper sticker a couple decades ago proclaimed that "Wise Men Still Seek Him," in which case the last couple weeks have revealed my lack of wisdom. It seems as if I don't trust him to lead me beside still waters, to provide abundant pastures for my fulfillment and his glory. (or to help me keep my metaphors straight.)
I want to bring him my very best, but I doubt that I have a very best to bring. I want him to take what I have and let him make it a better offering, but am having trouble trusting myself in the midst of the turmoil. I want to hear his guidance directing me the path by which I am to go home - or on to where he is leading me - but am filled with doubt that he will.
Here is where I am, God, and you are no longer an infant who must be visited by others. Please bring me home.
Conforming (phase 2), God So Loved the World - The Birth of Jesus (step 9), session 3
The Circumcision
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. - Lk 2, 21
I suspect they're going to wait to focus on the Presentation in the Temple around the time of that feast day. But even on this brief scripture there are things to consider. How important it is for us to adhere to what God has revealed as his plan. Though the religious requirement for this tradition has been fulfilled in Jesus, it seems appropriate for Jesus to live under the law if he was going to fulfill it. There is a humility which we often lack in assuming that our own circumstances absolve us of our need to be obedient.
For instance, if someone with whom we are bound in love - covenantally or otherwise - says something that hurts us, the love we continue to bear for them is not mere obligation to which we merely pay lip service or even disregard. Rather God's love in us can carry us through our hurt to continue to respond genuinely to them as we simultaneously deal with our own feelings in an honest and healing way.
Jesus - Yeshua - so named because he delivers his people from our sins, by doing so has shown us how to respond in love rather than in kind when we are hurt.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. - Lk 2, 21
I suspect they're going to wait to focus on the Presentation in the Temple around the time of that feast day. But even on this brief scripture there are things to consider. How important it is for us to adhere to what God has revealed as his plan. Though the religious requirement for this tradition has been fulfilled in Jesus, it seems appropriate for Jesus to live under the law if he was going to fulfill it. There is a humility which we often lack in assuming that our own circumstances absolve us of our need to be obedient.
For instance, if someone with whom we are bound in love - covenantally or otherwise - says something that hurts us, the love we continue to bear for them is not mere obligation to which we merely pay lip service or even disregard. Rather God's love in us can carry us through our hurt to continue to respond genuinely to them as we simultaneously deal with our own feelings in an honest and healing way.
Jesus - Yeshua - so named because he delivers his people from our sins, by doing so has shown us how to respond in love rather than in kind when we are hurt.
Compare and contrast
She is afraid to be alone, she says.
So am I.
Her bogeymen are outside her.
Mine are within.
She feels safer in others' company.
I used to, but now I don't.
She's six.
I'm 9 times older.
So am I.
Her bogeymen are outside her.
Mine are within.
She feels safer in others' company.
I used to, but now I don't.
She's six.
I'm 9 times older.
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