When's Day?3/31/2021 Wednesday of Holy Week
I chose the photo above for the theme of "When's Day" on this "Spy" Wednesday because of its "ominous" quality. You don't know if those clouds are going to increase and cover the sky with darkness or if the sun will signal the light of day. The drama of the sky resonates with the drama of this week. The drama continues. You may have spent yesterday’s time of prayer imagining this scene as John portrays it. Today it’s Matthew’s version. If you are so inclined, you could begin the prayer using your imagination to see this gathering of Jesus with his disciples, seeing the betrayal in action, hearing the apprehension and distress in the voices of his followers as each one says “Surely, it is not I, Rabbi?” Can you imagine this played on a “revolving” stage? First, you see Judas with the authorities, bargaining away the life of Jesus. Then, as the stage revolves you see Jesus telling some his disciples to prepare for Passover. The stage revolves once again, and you see all gathered at table and here Jesus speaking of his imminent betrayal. As the stage revolves, you see Judas, alone, separated from Jesus and his former friends. Judas is a “stand alone” character in the Gospels. He is the villain of the story. And he is an easy target for blame, scorn and scapegoating. You can easily imagine him wearing a scarlet letter setting him off from the rest of humankind as one to be shunned in his shame. That is certainly the way the Gospel writers portray him. Even in Matthew’s Gospel where he repents of the evil he has done to an innocent man, he is rejected and scorned and takes his own life. Truth is that we “do not know the man.” We do not know his interior life, his motivations for what he did. Was he a thief and a villain as he portrayed? Was he handing Jesus over in the hopes that this would force him to use his divine power to bring about the kingdom of God on earth? (Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar) Was he resentful and jealous of “the disciple whom Jesus loved?” Or was he just a pawn in the cosmic drama of redemption. Someone had to play the antagonist. In your prayer, would you dare to “ask for the grace to know Judas” as one like you and me, flawed and in need of understanding and forgiveness? Can you imagine Judas leaning on Jesus as a “beloved” disciple, restored to a loving relationship? What would a colloquy with Judas offer you? May I suggest that as part of your prayer you look at a section of For the Greater Glory of God? In the First Week, we hear the story of the Prodigal Son who after his reconciliation with his father dances You Search Me. In your prayer, can you imagine Judas as a composite of the younger and the older son? https://vimeo.com/265442500#t=811s Father: Rev. Edwin Johnson Daughter: Cha Cha Epps Son: Steven Cornwall Vocalist: Paul Melley A number of years ago I created a dance piece whose title was “Knot/Not I.” I had been listening to the score of La Pasión Según San Marcos and was quite taken with this musical setting by Osvaldo Gólijov, a Venezuelan composer. His setting of today’s Gospel with the refrain “Surely, Not I/ ¿Acaso no soy yo? set to salsa rhythms captured my imagination and I began to envision Jesus as a salsa dancer! In fact, the person who dances the role of Jesus, Edwin Johnson is an Episcopal priest who is also a salsa dancer. (God is good!) In the choreography, which focuses on the relationship between Jesus and his disciples, beginning with the entry into Jerusalem, I tried to suggest how knotted together their lives were. I was also trying to make Judas a more complex character than he is usually portrayed. Judas is the ultimate “bad guy” and in a way is an easy scapegoat, winning the infamous title of “worst betrayer in the world.” In my choreography I’m grappling with the question, “Is there a way of looking more deeply into Judas’ motivation that acknowledges the complexity of human behavior rather than pointing a finger and saying, “Surely, it was you!” Judas is danced by Steven Cornwall, a professional dancer from Kingston, Jamaica. Here is a link to the choreography https://vimeo.com/41647854
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Night Light3/30/2021 The moon last night was so beautiful reflecting on the ocean that I had to find some way of using this image in today’s reflection. I thought of three words in today’s Gospel that strike an ominous chord, “Night had fallen.” They sound a warning signal that the events of betrayal, denial, arrest, trial and crucifixion are on the horizon, soon to be taking place. And yet, the moon’s light brought me to a place in prayer of recognizing the beauty of the night. I saw it more as a prelude to the Exultet sung at the Easter Vigil. The refrain, “This is the night” is repeated over and over again. The “night” is not so bad after all! Perhaps last night’s moon was meant to remind us that the arc of suffering and pain is a much smaller one contained within the greater arc of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ.
You can use this link to go to the reflections for Tuesday of Holy Week in the Arc of the Covenant. tuesday_of_holy_week_2021.pdf Who's counting?3/29/2021 Monday of Holy Week
“Six days before Passover Jesus came to the town of Bethany.” The countdown has begun. Six days from today it will be Easter! Can we make each day of this Holy Week count? That’s how I began last year’s reflection on Monday of Holy Week which fell on April 6th. At that time, we were only less than a month into lockdown. How could we have ever imagined the count of days that would bring us to today or the count of lives lost and people infected with the Covid virus. Although there is hope on the horizon, we are still counting the days…. Here’s what I wrote last year and the year before. Have you been counting the days since life changed? Are you trying to count the days until life returns to something that looks and feels familiar? Each day we are hearing counts of the numbers of people who are known to be infected by the virus and the heartbreaking accounts of lives lost and loved ones who could not be present to those near death. The gospel story, today, as poignant and beautiful as it is with Mary’s flagrant demonstration of love for Jesus with a fragrance of perfume that “fills the whole house,” offers a stark counterpoint to what we are experience during this epidemic. Where friends of Jesus are gathering with him for a thanksgiving meal, we, his friends, are unable to be in each other’s presence. Where Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and dries them with her hair, we are required to stay six feet apart from everyone. Where Jesus says, “Leave her alone, she is preparing my body for burial,” loved ones cannot come near to family members and friends who are dying. We have all become the “untouchables.” Last year, when the world was different on Monday of Holy Week, I wrote this reflection. I could never have imagined how true it would sound a year later! For decades my preaching for the Monday of Holy Week would be the same. “Like Mary in today’s Gospel, who anoints the feet of Jesus with a costly perfumed oil, you are invited to spend these days accompanying him in his journey to Calvary. Don’t hesitate to spend your precious time with him. He needs and wants your friendship during these difficult days.” For a variety of reasons, some personal and others from reading Richard Rohr’s the Universal Christ, my reflection this year is different. As I prayed about anointing the feet of Jesus, I think I heard him say “Let’s change things up. Let me anoint you.” These words not only reminded me of my need for friendship and healing but also to keep in mind that Jesus’ suffering and death happened once and “for all.” He is not reliving the experience of betrayal, arrest, trial, condemnation, crucifixion and death himself. It is we, the body of Christ, who are experiencing our own “passion.” Jesus the Christ is now in solidarity with our struggles and pain. “Once I know that all suffering is both our suffering and God’s suffering, I can better endure and trust the desolations and disappointments that come my way…. If I can recognize that all suffering and crucifixion (divine, planetary, human, animal) is “one body” and will one day be transmuted into the “one body” of cosmic resurrection (Philippians 3:21), I can at least live without going crazy or being permanently depressed… Our full “Christ Option”—and it is indeed a free choice to jump on board—offers us so much that is good and new--a God who is in total solidarity with all of us at every stage of the journey, and who will get us all to our destination together in love. The Universal Christ ( pp.167-168) Instead of “counting the days,” can we make “each day count?” Each day has its own anointings. I have the strong feeling in prayer that Jesus wants nothing more than to anoint us with his love and presence, especially at this time of great suffering. Who’s counting? I imagine all of us are counting the days till life returns to a time when we did not have to be so careful and vigilant. But we all need to know that in God’s eyes we are counting for so much more than we can imagine. At least that’s what I’m counting on! Speaking of counting, I've lost count of the number of Hibiscus blooms that have blossomed on one plant over a year and a half. It keeps surprising me! I also found out that although the flower has no fragrance until it is made into a concentrate and then it has a "soft floral scent with musky overtones." This is why I chose it to accompany a Gospel which speaks of the fragrance of perfumed oil used for anointing. In the Palm of God's Hand3/28/2021
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Was Jesus held in the “palm of God’s hand” during the events of this Holy Week that we commemorate? It’s interesting that the psalm response for today is My God, My God, why have you abandoned me? Coming so soon in the liturgy after the joyful and celebrative procession of palms, commemorating the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are plunged into the darkness of the same cry from the heart of Jesus that the Gospel writer, Matthew puts on the lips of Jesus. It’s clear that the early Christian community heard in Psalm 22 a resonance with the experience of Jesus in his Passion but also in his vindication. But what did Jesus feel; abandonment or being held in the “palm of God’s hand?” Since we believe he was fully human, perhaps he felt both, like the author of Psalm 22. Despite his suffering, he still clings to his trust that God is with him, no matter what he is going through. So much of life during this pandemic time has challenged us to feel that God has not abandoned us. We are held in the “palm of God’s hand” because Jesus is the human hand of God always reaching out to us. I share with you today some of the resources and reflections that I put together for the Arc of the Covenant for the retreat house. (I'm particularly happy with the story of Brace (Rock) and Petronella (PineTree). palm_sunday_prayer_2021.pdf brace_and_petronella.pdf A Stone's Throw-away3/26/2021 Friday of the 5th Week of Lent
Talk of stoning began the week with the story of the woman accused of adultery. At the end of the week, the theme returns again. This time, Jesus’s adversaries want to stone him of blasphemy. They picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" They answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." It is ironic that the 10th chapter is about Jesus the “good shepherd” who knows his sheep as they know him and recognize his voice. Clearly, his adversaries do not recognize the voice of God speaking through him. (I chose to use a black and white version of the "stone" tower that my friend, Scot Bateman created on a visit to EP. It speaks to me of how we so often see things, especially controversies in black and white. Notice the difference in the "living color" version at the end of this reflection. It does make a difference!) But what if “these stones would cry out?” What if stones and rocks actually were capable of feeling pain? What if each time someone steps on a stone, they heard “ouch” or “ugh?” What if each time a stone was thrown, one heard the cry, “Please don’t use me to break the bones of another!” Stones are better for building than tearing down, for creating something of warmth like a chimney, or a stone wall that becomes a backdrop for something beautiful. There is always a choice to use what is in our reach, a stone’s throw away, to heal or to hurt, to build up or break down. The prophet Jeremiah always seems to be a stone’s throw away from those who would hurl insults at him and even seek to take his life. I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." Even so, he trusts that God is with him. “For the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion.” His sentiments are echoed in today’s Psalm 18. I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. If you have ever been had verbal “rocks and stones” thrown at you, you may know the broken-heartedness that Jeremiah and Jesus must have experienced. And, perhaps, like them you have cried out to God who has answered you in your distress and have come to know your Rock of Refuge! Suggestion for Prayer: How is God a “stone’s throw away” for you? How is God your rock, your fortress, your deliverer? Just a Moment.....3/25/2021 Feast of the Annunciation
Usually, when we use the expression, “just a moment” we are asking for a little time. We are asking someone to “hold on.” On this feast of the Annunciation, however, the expression gives way to a meditation on how a single moment in time can make all the difference in the world. Mary’s moment came in a place and time when she acknowledged the mysterious working of God’s spirit in her. Her assent to God’s invitation to open herself unreservedly to God’s work in her resonates with our own willingness to let God be more than we can possibly imagine. Who knows at what time of day the annunciation of the Angel Gabriel came to Mary? Was it at dawn at her waking, as in the Tanner painting? Was it at midday at the well where she went to fill a vessel with water? Was it at evening strolling the streets of Nazareth and stopping to behold a stunning sunset? Was it at night as she gazed at the moonlight coming through the window in the room where she slept? Whenever it happened, it was “just in time.” The annunciation is the moment in time of God’s breaking into human time and space and conceiving a new way of being divinely human. Thanks be to God for Mary’s willingness to be there “just in time.” As beautiful as this “moment” in time was for Mary, it was the beginning of countless moments of joy and sorrow in her lifetime. Perhaps you have had “just a moment” in your life that has brought unspeakable joy or unbearable heartache. Will you let Mary’s “just a moment” be a beacon of light, hope and consolation for you? Here's a link to Gabriel's Message, pictured above. vimeo.com/528876492 The painting below was painted by Sr Joannie Cassidy SSJ, gifted spiritual director, poet and artist. How does this image of Mary speak to you on the feast of the Annunciation? Color Coded3/24/2021 Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent
The scriptures today are quite the opposite of grey. They are red with heat, purple with rage, green with envy, golden white with glory and blue with sadness. This reflection begins in a “white-hot” furnace.” The story of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego who refuse to worship an idol of gold, and who are thrown into the furnace, is anything but gray. It is “red-hot” with the passion that these three have for their God. It is in the “white-hot” furnace that the king sees the “pure gold of the God of Israel’s glory,” not the impure gold of the idol the king worships. He is “purple with rage” and perhaps “green with envy,” seeing the courage that comes from their faith. Then, there is today’s Gospel, which continues the controversy between Jesus and his inquisitors. This is an argument that is heating up so fast that it may burst into flames at any moment. This is no reasoned debate. It is more a “white-hot” furnace of emotions as Jesus’s inquisitors can only hear blasphemy in his words. Jesus is asking them to conceive the inconceivable, imagine the unimaginable and think the unthinkable. That is; that the God of their ancestors in faith would not forever remain hidden but be revealed in human flesh and blood in the person of Jesus. The inquisitors can be seen as “purple with rage” or “red with anger” but can we see Jesus as “blue with sadness” at their inability to see God in a new way? Suggestion for Prayer: What’s the weave of your relationship with God these days? Is there a color, or more than one that captures how you are feeling vis-v-vis who and how you are with God? Need a lift?3/23/2021 Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent
Need a lift? There are days when you may be weighed down by personal or world problems and you could use a little lift, something to lighten your mood. Although today’s scriptures are about “lifting” up; “When you lift up the Son of Man, you will realize that I AM,” the tone of each of them is heavy and weighted. The Israelites are punished for the complaining and Jesus is engaged in a heated argument with his adversaries. This morning’s sunrise gave me a “little lift.” I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen the sun looking like it was lifting all the clouds above. It almost looks like the sun has arms that are lifting the darkness. And then there is the empty white chair that contrasts with the tree and the rocks. It’s almost is if the chair is saying, “Need a lift? Here’s a place for you to just sit still and contemplate the beauty before your eyes. The question for prayer today may be, “When you see Jesus lifted up on the Cross, do you feel his desire to lift you up, to lighten your load?” How many times this past year I have suggested people pray with this passage from Matthew: Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. And you will find rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. I received a “lift” the other day when a sister who had made the 30 day retreat last summer sent me this poem about a bright red cardinal that had changed a dreary day into something special. Window-view Message Her-Story3/22/2021 Monday of the 5th Week of Lent
Part of this reflection was written two years ago on this Monday of the 5th week of Lent. I As you reflect with today’s Gospel, do you wonder what it was that Jesus was writing on the ground with his finger? For some strange reason I felt “drawn,” to go to the beach and write something in the sand. As you can see from the picture above, my finger drew a large heart holding other hearts. Hmm… Is that what Jesus might have been writing or drawing as well? I am particularly drawn to the Gospel today which tells the story of the woman caught in adultery. Her story is one of public shaming, judgment and condemnation and ultimately gracious love and forgiveness from Jesus. But do you wonder about the “back story?” What brought her to this moment where she was publicly accused of sin? Where was the other person? Did he betray her? Was it the jealousy of another that betrayed her? Did her actions reflect who she truly was? Was she free or forced? What possessed her to risk her life? Of course, we don’t know any of this, but shouldn’t we care? There’s always a story behind the story…. And then there’s the aftermath. What was her life like after the encounter with Jesus? What kind of life awaited her? Jesus may not have condemned her but what about her “friends” and neighbors? Would they shun her or accept her? Would Jesus’s love and acceptance bring about healing for her? Would she find it in her heart to follow him and become one of his disciples? I suppose it would depend on how large her heart was. Most of us are not exposed to the kind of public shaming this woman experienced. Can we call her Miriam like another Miriam who could have been stoned to death when Joseph learned she was pregnant with Jesus? Whatever our experience of human cruelty and condemnation, hopefully our experience of God’s gracious love and acceptance is infinitely greater. Her-story, My-story. History/Mystery….Hmm…. Suggestion for Prayer: Using Ignatian imagination, can you find yourself in this scene? What would it be like for you to enter into the experience of “Miriam” as she fears for her life before her accusers? What do you see as you look into the faces of your accusers? What do you see as you look in the face of Jesus? Or are you too frightened, confused, perhaps ashamed to look up? Ask for the grace to feel what Miriam felt before and after her encounter with Jesus. Can you imagine a conversation with her? Grainfall3/21/2021 5th Sunday of Lent
“Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and die, it remains just a grain of wheat.” Reflecting on this “truth” and how painful it can me, I wrote the following. I’m also including a link to Sr Joannie Cassidy SSJ’s reflection for the Arc of the Covenant and an excellent homily given by Fr. JA Loftus in 2009. Grainfall Grey skies today portend a rain fall. Let’s pretend that it’s not rain, at all that clouds portend. In some other universe could grey and cloudy bring baskets of cheer and clear as a bell, hope and holiday? Picnic under cloudy skies without worry that rain will fall and fail the games we play? Life’s not that way, you say. “Up is up and down is down. Not the other way around.” Unless rain falls to the ground there will be no sprouting, shouting, “Spring is Here” and how we wait and bear the weight of grey, grief-stricken skies, readying their tears that thirsty ground imbibes. And from this watery grief grows new life and one wonders how this can be when grey skies birth beauty? And sow it is with grain fall that hungry ground consumes. This single seed bursting its britches cracking its casing if it let itself be engrained in ground chafing at the bit to become the staff of life. Oh, what wheat must bear to become bread! Only with withering comes the seed, the germ within holding hope of something bran new. Some grey days one wonders why the world is as it is. Why this blend of pain and gain, where one must die to be born again and a-gain? Would a universe without this gravitational pull, where one need not fall to live at all, be a better bargain than the one we know now? Blue skies today stretch the length and width and height of life’s horizon portending promises of gain, again, grains of wait and yet, sea’s depth still hides the sunken treasure of love’s labors lost. Take life with a grain of salt and sand in hand and let it fall where it may flower and bear fruit. eastern_point_reflection_fifth_sunday_lent.pdf the_5th_sunday_in_lentmarch_29_revised.docx AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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