Category: Resurrection

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Rule of St Benedict

Intertwined with Christ

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VINE

In today’s gospel Jesus uses the image of a vine to explain the relationship between his Father, himself and the disciples:

“I am the true vine; you are the branches.”

It’s an image that we hear repeatedly in the Gospels. sometimes such images can become so familiar that they lose their potency. Sr Verna Holyhead gave me a fresh perspective on this:

“The vine is a radically non-hierarchical image of the people of God for all the branches are so intertwined that…it is almost impossible to tell where one branch begins and another ends.”

She reflects that this is a radically new way of thinking about relationship and community. It suggests a closeness and equality of relationship that treasures each member and the gifts they bring to the whole.

It’s an image that works against our natural inclination to be independent, to look after ourselves first at the expense of others.

This reminds me of my favourite part of the Rule of St Benedict, chapter 72 where St Benedict tells his community they should:

“Support with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behaviour… No one is to pursue what the judge better for themselves, but instead what the judge better for someone else… Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and maybe bring us all together to everlasting life.”

His words highlight in a very practical way what a community based on this beautiful image of the vine would look like. They remind us that our goal is to come to Christ all together, not racing ahead and leaving others behind, but finding ways of supporting and encouraging one another on the journey, making sure everyone has what they need.

Even in these most challenging times we have choice and opportunity. We can choose to build communities based on the love, hope, trust, mutual respect and interdependence that the gospel suggests. While that choice is challenging it has the potential to bring us to new life in ways we could never have imagined.

As we move through Eastertide how does being intertwined with Christ shape your life and your relationships?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Eastertide Gospel Holy Spirit Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

An Eastertide Peace

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PEACE

In today’s gospel Jesus offers his disciples the gift of PEACE:

“Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.”

We always need this gift of PEACE We can sometimes lull ourselves into a sense of false security, accepting a surface status quo as peace, ignoring the conflicts that lie beneath it.

In reality, however much we disguise it, there is always some situation in our personal lives or in our societies that needs the healing touch of peace.

Having said that there also seems to be times when our need for peace is more obvious and urgent. There are times when those conflicts and disagreements that have simmered under the surface breakout bringing violence and destruction in their wake. We are living in such a time now.

There are so many places today facing war and conflict. We can no longer ignore the huge costs of these conflicts to ordinary people. The destruction they bring to ordinary lives and communities is truly horrific.

This gives Jesus’ offer of peace a new and deeper meaning. When our own fragile attempts at peace making feel our only hope is to trust in the peace he offers. His peace is universal; it is offered without judgement or partisanship.

If we are to have any hope of healing our war-torn world, we each have to open our hearts to accept the peace he offers. We have to it to shape our life, and share it with others in ways that change and rebuild broken relationships.

Where is Christ challenging you to accept and share his peace this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Discernment Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

Taught by the Spirit

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TEACH

Today’s Eastertide word is TEACH. In today’s gospel Jesus is teaching his disciple about the centrality of love in all relationships. He tells them that it is central to his relationship with the Father, to his relationship with the disciples and to the disciples’ relationships with one another.

He knows they will not understand everything. So, he has a backup. He promises them that when he goes to the Father, he will send the Holy Spirit to remind them of everything taught them and to show them how to put it into practice:

“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.”

This his words, and his example, reminds me that teaching is a relational activity. It is only really effective when it’s based on a relationship of trust, openness and mutual respect. Jesus invites and challenges us to allow him to teach us everything he knows about love and relationship.

To truly learn from his teaching we have to come to him with open hearts. If his teaching is to do more than skim the surface of our lives we have to be vulnerable in his presence and to be open to change.

To allow him to teach us to love we need the humility to admit what we don’t know. Like the disciples we have to take the risk of bringing him our questions and uncertainties. Then, we have to be prepared to allow his responses to puzzle us and to change us.

What do you most need the risen Christ to teach you this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Discernment Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

Mystery and revelation

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MYSTERY

Throughout Eastertide we’ve seen the risen Christ appear to his disciple in moments of revelation and MYSTERY. We’ve also been listening to those parts of John’s Gospel where Jesus explains to the disciples who he really is.

He shares with them the nature of his relationship with his Father which is the foundation of who he truly is and of his ministry.

His explanations are moments of both revelation and of deepening MYSTERY. He repeatedly tells the disciples “I AM…” A phrase that both explains who he is, and recalls the God of the burning bush.

He explains to them the mysterious reality of his union with the Father, describing a deep union that we can only dimly grasp:

“I am in the Father and the Father is in me…”

Eastertide both reveals the risen Christ in the midst of our daily lives and shrouds him in mystery. It shows us his absolute humanness as he walks alongside his disciples, explaining the Scriptures, sharing food with them and even cooking and breakfast.

It also, as true revelation must, shows us the utter difference between our human experience and his divinity. In times like ours that want simple facts and easy truths it can be especially hard to hold those two truths in balance.

It’s tempting to tip over one way or the other, either focusing entirely on humanity of Jesus or on his divinity. Eastertide calls us to continually strive to acknowledge the tension and hold them in balance.

How is the mystery of the risen Christ touching your life this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Discernment Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

Led by the Truth

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TRUTH

TRUTH is essential for human flourishing and engagement. We need it in our personal relationships and in our societies. It helps us discern what is authentic and real. It enables us to decide who and what to trust. It alerts us to times when we need to be cautious and wary.

For centuries this has been fairly straightforward. Although there have been some differences it has been relatively easy to discover where TRUTH lies in most situations and circumstances. A broadly acceptable consensus has been maintained. This balance has required discernment, nuance and compromise.

In recent times that has changed. We have moved towards a completely individual interpretation of TRUTH which enables each of us to develop and identify with our own version of the truth, regardless of how others might perceive it.

This seems to give us a great deal of personal freedom and integrity. It also leaves us facing a multitude of TRUTHS, claiming equal validity. This is confusing covering up falsehood, increasing division and mistrust.

In today’s gospel Jesus gives us an answer:

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…”

His words remind me that if we give our attention to following him, he will lead us to the TRUTH. If we give this our full attention, he will guide us through the myriad uncertainties we face. He will show us the way to rediscover the TRUTH of his everlasting love that draws us into new life.

Where is the risen Christ offering to lead you into the truth this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Liturgy Prophetic voices Resurrection Scripture Uncategorized

Out of the shadows.

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SHADOW

Today’s Eastertide word is: SHADOW. It doesn’t comfortably sit with Eastertide, the season of light and new life. Yet, there are plenty of shadowy moments in the Easter gospel, the Acts of the Apostles and our own Eastertide experiences. The light of the risen Christ can make as even more aware of our shadows.

Today is the feast of St Joseph the worker. In many ways it’s hard to imagine a more shadowy figure. He is always in the background, supporting Mary and the child Jesus, bringing stability and respectability to difficult situation.

Yet, if we look beyond that image we find a different story. I’m reflecting on these words from a hymn for his feast:

“His love was humble, flame of God’s own fire,
A light to guide the path he trod alone;
Like Abraham, like Moses he believed,
And went in faith to find a land unknown.”

They speak of a man of great faith who is not afraid of the shadows. He allows them to guide him into God’s light following in the footsteps of his ancestors, leaving everything to follow God into the unknown. It can’t have been an easy choice, it will have required both humility and courage.

It’s impossible to think of this without reflecting on the ever-darkening shadows that overwhelm our world today. In such shadowy times St Joseph can be a valuable role model for us.

In this challenging Eastertide St Joseph reminds us that however dark shadows seem the risen will be with us, leading us into new life by the light of his love.

What are the shadows that you need the risen Christ to dispel in your life this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Liturgy Resurrection Scripture

The feast of St George

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UNITY

UNITY is central to the message of Eastertide. The resurrection gospel show as the disciples drawing into a new community that supports and protects one another. This means they have to learn to let their barriers down, and risk to others.

Our challenging times incline us to build barriers that we can hide behind. They draw towards protectionism, keeping ourselves safe at the expenses of others. The example of St George, whose face we celebrate today, shows us this is not the call of the risen Christ.

As a Syrian in the Roman army who is patron saint of at least England, Russia, Ethiopia and Georgia St George offers us the opportunity to expand our horizons. He reminds us that our common humanity extends beyond borders and nationalities. He shows us that our hope lies in breaking down barriers, reaching out to the stranger, not in building them higher and excluding people.

He had the courage to stand up to the evil of his day, slaying the “dragons” of his times wherever he could. This offers us courage and hope. In our own times we face plenty of “dragons” unleashed the wars, migration, economic, social and political challenges.

It’s not call without risks. In his second letter to Timothy St Paul writes:

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

As we celebrate the feast of St George it seems to me that we are called risk persecution to reach out others, seeking unity and reconciliation wherever we can.

Where is the risen Christ calling you to risk seeking unity today?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

Rediscovereing Hope.

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HOPE

HOPE is central to Eastertide. Today, we get another opportunity to revisit the Emmaus gospel. I’m glad to revisit a story that is so full of riches that it always offers us something new to reflect on.

At the beginning of their journey the disciples are despairing and hopeless, so drained they can barely drag themselves along the road to their home. We can almost feel the hopelessness from Luke’s description, we may also recognise it from our own experience.

It’s hard to see how they can move from this draining hopelessness to the energising hope we see at the end of the gospel. When a compelling stranger draws alongside them, asking what they are discussing their hopelessness overflows. Full of sadness they tell him:

“They stopped short, their faces downcast…Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free.”

Jesus gently unfolds the truth for them, challenging but never forcing, moving at a pace they can cope with. Some small spark of recognition is kindled in their hearts, and a tiny shoot of hope takes root.

It compels them to invite Jesus to stay with them when they reach home, and enables them to recognise him as he blesses the bread. As they recognise him their hope begins to blossom again:

“Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?”

In our dark times when hope feels impossible, the risen Christ also walks alongside us. If we allow him in, he can rekindle a hope that will set us free and give us the courage for these times.

Where do you need the risen Christ to help you rediscover hope this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Discernment Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Liturgy Resurrection Scripture

With Fears Calmed

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FEAR

FEAR is another word we don’t often connect with Eastertide. Yet there is a plenty of fear in the resurrection gospels as the disciples try to process all that has gone on. Today’s gospel reflects the disruption of that time. Our own stormy times make it easier to identify with the disciples response to the unexpected storm that threatens them.

I imagine them longing for rest and the opportunity to process some of the strange events they’ve witnessed over the previous days. As darkness falls and they climb into the boat they must have been hoping for a quiet, peaceful crossing to Capernaum.

It wasn’t to be, as they get further from the shore the wind and the waves get stronger and a storm blows up. They find themselves buffeted on all sides as wave after wave threatens to overwhelm their small boat.

Struggling to control the boat they see Jesus walking towards them across the water. Initially his appearance seems to do little to help their situation. The strange sight of him walking towards them over the stormy lake only increases their already mounting fear. Then Jesus speaks to them, and everything changes:

“It is I, do not be afraid.”

His words offer them consolation and calms their fears and they reach the shore safely. As we face our own stormy times we too need to hear Christ’s voice calming our fears and assuring us that, with his grace we will come through our storms.

Where do you need to hear the risen Christ calming your fears this Eastertide?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Eastertide Gospel Lectio Divina Resurrection Scripture

Co workers with Christ

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COLLABORATION

Reflecting on John’s account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes I’m struck by how Jesus involves the disciples in what he plans to do. I’m sure Philip thought it was crazy to be expected to feed such a large crowd.

Andrew was uncomfortably aware that the five loaves and two fish were not going to go very far with such a crowd. Yet, having trusted Jesus and followed his instructions they witnessed the miracle of everyone getting what they needed:

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted.”

Jesus didn’t need to involve his disciples in this. As is so often the case in John’s Gospel Jesus knows exactly what he’s going to do. Instead he chooses to invite them to work with him to meet the needs of the people, regardless of their lack of understanding.

He shows them, and us, a model of discipleship based on collaboration and sharing. He wants his kingdom to be a collaborative one where people share their gifts and talents freely with others. He wants no one to be without, and no one to be overburdened by having to meet every need by themselves.

In our own challenging and often brutal times he invites us to work with him and with those around us to continue building his kingdom today. He challenges us to use our limited and often meagre resources so that no one is left without the basic necessities of life.

Where is the risen Christ calling you to work collaboratively with him today?