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Christ Cross Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Palm Sunday Scripture Uncategorized

With a disciples’ ear

Image ©Turvey Abbey

This Palm Sunday I’m reflecting on the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. I’m especially struck by these words:

“Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord has opened my ear.”

The liturgy for Palm Sunday can be a bit of a challenge. There’s so much going on that it can leave me feeling a bit distracted. So my hope is that the attentive listening Isaiah calls me to will help me find where I need to focus in order to best hear the words the Lord has for me this year.

The reading of the passion compels us to face some challenging truths. The Jewish New Testament scholar, Amy Jill Levine points out that the passion is a powerful story. If we let it, it can speak to & change our hearts, listening to it becomes a risky & uncomfortable business.

As we watch the disciples struggle through it with a mixture of failure and courage, hope and despair our own consciences are pricked. It calls us to reflect on where we have misunderstood, betrayed, or fallen asleep when we should have been awake to the suffering of those around us.

As we see Jesus condemned and moving towards crucifixion it’s hard to avoid some hard questions about the value we place on life, our own lives and the lives of others, especially the lives of those who are pushed to the margins.

As we move into Palm Sunday where is Christ calling you to wake up and listen?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Rule of St Benedict Saints Uncategorized

Learning humility

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Celebrating the feast of the passing of St Benedict has given me an opportunity to revisit the Rule. There’s so much I could reflect on, especially during Lent. I wasn’t sure which direction I should take until I listened to the story of Jacob’s dream of the angels ascending and descending the ladder at last night’s vigil, and decided on humility.

Humility is an important part of Benedictine spirituality. St Benedict dedicates a whole chapter of his rule to it. The story of Jacob’s dream must have touched him because it forms the basis of the chapter. He uses the image of the ladder to incorporate all of human experience, mind, body and spirit:

“Now the ladder erected is our life on earth, and if we humble our hearts the Lord will raise it to heaven. We may call our body and soul the sides of this ladder, into which our divine call has fitted the various steps of humility and discipline as we ascend.”

Humility calls us to acknowledge both the gifts and limitations of our lives whether of mind body or spirit. That can feel very counter cultural especially in a world that requites us to be capable and in control of every aspect of life. Learning humility is the work of a lifetime. It takes courage, commitment and practice. It calls us to be realistic and honest, admitting both strengths and weaknesses. It seems to me that Lent is an especially good time to reflect on our practice of humility.

How is Christ inviting you take steps in humility this Lent?

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Stepping out in faith

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Today we’re celebrating the feast of St Joseph. On the surface he seems a shadowy figure. A background figure in the gospel who supports Mary and the child Jesus and brings stability and respectability to an otherwise difficult situation. Yet, if we look beyond that image we find a different story. This morning I was struck by these words from our Lauds hymn:

“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 not of a shadowy figure, but of a man of great faith, courage, humility and trust. He follows in the line of Abraham and Moses who left everything to follow God into the unknown.

Drawing on the faith of his ancestors when his life and expectations are completely turned upside down St Joseph is able to put himself in God’s hands, trusting that God will lead and guide him. 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 seemingly insurmountable challenges our world faces today, both at home and abroad. As we see lives disrupted and communities destroyed by war St Joseph becomes a valuable role model. He reminds us that however dark and uncertain our lives, we are called to put ourselves into the hands of God who will lead us through the darkness into the light of his love.

What gives you the courage to trust yourself God today?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Lectio Divina Lent Liturgy Scripture Uncategorized

The Joy of Lent

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Halfway through Lent the practices we began so full of hope on Ash Wednesday may have lost some of their appeal. They might be feeling burdensome, or have been swept away altogether by the rush of daily life. At this point the church invites us to celebrate Laetare Sunday, offering an opportunity to remind ourselves that the purpose of all our Lent practices is to prepare us to celebrate the Resurrection.

Today’s liturgy reminds us that love is the heart of our faith, and underpins all our Lent practices. In his letter to the Ephesians St Paul writes:

“God loved us with so much love that God was generous with God’s mercy: when we were dead through our sins he brought us to life with Christ…”

That’s not to deny the suffering we experience and inflict on each other, to pretend that everything is fine in our lives or in our world. It offers a deeper and more honest hope than that. It acknowledges our sin and failure. It accepts it and promises that the healing power of God’s love is stronger and deeper than anything our sin can throw up.

However shakily we’re keeping Lent, however messy life might Laetare Sunday calls us to pause and rejoice in being held and supported by God’s love. Held in this love we can face life with hope, even when it might feel hopeless. Supported by this love we can trust that Christ will lead us into the light of new life.

As we celebrate Laetare Sunday where are you aware of the generous love of God being poured into your life?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lent Prayer Prophetic voices Saints Uncategorized

Gospel living

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Some thoughts from our archives to celebrate St Frances of Rome.

As we come to the end of International women’s Day we’ve begun our celebration of one of our congregation’s saints, St Frances of Rome. She is one of a very small number of married women who are saints. She brought up a large family and did a great deal to help the poor and the sick of Rome. This week I’ve been reflecting on the blessing of gospel living and it seems to me that she epitomises that in her life. That’s especially true in the great care she took of the poor, wrapping their clothes in lavender after she’d washed and mended them. In her role as peacemaker and reconciler shows another aspect of a gospel focussed life. It’s written of her that:

“God gave her such an abundance of loving-kindness that those who had dealings with her immediately felt themselves captivated by love and admiration for her and were ready to do whatever she wished.”

Frances dealt with many difficult and, sometimes, violent situations. Even in those situations she was able to persuade people to change their behaviour by showing them love and kindness. This is the blessing at the heart of the gospel centred life. It may have brought blessings to Frances, it certainly made her a blessing to those she encountered.

It makes her a good role model international women’s day. She reminds me of the important role women play in building communities and changing the world. Her life carries the message that even in the most challenging situations, love and kindness have the power to change hearts, minds and lives.

Where is God calling you to share an abundance of loving-kindness in the challenging situations you face?

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Lent Prayer Prophetic voices Scripture Uncategorized

As one friend to another

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Today I’m reflecting on Moses’ encounter with God on the mountain. It’s an encounter happens in the context of an already deepening and flourishing relationship. The writer tells us that Moses and God speak face-to-face, as one friend to another. Yet, Moses wants more, desiring to draw even closer to God he asks to see God’s glory. I’m always struck by the love and tenderness of God’s reply:

“I will make all my goodness pass before you,… But, you cannot see my face; for no one can see my face and live.”

God then arranges that while God’s glory passes Moses will be hidden in the cleft of a rock, covered by the hand of God so that he can see God’s back, but not God’s face. I am always struck by God’s tenderness in this passage. God’s love and concern for Moses is evident.

God recognises Moses’ desire and that to fulfil it in the way Moses has asked would not be the best thing for him. So God finds another way, away of fulfilling Moses’ desire to draw closer to God, while keeping him safe from harm. God declares that God is:

“Merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…”

It seems to me that God demonstrates this steadfast, faithful and gracious love in this encounter with Moses.

Lent gives us an opportunity to draw closer to God. Like Moses, we are invited to speak to God openly and trustingly. That can sometimes seem a challenging, or even daunting prospect. Moses’ encounter encourages us and reminds us that the God who waits to welcome us is overflowing with steadfast love for each one of us.

What would help you to speak to God as you would to a friend this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Scripture Uncategorized

Making space

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This week’s gospel upturns our ideas about Jesus upside down. This is not the gentle, loving Jesus we feel drawn to. Instead John shows us Jesus upturning market stalls and driving traders out of the Temple. It is a challenging and disturbing image that we can struggle to accept. Reflecting on this passage Sr Verna Holyhead writes that Jesus’ action represents:

“The reclamation of the holy place from the marketplace to his Father’s house; from empty, atrophied ritual to living worship.”

It’s tempting, and maybe comforting, for us to say that we don’t need that reclamation today, either personally or as church. Yet, especially in Lent, we’re called to allow ourselves to be challenged by Jesus.

In his anger, Jesus cleared the money changers and traders out of the Temple, creating a clear space where people could once again encounter God. Challenging as his actions are they call us to look into our own hearts. He calls us to ask ourselves what clutters up that sacred inner space where we encounter God, stopping us from seeking and discovering God’s presence. He calls us to ask ourselves what practices and habits we need to let go of to rediscover that space. It’s not only a challenge for individuals, but for the community of the Church. John write:

“Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up.”

If we are to be part of that sanctuary of living stones that the risen Christ has promised to build, we need to ask ourselves how our rituals and practices enable people to encounter the living God.

How is Christ challenging make space in your heart to encounter God this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Cross Discernment Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Resurrection Scripture Uncategorized

A costly risk.

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Today’s gospel is full of challenge. Jesus taking the Apostles to one side, telling them what to expect in Jerusalem. He is completely honest:

“The Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will rise again.”

In response to the sons of Zebedee jockeying for power Jesus goes on to explain what it means to follow him with another shocking statement:

“Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We are so familiar with these words that they have lost both their freshness and their ability to shock. Having heard them repeated again and again over the years we have become accustomed to them.

We also come to them with hindsight. Unlike those first Apostles we read them through the filter of Easter, of knowing that Christ is already risen. That can make it hard for us to understand just how baffling and shocking they must have been to the Apostles. They had left everything to follow Jesus believing he was the promised Messiah. They would not have expected that to lead to death and crucifixion… Or to resurrection. They are fearful and disturbed Jesus’ talk of suffering and death.

Familiarity makes it easier for us to put them aside. We can bind them up comfortingly in liturgy and tradition, treat them as inspiring thoughts that don’t really affect our day-to-day life. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called, like the Apostles, to let these words challenge and disturb us, and to take the costly risk of allowing them to shape our daily lives.

What costly risk is Christ calling you to take this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Gospel Lectio Divina Lent Scripture Transfiguration Uncategorized

Transfiguration and transformation.

Image by Marion Wellmann from pixabay.com

The transfiguration is one of those moments when the glory of God breaks through into life. Seeing Jesus transfigured and in the presence of Elijah and Moses the disciples can’t help but be aware that they are in the life changing presence of God. This is both a wonderful a frightening experience. This shouldn’t surprise us because throughout scripture encounters with God are disturbing for the people who experience them.

Mark tells us that it is fear that prompts Peter to suggest they build tents for Jesus, Elijah and Moses. In his panic he tries bring this startling experience under control. We should sympathise with this tendency because we’re likely to do the same ourselves when God breaks through into our lives.

But the instruction God gives them is not to try to control the situation or make it manageable:

“This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him.”

Instead voice that comes from the cloud calls them to take the risk of opening themselves to this new experience. God calls them to listen to Jesus, God’s Beloved, and to allow what they hear to change them. Telling them not to talk about the experience, Jesus gives them time and space to reflect on the encounter and what it might mean for them before they have to share or explain it to others.

Lent gives us the opportunity to take space to reflect on our own encounters with God and how we respond when God breaks into our ordinariness.

How are you being invited to respond to God’s startling presence in your life this Lent?

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Benedictine Spirituality Christ Discernment Lectio Divina Lent Prophetic voices Rule of St Benedict Scripture Uncategorized

A habit of listening.

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Today I’m reflecting on the first reading from the prophet Jonah. I’m struck by Jonah’s response to God’s call:

“Up!…Go to Ninevah, the great city and preach to them as I told you to”

Perhaps having learned from his earlier disagreement with God Jonah obeys swiftly and without argument or prevarication:

“Jonah set out and went to Ninevah in obedience to the word of the Lord.”

His response can make obedience seem easy, straightforward and simple, but it’s more complex than that. It takes me back to the Rule of St Benedict which calls us to “unhesitating obedience”. This is not a call to simply do what we are told, though it sometimes requires that.

Rather the call to obedience is a call to listen and respond to the call of God. It requires discernment, both to hear the call and discover the response we need to make. In the first instance the call to obedience is a call to listen. Then it is a call to respond to what we hear.

We’re called to develop a habit of listening, to attune ourselves to God’s presence in every situation so that we learn to recognise God’s voice in our lives. From this listening we will be able to discern the response we’re called to make. It’s a process that requires practice. We will make mistakes, getting it wrong, trusting in God’s mercy, and being willing to try again and change direction if necessary.

Where are you being called to develop a habit of listening this Lent?