Saying 4
Jesus said, "The old man will not hesitate to ask a seven-day-old baby about the place of life, and he will live. For there are many who are first who will become last. They will become a single one.
Jesus said, "The old man will not hesitate to ask a seven-day-old baby about the place of life, and he will live. For there are many who are first who will become last. They will become a single one.
Saying 5
Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
Saying 6
His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
Reflection on Saying 4
Jesus said, "The old man will not hesitate to ask a seven-day-old baby about the place of life, and he will live. For there are many who are first who will become last. They will become a single one.
As per covenant, Jews circumcised newborns on the eighth day.
11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.
12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. - Genesis 17: 11-12
On the seventh day, the baby had not suffered the searing pain of the knife removing his foreskin. In the Creation story, the seventh day is the Sabbath. God's work is complete; everything necessary is in place and it is all good; the Sabbath is time to breathe and appreciate, what we erroneously call "doing nothing." Likewise, at seven days old, the child is untouched by human-inflicted pain. The child is embedded within "original goodness."
The eighth day, however, is not so good; the tiny babe is moved by the knife into the world's matrix. Ouch!
As an old man, when he asks a seven-day old babe about the place of life, he lives again, returning to that pure, eternal, vibrational state to carry tired, aching bones across the finish line, often a painful few steps.
Does the pain of circumcision snap our consciousness into the world, out of heaven? But an old man, an old woman know deep down within that the unbranded baby IS there, and is always there to bring him or her back into life.
In that place of unification, is a singleness, "they will become one," no longer the first (the aged, first to return to God, or the newborn, first to arrive) or the last (the aged, last to go home, or the newborn, last to be with God). I love how Cynthia Bourgeault points out that a circle starts and ends at the same place and in so doing, wholeness is created, a life crafted by the Creator, manifested in our days.
Jesus said, "The old man will not hesitate to ask a seven-day-old baby about the place of life, and he will live. For there are many who are first who will become last. They will become a single one.
As per covenant, Jews circumcised newborns on the eighth day.
11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.
12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. - Genesis 17: 11-12
On the seventh day, the baby had not suffered the searing pain of the knife removing his foreskin. In the Creation story, the seventh day is the Sabbath. God's work is complete; everything necessary is in place and it is all good; the Sabbath is time to breathe and appreciate, what we erroneously call "doing nothing." Likewise, at seven days old, the child is untouched by human-inflicted pain. The child is embedded within "original goodness."
The eighth day, however, is not so good; the tiny babe is moved by the knife into the world's matrix. Ouch!
As an old man, when he asks a seven-day old babe about the place of life, he lives again, returning to that pure, eternal, vibrational state to carry tired, aching bones across the finish line, often a painful few steps.
Does the pain of circumcision snap our consciousness into the world, out of heaven? But an old man, an old woman know deep down within that the unbranded baby IS there, and is always there to bring him or her back into life.
In that place of unification, is a singleness, "they will become one," no longer the first (the aged, first to return to God, or the newborn, first to arrive) or the last (the aged, last to go home, or the newborn, last to be with God). I love how Cynthia Bourgeault points out that a circle starts and ends at the same place and in so doing, wholeness is created, a life crafted by the Creator, manifested in our days.
Reflection on Saying 5
Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
Utter powerlessness over booze and bulimia was "hidden" from me for years. Always a new resolution, a new plan... Walking up the street in Los Angeles, something said, "You are going to live this way or die this way and there is nothing you can do about it."
Utter powerlessness suddenly became "plain to me."
The name of a drummer I had met years earlier came to mind who was sober in AA.
The power of AA meetings was certainly hidden. But that became "plain to me," because the obsession to drink and the need to binge-purge were removed, just by showing up , engaging with sober people, and listening,
My allergy to alcohol was "hidden" but became "plain to me" from hearing the message of the Big Book. This understanding completely changed my understanding of my life. It explained , clarified so much.
My mental obsession was "hidden," but became plain... the mind that justifies, rationalizes, has myriad excuses for the first drink and the next drink. The mind that doesn't think at all, just does.
The spiritual malady was "hidden" but became plain as I stayed sober... alcohol was the solution, not the problem... and therefore I surrendered to a spiritual solution that was NOT alcohol, the balance of the steps....
I've come to believe in God, who was certainly hidden from me and now live in a way that is always disclosing what needs to be seen, to be healed, to be released.
Beauty, love, magic, the divine choreography were hidden and are now plain in many many many ways. In some ways, I'll probably have to wait to the after life... when it will become plain?
"Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8
Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
Utter powerlessness over booze and bulimia was "hidden" from me for years. Always a new resolution, a new plan... Walking up the street in Los Angeles, something said, "You are going to live this way or die this way and there is nothing you can do about it."
Utter powerlessness suddenly became "plain to me."
The name of a drummer I had met years earlier came to mind who was sober in AA.
The power of AA meetings was certainly hidden. But that became "plain to me," because the obsession to drink and the need to binge-purge were removed, just by showing up , engaging with sober people, and listening,
My allergy to alcohol was "hidden" but became "plain to me" from hearing the message of the Big Book. This understanding completely changed my understanding of my life. It explained , clarified so much.
My mental obsession was "hidden," but became plain... the mind that justifies, rationalizes, has myriad excuses for the first drink and the next drink. The mind that doesn't think at all, just does.
The spiritual malady was "hidden" but became plain as I stayed sober... alcohol was the solution, not the problem... and therefore I surrendered to a spiritual solution that was NOT alcohol, the balance of the steps....
I've come to believe in God, who was certainly hidden from me and now live in a way that is always disclosing what needs to be seen, to be healed, to be released.
Beauty, love, magic, the divine choreography were hidden and are now plain in many many many ways. In some ways, I'll probably have to wait to the after life... when it will become plain?
"Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8
Reflection on Saying 6
His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
Give me a rule book!
Tell me what to do!
Let me be right!
I want to know!
Part of me does not want to be guided by the Spirit within. Instead, I want an answer but then am encaged once again. I am grateful to be free!
"Do you want us to fast?
What diet shall we observe?"
I'd like to fast today or be strictly vegan them but Tia Eni, at 95 years old, takes hours to make chicken pozole, my daughters call and want to chat over burgers, Tasha makes fried wings for the whole "family" of activists,...
What do I hate? My rigid self-righteousness, my tendency to separate from community, my need to judge people based on what or how much they are eating rather than just being fully present for the relationships.
The word "companionship" comes from "con pan" or "with bread."
Of course there are limits. I am a person who can not drink alcohol without causing myself and others great great harm.
On the other hand, I'm such a muddle sometimes... maybe being strictly vegan or regular perfect fasting would straighten me out?! Is THAT what I've been missing? Jesus says, "NO, darling!" That ain't it!" But... when alone, I choose a diet with a very light carbon footprint and do fast periodically in order to draw closer to God. I prefer to do the latter in such a way that no one needs to know I'm fasting.
How shall we pray?
When growing up, prayer was something we did once a week at church with heads bowed, on our knees. I now pray from and in my heart using both unspoken, informal, and formal prayers (e.g. the Third Step prayer, Seventh Step prayer, Lord's Prayer, Psalm 46, Prayer of St. Francis, Serenity Prayer, prayer of the Great Spirit).... I pray throughout the day, in and through conversations, when entering rooms, when picking up my cell, when having sex, bathing, whenever... Pause.... and pray. Pause... and pray.
Shall we give alms?
I give as much as possible without others knowing. My sponsor suggested "give and don't tell anyone you gave." That's righteous advise for staying right sized and not getting into a competition with others about who is "doing" the most. Ugh. Also, giving for tax breaks doesn't count! Such a trap to think I'm good by tallying up my donations to non-profits. Wow. Sneaky ego serpents in the "giving" racket. Spirit guides the giving so that the receiver feels the love of God in the gift. My hope is that God will be thanked, not me. That's one powerful reason to give often to those who can't possibly reciprocate but that can be a problem,, too, if not done in the Spirit.
There just can't be rules. The moment determines what is righteous.
His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
Give me a rule book!
Tell me what to do!
Let me be right!
I want to know!
Part of me does not want to be guided by the Spirit within. Instead, I want an answer but then am encaged once again. I am grateful to be free!
"Do you want us to fast?
What diet shall we observe?"
I'd like to fast today or be strictly vegan them but Tia Eni, at 95 years old, takes hours to make chicken pozole, my daughters call and want to chat over burgers, Tasha makes fried wings for the whole "family" of activists,...
What do I hate? My rigid self-righteousness, my tendency to separate from community, my need to judge people based on what or how much they are eating rather than just being fully present for the relationships.
The word "companionship" comes from "con pan" or "with bread."
Of course there are limits. I am a person who can not drink alcohol without causing myself and others great great harm.
On the other hand, I'm such a muddle sometimes... maybe being strictly vegan or regular perfect fasting would straighten me out?! Is THAT what I've been missing? Jesus says, "NO, darling!" That ain't it!" But... when alone, I choose a diet with a very light carbon footprint and do fast periodically in order to draw closer to God. I prefer to do the latter in such a way that no one needs to know I'm fasting.
How shall we pray?
When growing up, prayer was something we did once a week at church with heads bowed, on our knees. I now pray from and in my heart using both unspoken, informal, and formal prayers (e.g. the Third Step prayer, Seventh Step prayer, Lord's Prayer, Psalm 46, Prayer of St. Francis, Serenity Prayer, prayer of the Great Spirit).... I pray throughout the day, in and through conversations, when entering rooms, when picking up my cell, when having sex, bathing, whenever... Pause.... and pray. Pause... and pray.
Shall we give alms?
I give as much as possible without others knowing. My sponsor suggested "give and don't tell anyone you gave." That's righteous advise for staying right sized and not getting into a competition with others about who is "doing" the most. Ugh. Also, giving for tax breaks doesn't count! Such a trap to think I'm good by tallying up my donations to non-profits. Wow. Sneaky ego serpents in the "giving" racket. Spirit guides the giving so that the receiver feels the love of God in the gift. My hope is that God will be thanked, not me. That's one powerful reason to give often to those who can't possibly reciprocate but that can be a problem,, too, if not done in the Spirit.
There just can't be rules. The moment determines what is righteous.
Guido Reni's "St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus"