3rd Advent 2021, Awaken

 Advent, 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th

Matthew 25:1-13

Eugene Burnand

The kingdom in the heavens will be like ten maidens who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. But five of them were dull of soul, and five were alert and prudent. The foolish took their lamps without taking any oil with them. The wise ones took flasks of oil for their lamps. Now, because the bridegroom was a long time coming, they all became drowsy and were sleeping. But in the middle of the night, the call went up, "Behold, the bridegroom! Go forth to meet him!"

Burnand

Then all the maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."

But the wise ones said, "No, the oil would not be enough for us and you as well. Rather go to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves."
And while they were away buying, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready to receive him went with him into the wedding feast, and the doors were shut.

Afterward, the other maidens came also and said, "Lord, Lord, open to us!"

But he replied, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you."

So be alert of soul, since you do not know the day or the hour.

3^rd Advent

Matthew 25:1-13

December 12, 2021

When we go on a journey, we have a destination in mind. Our plans include maps and rest stops. We check the oil, fill the tank, buy the ticket. We exercise our capacity of foresight.

Today's reading is about humankind's great collective journey, a journey toward union with the Divine Bridegroom. It, too, requires foresight. Since it is a spiritual journey, our preparations include each of us providing ourselves with an ample supply of the light gained through a practice of prayer and meditation. For as the story implies, trying to gather a supply once the call arrives is too late.

One might be inclined to fault the prudent ones for not sharing. Earthly goods can be shared. But the oil of prayer and spiritual light can only be acquired individually. One can only prepare one's own capacities for the Divine Marriage. What is required in this case is not charity, but foresight, spiritual preparation, and readiness. We are resting in the darkness, not knowing when the wedding will take place.

The poet Antonio Machado said:

Thomas Cooper Gotch

…Jesus… said to us:

heaven and earth will pass away.

When heaven and earth have passed away,

my word will still remain.

What was your word, Jesus?

Love? Forgiveness? Affection?

All your words were

one word: Awaken*

 

 

*adapted from Antonio Machado, translated by Robert Bly, in The Soul Is Here For Its Own Joy

www.thechristiancommunity.org

Easter Sunday 2021, Dreaming the Meaning

 

Easter Sunday

Mark 16:1-18

And when the Sabbath was over,

Julia Stankova

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb just as the sun was rising. And they said to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?"

And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back—and it was very large. And they went into the tomb. There they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clad in a white robe, and they were beside themselves with amazement. And he said to them, "Do not be startled; you seek Jesus of Nazareth the Crucified One. He is risen; He is not here; see, there is the place where they laid Him [his body]. But go and say to his disciples and Peter, 'He will lead you to Galilee. There you will see Him as He promised you.'"

And they went out and fled from the tomb in great haste, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them, and being awestruck, they were unable to say anything to anyone about what they had experienced.

Julia Stankova

When He had risen
early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene from whom He had driven out seven demons. And she went and told those who had walked with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, their hearts could not grasp it.

After this, He appeared in another form to two of them on the way as they were walking over the fields. And they went back and told the rest, but they could not open their hearts to their words either. Afterward, He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were celebrating the meal. He reproached them for their lack of openness and their hardness of heart because they had not wanted to believe those who had seen Him, the Risen One.

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the new message from the realm of the angels to the whole of creation. Whoever unites their heart with it and is immersed in me will attain salvation. But whoever closes themselves against it will meet their downfall. And spiritual powers will stand by those who unite themselves with it and will attend their path: Through the power of my being they will drive out demons; they will speak a new language; serpents they will make upright, and poisons they drink will not harm them. They will lay their hands on the sick and give healing forces to them."

Easter Sunday

April 11, 2004

April 4, 2021

Mark 16: 1-18

When we are asleep, we dream. Images, pictures pregnant with feeling tones unfold before our inner eye. These images are sometimes nightmarish, sometimes marvelous.

The poet Antonio Machado* describes this. He says:

Last night I had a dream–

Tracy Silva Barbosa

…I dreamt of a hive at work

deep down in my heart.

Within were the golden bees

straining out the bitter past

to make sweet-tasting honey,

and white honeycomb.

Sometimes dream images picture a higher reality, for our hearts are indeed a center of teeming activity. It is in our hearts that our old failures and mistakes are digested. In our hearts, they are transformed into the "white honeycombs," the breeding places for new life. In our hearts, errors and failures are transformed into sweet nourishment for the Self we are to become.

He goes on:

 Last night I had a dream–

J. Hahn

…I dreamt of a fountain flowing

deep down in my heart.

welling up with new life

 

Last night I had a dream–

I dreamt it was God I'd found

deep down in my heart.

This morning we are awake. And the dream has come true. The Sun-God has arisen in our hearts. We can feel His transforming power, making our errors fruitful, His new life welling up as strength and joy. We have awakened and it dawns on us—Christ is risen to us as the meaning of the earth.

 

*Antonio Machado, "Last Night I Had a Dream," translated by Alan Trueblood.

1st June Trinity, 2019, Wake Up

June Trinity

John 3: 1-17 (adapted from Madsen)

Nicodemus, Hendrik Crijn

There was a man in the circle of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus; he held high rank among the Jews. He came to Jesus in the night and said, “Master, we know that you are a high teacher of mankind, come to us from God, for no one can do such signs of the Spirit as you do unless God himself is working together with him in his deeds.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “The truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever is not born anew from above cannot behold the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he return to his mother’s womb to be born again a second time?

Jesus answered, “the truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever remains as he is, and does not come to a new birth out of the formative power of the water and out of the breath of the spirit [or, …and is not born anew out of the spiritual power of eternal becoming and out of being touched by the might of the spirit world] cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What is born out of earthly elements is of earthly nature. But what is born out of the breath of the spirit, is itself spirit. Do not wonder that I said to you that you must be born anew from above. The spirit wind blows where it will; you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from, or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born anew out of the breath of the spirit.

Nicodemus replied and said to him, “How can one attain this?”

William Blake

Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and do not know? Amen, the truth I say to you: we speak of what we know, and we bear witness to what we have seen in the spirit, but none of you accepts our testimony. When I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe them, how shall you believe when I want to speak to you of heavenly things? No one has ascended to the spiritual world who has not previously descended out of the spiritual world, that is, the Son of Man.

Just as Moses once lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who finds his power in their hearts can win a share in the higher life beyond time. God has so loved the world that he has given his only begotten Son. From now on, no one who fills himself with his power shall perish, for he will share in timeless, higher life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn it, but in order that the world be saved [healed] through him, and not fall prey to ruin.”

1^st June Trinity

June 19, 2011

John 3:1-17

Cedar Pollen

We are approaching the longest day, the shortest night of the year. The plants have released clouds of pollen. Carried up by the wind and thermals, the pollen will be kissed by the life-giving power of the sun. When it returns to the plants, it will bring them the potential to create the seeds of new life.

We too have our times when we expand out into the universe. Mostly we do so unconsciously, in sleep. When we return to our bodies in the morning, blessed and strengthened by an encounter with our angel, we are refreshed and ready for the new life in a new day.

Nicodemus comes to Christ in the realm of night. And Christ tries to make clear to him that it is now necessary to become aware, to consciously work with these spiritual forces of new birth from above with our day-waking consciousness. The spirit breath, the spirit wind carries with it words of creation, the potential for the next step in the evolution of humankind. The spirit gives us the impulses for the new—a new way, a new direction, a new paradigm. For the old is falling away. But the spirit needs our voluntary cooperation.

As we approach the zenith of the year, it is time to open ourselves. It is time to receive the blessing and strength from the spirit, for what is coming. We may not know where exactly which direction the impulse for the new is coming from; we may not know where it will lead us.

It will most certainly at first lead us through the death of the old way, just as following Christ led Nicodemus through the events of Christ’s death and resurrection. For we hear of Nicodemus helping to prepare Christ’s body for the tomb. John 19:39 Nevertheless, we can listen for the sound of the spirit wind, and rise to hear the words of becoming, sounding on the breath of the spirit. As we do so, we will begin to share in Christ’s timeless, higher life. John 3:16

As poet said:

Beyond living and dreaming

there is something more important:

waking up.*

*Antonio Machado, The Winged Energy of Delight, translations by Robert Bly

 Visit our website!

2nd June Trinity 2018, Waking Up

June Trinity

John 3: 1-17

There was a man in the circle of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus; he held high rank among the Jews. He came to Jesus in the night and said, “Master, we know that you are a high teacher of mankind, come to us from God, for no one can do such signs of the Spirit as you do unless God himself is working together with him in his deeds.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “The truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever is not born anew from above cannot behold the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he return to his mother’s womb to be born again a second time?

Jesus answered, “the truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever remains as he is, and does not come to a new birth out of the formative power of the water and out of the breath of the spirit [or, …and is not born anew out of the spiritual power of eternal becoming and out of being touched by the might of the spirit world] cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What is born out of earthly elements is of earthly nature. But what is born out of the breath of the spirit, is itself spirit. Do not wonder that I said to you that you must be born anew from above. The spirit wind blows where it will; you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from, or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born anew out of the breath of the spirit.

Moses Lifting Serpent, Tissot

Nicodemus replied and said to him, “How can one attain this?” Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and do not know? Amen, the truth I say to you: we speak of what we know, and we bear witness to what we have seen in the spirit, but none of you accepts our testimony. When I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe them, how shall you believe when I want to speak to you of heavenly things? No one has ascended to the spiritual world who has not previously descended out of the spiritual world, that is, the Son of Man.

Just as Moses once lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who finds his power in their hearts can win a share in the higher life beyond time. God has so loved the world that he has given his only begotten Son. From now on, no one who fills himself with his power shall perish, for he will share in timeless, higher life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn it, but in order that the world be saved [healed] through him, and not fall prey to ruin.”

2^nd June Trinity

June 3, 2018

John 3:1-17

We are approaching the longest day, the

pollen cloud

shortest night of the year. The plants have grown enthusiastically. Their flowering has released clouds of pollen. Carried up by the wind and thermals, it will be kissed by the life-giving power of the sun. When it returns to the plants, it will bring them the potential to create the seeds of new life.

We too have our times when we expand out into the universe. Mostly we do so unconsciously, in sleep. When we return to our bodies in the morning, blessed and strengthened by an encounter with our angel, we are refreshed and ready for the new life in a new day.

Nicodemus comes to Christ in the realm of night. And Christ tries to make clear to him that it is now necessary to become aware, to consciously work with these spiritual forces of new birth from above with our day-waking consciousness. The spirit breath, the spirit wind carries with it words of creation, the potential for the next step in the evolution of humankind. The spirit gives us the impulses for the new—a new way, a new direction, a new paradigm. For the old is falling away. But the spirit needs our voluntary cooperation.

As we approach the zenith of the year, it is time to open ourselves. It is time to receive the blessing and strength from the spirit, for what is coming. We may not know where exactly which direction the impulse for the new is coming from; we may not know where it will lead us.

It will most certainly at first lead us through the death of the old way, just as following Christ led Nicodemus through the events of Christ’s death and resurrection. For we hear of him helping to prepare Christ’s body for the tomb. John 19:39 Nevertheless, we can listen for the sound of the spirit wind, and rise to hear the words of becoming, sounding on the breath of the spirit. As we do so, we will begin to share in Christ’s timeless, higher life. John 3:16

As poet said:

Beyond living and dreaming

there is something more important:

waking up.*

  

*Antonio Machado, The Winged Energy of Delight, translations by Robert Bly

Visit our new website!

June Trinity 2011, Waking Up

June Trinity

John 3: 1-17

There was a man in the circle of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus; he held high rank among the Jews. He came to Jesus in the night and said, “Master, we know that you are a high teacher of mankind, come to us from God, for no one can do such signs of the Spirit as you do unless God himself is working together with him in his deeds.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “The truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever is not born anew from above cannot behold the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he return to his mother’s womb to be born again a second time?

Jesus answered, “the truth out of the spirit I say to you: whoever remains as he is, and does not come to a new birth out of the formative power of the water and out of the breath of the spirit [or, …and is not born anew out of the spiritual power of eternal becoming and out of being touched by the might of the spirit world] cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What is born out of earthly elements is of earthly nature. But what is born out of the breath of the spirit, is itself spirit. Do not wonder that I said to you that you must be born anew from above. The spirit wind blows where it will; you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from, or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born anew out of the breath of the spirit.

Nicodemus replied and said to him, “How can one attain this?”

            Jesus answered, “You are a teacher of Israel and do not know? Amen, the truth I say to you: we speak of what we know, and we bear witness to what we have seen in the spirit, but none of you accepts our testimony. When I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe them, how shall you believe when I want to speak to you of heavenly things? No one has ascended to the spiritual world who has not previously descended out of the spiritual world, that is, the Son of Man.

van Dyck

Just as Moses once lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who finds his power in their hearts can win a share in the higher life beyond time. God has so loved the world that he has given his only begotten Son. From now on, no one who fills himself with his power shall perish, for he will share in timeless, higher life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn it, but in order that the world be saved [healed] through him, and not fall prey to ruin.”

1^st June Trinity

June 19, 2011

John 3:1-17

We are approaching the longest day, the shortest night of the year. The plants have grown enthusiastically. Their flowering has released clouds of pollen. Carried up by the wind and thermals, it will be kissed by the life-giving power of the sun. When it returns to the plants, it will bring them the potential to create the seeds of new life.

We too have our times when we expand out into the universe. Mostly we do so unconsciously, in sleep. When we return to our bodies in the morning, blessed and strengthened by an encounter with our angel, we are refreshed and ready for the new life in a new day.

Nicodemus comes to Christ in the realm of night. And Christ tries to make clear to him that it is now necessary to become aware, to consciously work with these spiritual forces of new birth from above with our day-waking consciousness. The spirit breath, the spirit wind carries with it words of creation, the potential for the next step in the evolution of humankind. The spirit gives us the impulses for the new—a new way, a new direction, a new paradigm. For the old is falling away. But the spirit needs our voluntary cooperation.

As we approach the zenith of the year, it is time to open ourselves. It is time to receive the blessing and strength from the spirit, for what is coming. We may not know where exactly which direction the impulse for the new is coming from; we may not know where it will lead us.

van der Weyden

It will most certainly at first lead us through the death of the old way, just as following Christ led Nicodemus through the events of Christ’s death and resurrection. For we hear of him helping to prepare Christ’s body for the tomb. John 19:39 Nevertheless, we can listen for the sound of the spirit wind, and rise to hear the words of becoming, sounding on the breath of the spirit. As we do so, we will begin to share in Christ’s timeless, higher life. John 3:16

As poet said:

Beyond living and dreaming

there is something more important:

waking up.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Antonio Machado, The Winged Energy of Delight, translations by Robert Bly

Whitsun III 2009, Odor of Roses

Pentecost

John 14: 23-31

Jesus replied, “He who truly loves me reveals my Spirit, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and prepare with him a dwelling in the everlasting [an eternal dwelling]. He who does not love me cannot reveal my Spirit. And the spirit power of the word that you hear is not from me; it is the speaking of the Father who sent me.

I have said this to you while I am still with you. But he who is called down, the health-bringing Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and will awaken within you all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid [have no fear].

You have heard how I said to you, ‘I am going away, and yet I am coming to you’. If you loved me you would rejoice because I am going to the Father[ly Ground of the World], for the Father is mightier than I am.

I have told you now, before it happens, so that when it happens you may find trust. I no longer have much to say to you, for soon the prince of this world is coming. Yet over me he has no power.

But the world shall see in this how I love the Father [Ground of the World] and how I act in accordance with the Father’s purpose, as it was entrusted to me. Arise, let us go on from here. [let us be on our way.]

Whittuesday

June 2, 2009

John 14:23-31

Another image in the Pentecost story is the picture, or rather the sound of the wind. The disciples are sitting together in prayer, shut up in a room, when the roaring of a strong wind is heard. This sound fills the whole house. And on the back of the wind comes a fire, tongues of the flame of spirit awareness, which settle over each of them. A heightened understanding of the great truth of things, that the universe is permeated by love, is often accompanied by an awareness of one’s own smallness.

The poet describes this Pentecostal mood:

The wind, one brilliant day, called

to my soul with an odor of jasmine.

"In return for the odor of my jasmine,

I'd like all the odor of your roses."

"I have no roses; all the flowers

in my garden are dead."

"Well then, I'll take the withered petals

and the yellow leaves and the waters of the fountain."

The wind left. And I wept. And I said to myself:

"What have you done with the garden that was entrusted to you?"[1]

Expanded awareness is the key to Pentecost, and expanded awareness inevitably means the pain of an expanded and true self-awareness.

Yet note in the poem that the spirit wind will take away anything we have to offer—even the withered petals and leaves of our failures. For on the back of the spirit-wind comes the purifying fire, the fire of love, creative of being. Autumn’s leaves and withered petals will spirited away to be burned, but there will  always be the water in the fountain, so that even what has died will be transformed into new life

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Antonio Machado, “The Wind, One Brilliant Day”, translated by Robert Bly.

Whitsun III 2012, Awaken

He Qi

Pentecost

John 14: 23-31

Jesus replied, “He who truly loves me reveals my Spirit, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and prepare with him a dwelling in the everlasting [an eternal dwelling]. He who does not love me cannot reveal my Spirit. And the spirit power of the word that you hear is not from me; it is the speaking of the Father who sent me.

I have said this to you while I am still with you. But he who is called down, the health-bringing Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and will awaken within you all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid [have no fear].

You have heard how I said to you, ‘I am going away, and yet I am coming to you’. If you loved me you would rejoice because I am going to the Father[ly Ground of the World], for the Father is mightier than I am.

I have told you now, before it happens, so that when it happens you may find trust. I no longer have much to say to you, for soon the prince of this world is coming. Yet over me he has no power.

But the world shall see in this how I love the Father [Ground of the World] and how I act in accordance with the Father’s purpose, as it was entrusted to me. Arise, let us go on from here. [let us be on our way.]

Whitsun III

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

John 14: 23-31

Coming back into our bodies from sleep, we experience the lighting up of our consciousness. We become awake and aware of the things that surround us.  Sometimes we can even have this experience during our waking hours—we suddenly become aware of something that was perhaps always present, and our consciousness expands. Perhaps this leads to our understanding things that seemed like puzzle pieces before—they fall into place.

On the first Whitsun, the disciples experienced a great expansion of awareness. They had been benighted by their grief over the loss of their Beloved. But at Whitsun they wake up. The puzzle pieces fall into place. They become aware of how Christ’s Spirit of Oneness surrounds them, surrounds everything. They understand in retrospect how everything He does is immersed in His love; how everything He does generates life; how everything He gives us wants to increase the light of our awareness.

He Qi

The poet Antonio Machado said:

I love Jesus, who said to us:

heaven and earth will pass away.

When heaven and earth have passed away,

my word will still remain.

What was your word, Jesus?

Love? Forgiveness? Affection?

All your words were

one word: Awaken.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Antonio Machado, (Translated by Robert Bly, in The Soul Is Here For Its Own Joy,

7th September Trinity 2011, Attention

Luke 10:38-42

7^th August Trinity

Martha, Mary, He Qi

Now as they were traveling along, he entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha received him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary who was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at his feet.

Martha meanwhile was distracted with all her preparations. So she got up and said, “Lord do you not care that my sister has left me here to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”

But the Lord answered and said to her, Martha, Martha you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

7^th August Trinity

September 4, 2011

Luke 10:38-42

A guard at the gate is there to stand watch. He pays attention to the surroundings, so that he can engage friend or foe. Sometimes his mere attention deters the foe. He must recognize the friend, to whom he will open.

In the spiritual, what counts, the coin of the realm, is units of attention.[1] For in the spirit realm, thoughts are living beings; we are engaging with those thought beings to whom we give our attention. Our inattention lets the adversary slip past.

In the gospel reading, Mary attends to the Living Word of Christ, while Martha attends with worry to a multitude of earthly details. It is not that paying attention to the earthly is itself a bad thing. It is here a question of its appropriateness in the particular setting. Better to pay attention to the words of Christ as He speaks than to be preoccupied with the array of dishes and quality of the tablecloth. Christ chides Martha for her worried and scattered attention to the details of the merely earthly, instead of listening to the spiritual within the earthly.

Worry is fear that there is not enough—not enough time, not enough within the space. The native Americans have a saying: Worry is praying for what you don’t want to happen. We would do better to focus our attention on the living word, the Christ being, the spiritual within the earthly. In the analogy of the guard, we are to keep watch, not just for the enemy, but also for the Friend, to Whom we are to open.

The poet Machado said:

I love Jesus, who said to us:

heaven and earth will pass away.

When heaven and earth have passed away,

my word will still remain.

What was your word, Jesus?

Love? Forgiveness? Affection?

All your words were

one word: Awaken.[2]


www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Dennis Klocek, Dealing with Addiction, available at http://dennisklocek.com

[2] Antonio Machado, Translated by Robert Bly, in The Soul Is Here For Its Own Joy