7th August Trinity 2014, Quiet Immensity

7^th August Trinity

Jan Luyken

Luke 10: 1-20

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him, before his face, to every town and place where he himself was about to go. He told them, “An ample harvest, and few workers! Ask the harvest master, therefore, to send out workers to help with the harvesting. Go: I hereby send you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. Do not take a wallet or knapsack or sandals; and do not pause to greet anyone on the way.

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a son of peace is there, your peace will alight on him; if not, it will turn round and come back to you. Stay in that place, eating and drinking with them, because the worker is worth his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you, and heal the sick and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is close upon you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we are shaking off (to your face). Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is approaching ’ I am telling you, Sodom will be better off than that town on that day.

“The worse for you, Chorazin! The worse for you Bethsaida! Because if the deeds of the spirit that occurred in you had had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would long since be sitting in sackcloth and ashes as a sign of their change of heart and mind. But Tyre and Sidon will be better off on the day of decision than you. And you, Capernaum [kuh-puhr’-nay-uhm], won’t you be exalted to the skies? You will go down to the depths.

He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. “

The seventy-two returned with joy and said “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Here, I have now given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and on all the power of the enemy and none of it shall ever hurt you. But do not be glad that the spirits submit to you; be glad that your true being is taken up into the world of the heavens (that your names are recorded in the heavens).

7^th August /Sept Trinity

Sept  7, 2014

Luke 10:1-20

Numbers are for quantities. They describe a collective of two or three (or 72) units. A name, however, describes quality. A person’s name becomes shorthand for the unique quality of their being. Even though there may be many Johns or Sallys, any particular John or Sally is like no other.

The gospel reading begins with a collective. Seventy-two are sent out in 36 pairs. When they return they are somewhat intoxicated with their own spiritual effectiveness. Christ does not deny their effectiveness. But he encourages them to rejoice that the quality of their unique being, their name,

will be preserved in the heavenly worlds,

Christ came so that our true being would not fall prey to ruin. He rejoices in our individuality, our uniqueness. We are to clothe our uniqueness in an attitude of peace. Quality shall be uppermost, the quality of peaceful, non-violent dignity. And so we may hear the voice of our angel in the poet’s wish:

May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.

May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.

May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon.

May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.

….May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1]  John O'Donohue , in Anam Cara

6th August Trinity, Ears Awake

Mark 7, 31-37

6th Trinity August

As he was again leaving the region around Tyre, he went through the country around Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the region of the ten cities of the Decapolis. They brought to him one who was deaf and who spoke with difficulty, and asked him to lay his hands on him. And he led him apart from the crowds by himself, laid his finger in his ears, and moistening his finger with saliva, touched his tongue, and looking up to the heavens, sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphata, be opened.” His hearing was opened and the impediment of his tongue was removed and he could speak properly. And he commanded them not to say anything to anyone. But the more he forbade it, the more they widely they proclaimed it. And the people were deeply moved by this event, and said, “He has changed all to the good: the deaf he makes to hear and the speechless to speak.

6^th August Trinity

Quartz Geode

August 31, 2014

Mark 7: 31 – 37

Gem hunters look for a certain kind of rock formation, for certain round ball-shaped stones. These spheres are called thunder eggs. Cracked open, they have colored layers inside, and sometimes a hollow space filled with beautiful crystals. 

In today’s reading, a deaf man is brought to Christ by his friends. Being hard of hearing makes it difficult to both hear and to speak. One of the unfortunate results of being deaf is that one becomes closed off from interacting with others. Christ softens the rock-hardness of the man’s hearing , his tongue, with His own life-giving moisture. And like a gem hunter opening the thunder egg, his words strike emphatically – Ephphata – Be opened!

Christ also speaks to us today – be opened. For we have become hard of hearing, hard of heart. Yet we can be opened; we can become actively receptive. We can receive and bear the One who is himself the Word of God, the Logos. And we can actively bring him forth, sending him out to others on the stream of our own words. In the words of e.e. cummings we can jubilate:

i thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

….how should tasting touching hearing seeing

breathing any-lifted from the no

of all nothing-human merely being

doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened)[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1]  e.e. cummings in Complete Poems 1904-1962

5th August Trinity 2014, Rush of Light

5th Trinity August

Brian Jekel

Luke 18, 35-43

It happened as he approached Jericho: a certain blind man was sitting by the road begging. Hearing the crowd going by, he wanted to know what was happening, and they told him Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He cried out in a loud voice: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those leading the way threatened him and wanted him to be quiet. But he cried all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and had him led to him. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want that I should do for you?”

He said to him, “Lord, that I may look up and see again.”

And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Through your faith and your trust, the power for healing has been awakened in you.” ( your faith has healed you.)

In that moment his eyes were opened. He followed Him and thus revealed the working of the divine within the human being--and all who saw it praised God.

5^th August Trinity

August 24, 2014

Luke 18: 35-43

Light itself is invisible. Light only reveals itself in its working with darkness. Permeating darkness, light creates color. Color is a manifestation of the creative work, the deeds of light.

The blind man in today’s reading wants to look up and see again. He as the one who calls himself the Light of the World to be merciful to him, to interact with his darkness, so that together they may create. We can imagine that already the man’s courage to ask, to refuse to be shushed, has an inner color we could picture as a strong red. He has the clear green hope of healing. Christ verifies that a deep level of trust lives in him, which we can see as a deep blue. Indeed, the Light of the World is already working in him. Christ’s proximity already works to create the inner colors that light up in the soul’s darkness.

Though we may be blind to him, Christ is always near. We hear his words whenever we hear the gospels, whenever we listen to the inspirations of conscience. The light of his presence works with us to create the inner colors of the soul – the blue of trust, the red of courage, the green of hope. For the light shines in the darkness, and although we may not grasp it, we can receive it, bear it, gestate it, so that the soul gives birth to the Light’s colors. We can invite God to enter us, to work in us.

In the words of John O’Donohue:

… when we come to search for God,

Let us first be robed in night,

Put on the mind of morning

To feel the rush of light

Spread slowly inside

The color and stillness

Of a found word.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] John O’Donohue, “For Light”, in To Bless the Space Between Us.

4th August Trinity 2007, Offer in Gratitude

4th Trinity August

Luke 9: 1-17

He called the twelve together and gave to them potent authority and formative power, so that they could work against all demonic mischief, and heal all sickness.  And he sent them out to heal and to proclaim the Kingdom of God, appearing now on earth, the kingdom of human beings filled with God’s spirit.

And he said to them, “Take nothing with you on the way: no staff for support, no bag for collecting, neither bread nor money, no change of clothes. If you enter a house, remain there until you go further. And where they do not accept you, leave their city and shake the dust from your feet as a sign that they have refused community with you.”

They left and walked through the villages of the country, announcing the joyful message of the new working of the kingdom of the angels and healing everywhere.

Meanwhile Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was happening and he was very perplexed, for some said, “John is risen from the dead,” and others said that Elijah had appeared, and yet others, “One of the Prophets of old has risen again.” And Herod said, “John I have had beheaded; who now is this, about whom I hear all these things?” And he wished to see him himself.

And the apostles returned and reported to Jesus everything that they had accomplished. So he gathered them to himself and retreated with them to a city called Bethsaida for special instruction. But the people became aware of it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them of the Kingdom of God of the future, of the human kingdom on earth filled with the divine spirit, and he healed all who had need of it.

But the day began to decline. The twelve came up to him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can reach the villages and farms in the vicinity and find food and lodging, for here we are in a deserted place.” He however said to them, “From now on it falls to you; you give them to eat.”

They answered, “We have nothing but five loaves and two fish. Or shall we go and buy food for all of them?“ There were about five thousand people.

Then he said to the disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of fifty”. And they did so, and all reclined.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his soul to the spirit, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. And they ate, and all were satisfied. And they took up the pieces that remained: twelve baskets full. 

4^th August Trinity

Woloschina

August 12, 2007

Luke 9: 1-17

Living things breathe in and out. Even plants have a pattern of respiration of taking in, and offering out. Our independent life begins with the taking of the first breath.

Here today we begin to see the pattern of a life lived with Christ: We hear His words. We go out into life to work among others; working in a healing way, strengthening, supporting. We can enlighten those who are open to hearing the good news from the realm of the angels. Then we return again to Christ for special instruction. And when others come to experience Him directly, we welcome them as He does, to a special meal offered in thanks, to receive, in return, strength from the stars.

The Act of Consecration of Man is patterned after this gospel story. In the beginning we hear the initial seasonal prayer – a kind of epistle or letter from the realm of the angels.  We hear Christ’s own words in the gospel. In hearing, we fill ourselves with His cleansing healing spirit. Aware of our infirmities, we offer, through Him, the best of our own spirits. We offer ourselves in gratitude. Broken though we may be, we receive in return bread and wine, strength from the stars.  Our life in Christ begins to breathe. And we are strengthened for our life, for His life, out in the world.

www.thechristiancommunity.org 

2nd August Trinity 2009, Bedrock of the Heart

Matthew 7, 1-29

2^nd August Trinity

“Do not judge your fellow man, so that your judgment will not someday be

Rembrandt

visited upon yourself. For with the judgment that you pronounce you also speak your own judgment, and the measure by which you measure will be the measuring rod for your own self. Why do you look to the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not become aware of the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother: “Wait, I will pull the splinter out of your eye”--but mark it well, there is a log in your own eye. You hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then you may be able to see how to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw pearls to the swine, for these will tread them underfoot, and then turn upon you and tear you also to pieces.

Ask from the heart and it will be given to your heart; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you; for he who asks in uprightness will receive; he who earnestly seeks will find; he who knocks, to him will be opened. Or are there among you those who when his son asks for bread would give him a stone; or when he asks for a fish would offer him a snake? If then you who in spite of wickedness know how to give good things to your children, how much more goodness will your Father in the heavens give to those who earnestly ask him for it.

All that you want that men should do for you, do first for them. This is the true content of the Law and the Prophets.

Walk through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the path is easy which leads to ruin [the abyss] and many are they who walk it. But narrow is the gate and difficult the path that leads to Life, and it is only the individual who finds it. 

Be on your guard against false prophets of healing. They come to you in the garments of peaceful lambs, but inwardly are rapacious wolves. You shall recognize them by the fruits of their deeds. Never will you harvest grapes from a thorn bush, nor figs from thistles. Every noble tree brings forth good fruit, but a wild tree only forms unusable fruit. A noble tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a wild tree cannot form good fruit. A tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and put in the fire. Therefore, recognize them by the fruits of their deeds.

Not everyone who addresses me with “Lord! Lord! “ can be taken up into the kingdom; only he who accomplishes the will of my Father in the heavens. In the future, when the light of God breaks over the earthly darkness, many will call to me. They will say, “Lord! Lord! have we not worked in advance for your revelation? Have we not driven out spirits of destruction in honor of you? Have we not gathered multiple powers for your word?”

Then I will freely say to them, ‘I do not know you. My paths are not your paths. Depart from me, for you serve the forces of chaos [the downfall of the world].’

Everyone who hears such words from me and acts accordingly will be like a man who wisely built his house on bedrock. The clouds burst, the waves rose, the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not totter, for it was founded upon the rock.

He, however, who hears such words from me and does not act accordingly is like a man who foolishly builds his house upon sand. The rain comes down, the floods rise, the winds blow and beat upon the house, and it collapses with a great crash.”

When Jesus had completed saying this, the people were greatly moved, for he spoke to them out of spiritual authority, as if the powers of creation themselves spoke out of him, and not like their teachers of the law [canon-lawyers]. 

2^nd August Trinity

August 2, 2009

Matthew 7:15 – 27

In living things there are always three phases: first the founding or rooting, then the leafing, blossoming and fruiting, and finally the falling away. Or, one could say, the up-building, the peak, and the disintegration.

There are some places where Christ speaks in what are called “hard sayings”.  Today He says, “Not everyone who addresses me with ‘Lord! Lord!‘ can be taken up into the kingdom; only he who accomplishes the will of my Father in the heavens.” Matthew 7:21

The Father’s will lives especially in the up-building and peaking phases of things, especially in the up-building of the next phase or situation, the forward-moving building of the future. The disintegration of the old happens on its own—it happens where life and spirit are no more.

Therefore Christ warns those who say “Lord! Lord! have we not worked in advance for your revelation? Have we not driven out spirits of destruction in honor of you? Have we not gathered multiple powers for your word? Then I will freely say to them, ‘I do not know you. My paths are not your paths. Depart from me, for you serve the forces of chaos [the downfall of the world].”Matthew 7:21-23

Though well-meaning, they are serving in the place where life and spirit are no more, in the old places of power and hierarchy whose time has passed, which are disintegrating. They are serving destruction.

A new living thing is being formed. It is founded on the bedrock of warmth of heart, love and service, rooted in Christ’s heart. This is a kingdom whose fruits are visible as healing and peace, as an ennobling of souls. It is a kingdom that wants to grow out of the very inmost center of our being.

The Act of Consecration of Man helps us to dedicate ourselves to this new future kingdom of the heart. Through Christ we are offering to the Father our noblest thoughts. We are offering Him the love that lives in our hearts. We are offering Him our devoted willing toward the up-building of His kingdom. Through Him, whose very being is love, we receive them back purified, strengthened and renewed, as the Father’s will for the future, to be carried out into the world as peaceful love and healing service.  

www.thechristiancommunity.org

2nd August Trinity 2010, Creating Fire

Matthew 7, 1-29

2^nd August Trinity

“Do not judge your fellow man, so that your judgment will not someday be visited upon yourself. For with the judgment that you pronounce you also speak your own judgment, and the measure by which you measure will be the measuring rod for your own self. Why do you look to the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not become aware of the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother: “Wait, I will pull the splinter out of your eye”--but mark it well, there is a log in your own eye. You hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then you may be able to see how to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw pearls to the swine, for these will tread them underfoot, and then turn upon you and tear you also to pieces.

Ask from the heart and it will be given to your heart; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you; for he who asks in uprightness will receive; he who earnestly seeks will find; he who knocks, to him will be opened. Or are there among you those who when his son asks for bread would give him a stone; or when he asks for a fish would offer him a snake? If then you who in spite of wickedness know how to give good things to your children, how much more goodness will your Father in the heavens give to those who earnestly ask him for it.

All that you want that men should do for you, do first for them. This is the true content of the Law and the Prophets.

Walk through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the path is easy which leads to ruin [the abyss] and many are they who walk it. But narrow is the gate and difficult the path that leads to Life, and it is only the individual who finds it. 

Be on your guard against false prophets of healing. They come to you in the garments of peaceful lambs, but inwardly are rapacious wolves. You shall recognize them by the fruits of their deeds. Never will you harvest grapes from a thorn bush, nor figs from thistles. Every noble tree brings forth good fruit, but a wild tree only forms unusable fruit. A noble tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a wild tree cannot form good fruit. A tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and put in the fire. Therefore, recognize them by the fruits of their deeds.

Not everyone who addresses me with “Lord! Lord! “ can be taken up into the kingdom; only he who accomplishes the will of my Father in the heavens. In the future, when the light of God breaks over the earthly darkness, many will call to me. They will say, “Lord! Lord! have we not worked in advance for your revelation? Have we not driven out spirits of destruction in honor of you? Have we not gathered multiple powers for your word?”

Then I will freely say to them, ‘I do not know you. My paths are not your paths. Depart from me, for you serve the forces of chaos [the downfall of the world].’

Everyone who hears such words from me and acts accordingly will be like a man who wisely built his house on bedrock. The clouds burst, the waves rose, the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not totter, for it was founded upon the rock.

He, however, who hears such words from me and does not act accordingly is like a man who foolishly builds his house upon sand. The rain comes down, the floods rise, the winds blow and beat upon the house, and it collapses with a great crash.”

When Jesus had completed saying this, the people were greatly moved, for he spoke to them out of spiritual authority, as if the powers of creation themselves spoke out of him, and not like their teachers of the law [canon-lawyers]. 

2^nd August Trinity

August 1, 2010

Matthew 7: 1-14

The fiery summer sun is in the house of Leo the Lion. This is the house in which hearts are forged. This is the house in which our relationship with Christ, the Lion of Judah, is further developed.

Last week we heard how Peter’s heart opened to recognize the Christ in Jesus. This heart recognition is the necessary first step on the path of our developing relationship with our God.

The second step, is a further heart development, which we find in today’s reading. Christ says to us to be careful about how we regard others; critical, judging thoughts of them will boomerang. What lives in our hearts will end up injuring our own hearts. At the same time, we are to guard what is precious content in our own hearts and not expose it to others’ destructive cynicism.

To walk between the abyss of these two cynicisms, our own and others’, is to walk a narrow path. Our task is to remain heart-centered, heart-healthy, heart-balanced. To walk this middle path forges a heart vessel in Leo’s fire, a vessel that is open to receive the gifts that the spiritual world wants to pour into us. For ‘he who asks in uprightness will receive; he who earnestly seeks will find; he who knocks, to him will be opened’. Matthew 7: 7

This earnest uprightness is the hallmark of the lion-hearted. This is how we rightly enkindle the fire of the heart, the fire of a love that is creative. This is the fire that is behind all existence. For as the poet says:

Listen, I've light

in my eyes

and on my skin

the warmth of a star, ….

…  And

everything alive

…is turning

into something else

as at the heart

of some annihilating

or is it creating

fire

that's burning, unseeably, always

burning….[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Franz Wright, “The Fire” in God's Silence

4th August Trinity 2008, Holy Spirit Manifest

4th Trinity August

Luke 9: 1-17

He called the twelve together and gave to them potent authority and formative power, so that they could work against all demonic mischief, and heal all sickness.  And he sent them out to heal and to proclaim the Kingdom of God, appearing now on earth, the kingdom of human beings filled with God’s spirit.

And he said to them, “Take nothing with you on the way: no staff for support, no bag for collecting, neither bread nor money, no change of clothes. If you enter a house, remain there until you go further. And where they do not accept you, leave their city and shake the dust from your feet as a sign that they have refused community with you.”

They left and walked through the villages of the country, announcing the joyful message of the new working of the kingdom of the angels and healing everywhere.

Meanwhile Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was happening and he was very perplexed, for some said, “John is risen from the dead,” and others said that Elijah had appeared, and yet others, “One of the Prophets of old has risen again.” And Herod said, “John I have had beheaded; who now is this, about whom I hear all these things?” And he wished to see him himself.

And the apostles returned and reported to Jesus everything that they had accomplished. So he gathered them to himself and retreated with them to a city called Bethsaida for special instruction. But the people became aware of it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them of the Kingdom of God of the future, of the human kingdom on earth filled with the divine spirit, and he healed all who had need of it.

Boy with Loaves and Fish, Woloschina

But the day began to decline. The twelve came up to him and said, “Send the crowd away so that they can reach the villages and farms in the vicinity and find food and lodging, for here we are in a deserted place.” He however said to them, “From now on it falls to you; you give them to eat.”

They answered, “We have nothing but five loaves and two fish. Or shall we go and buy food for all of them?“ There were about five thousand people.

Then he said to the disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of fifty”. And they did so, and all reclined.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his soul to the spirit, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. And they ate, and all were satisfied. And they took up the pieces that remained: twelve baskets full. 

4^th August Trinity

August 17, 2008

Luke 9: 1-17

  

For one’s birthday one might invite friends to celebrate. They of course will bring gifts; but traditionally the birthday person also offers gifts: food and drink, and also the small gifts in return we call party favors. One both receives, and one gives. In some cultures, there is a celebration in which the birthday person, instead of receiving gifts, bestows lavish gifts on all the participants. In yet other cultures, one may have a celebration in which one gives away all of one’s possessions.

We are at the time of the year when we have received the call to a

Egbert Codex

celebration of new life. We have recognized that Jesus is the Christ, the Risen One. In Him we receive new life. And this new life is not just something we receive. The overflowing joy of a new life (and is not every new day the gift of a new life?) is something we want to share. In the gospel reading, this sharing manifests as the capacity for enthusiasm and healing. One receives and one gives. And when one receives more, one is also empowered to give more.

In today’s gospel reading, Christ says to His disciples, “From now on, it falls to you. You give the people to eat…And raising His soul to the spirit, He gave thanks, broke them [the loaves] and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people.” Luke 9:13, 16

Our love for God, our enthusiasm, our capacity to help heal the world’s ills, is meant to flow through us and out into the world. The bread of God’s love feeds the world; the blood of God’s love is meant to circulate.

Mechthild of Magdeburg said,

To the extent that we flow outward with the full

abundance of our hearts, and give our complete substance

to the poor, and spend our lives in service to the sick, we

are the Holy Spirit who is made manifest

as the abundant outpouring of the Father and the Son.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

---

[1] Mechthild of Magdeburg (1260 – 1294?) “How We Become Like God”, in Love’s Immensity, by Scott Cairns, p. 95.