Let All Creation Sing: Living in the Moment

Waterfall on Natchez Parkway

We often anticipate as I mentioned in my previous post the weekends; we cannot wait for Saturdays.  Then often we spend Saturdays waiting – waiting for our soccer game to start; waiting for Mom or Dad to finish their chores to take us to the swimming pool; waiting for the party or the concert to happen or waiting on the bus, train or plane to take us where we are going.  These things are worth waiting for and make us glad that we trained, prepared or learned what we needed in order to enjoy our special event or game.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to do some hiking with my husband; it was a two hour drive to where we were going and then we had to hike a little bit to get there.  Yet once we reached the bottom; we come to a beautiful waterfall, which made it all worth it. Allan always does a better than me of moving slowly; I have learned so much from him about stopping along the path so I do not miss a rare flower or a millipede crawling along or a tree growing in a unique direction. 

Psalm 37:7a - Orthodox Jewish Bible

"Rest in Hashem[God], and wait patiently for Him;" 

Being in nature often reminds me of God’s handiwork; the waterfall is one way creation sings.  It makes me stop, look and listen, which we do not often do in the midst of all of our fun Saturday activities.  This was the gift this year of spending Holy Saturday; the day before Easter, with the Benedictine Sisters in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  We were told to think of Holy Saturday as a time of waiting; a day of anticipating the joy of Resurrection.  I had never thought about it in that way because much of my life I have spent the Saturday before Easter doing food preparation, dying Easter eggs, doing last minute shopping or traveling.  I maybe was even at a sporting event or concert.  Therefore, to have this day of silence as my own was a real gift.  The silence of Holy Saturday and the breaking of it around the dinner table and around the fire of Easter Vigil reminded me that sometimes the best blessings occur when we slow down and simply be.  As I held my candle and renewed my baptismal covenant on Saturday evening, I felt the presence of those who have gone before me spending their lives living out their Baptism.  I thought about the faithfulness of the Sisters; who do not know how their service and dedication will be carried into the future. 

Waiting is never easy and often the outcome is not what we want.  The mysteries of suffering are inescapable, however, I believe that when I slow down, pause and let creation sing that God renews my strength.  I challenge you no matter what you believe; to let the Divine permeate your soul with the song of creation. 

 "The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” ― Gautama Buddha

In the Garden at  St. Scholastica Abbey 

"So do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself; each day has enough trouble of its own.  " - Matthew 6:34(Jerusalem Bible) 

Thank goodness it's Friday or Not: Living Hope

In the Garden at St. Scholastica Monastery 

I am not sure when I learned about TGIF – thank goodness or thank God it’s Friday but I am sure I must be around 9 or 10 around that age when school is becoming harder and you look forward to the weekends.  Weekends represented fun, friends and family.  Dinner out, dances, parties, plays, football games and staying up late all occurred on Fridays or sometime during the weekend.  TGIF has become commonplace for me now as an adult; I look forward to a break from the routines of work and school. 

Somehow, though now being thankful for Fridays is more difficult.  Eight weeks ago on a Friday; I said good-bye to my daughter and have not seen her since.  It is hard to believe and hard to wrap my brain around that I have survived.  At first Fridays only represented pain.  Last year at this time; our family was celebrating; we were thankful that Jane was alive and had been able to get the treatment she needed.  Allan took Jane to a doctor’s appointment in Memphis and on then they went on to the Beale Street Music Festival, which they enjoyed. I spent the day catching up on work, enjoying lunch and dinner with two different friends and very grateful to be on the side of healing. 

It is easy to be thankful when things are going well and yet that is not what life is all about is it.  Life is about courage, mystery and relationships.  It is seeing God through the immersion of human experience. Several weeks ago, I spent Good Friday at the St.  Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Good Friday is when Christians observe and remember the Crucifixion of Christ.  As a kid, I always wondered why it was called Good Friday; shouldn’t it be called bad Friday?  Yet is it good is it not for on that day because of our sins and out of His love for us; Jesus chose to be crucified and died on the cross to bring us living hope. Even we suffer on Fridays because of sickness or job loss or death of loved ones or any kind of tragedy or bad news;  we can hope because Jesus conquered death and stands as our Living Hope even we as humans have none.   However, I have discovered recently that in order to view Good Friday as good; one has to be able to weep and be honest with God.  I cannot truly experience redemption without letting God have my pain. Initially on Good Friday at the monastery; I felt great and I was patting myself on the back for keeping silent and staying away from technology well mostly.  Later after the Celebration of the Passion and dinner; I went out in the garden and wept.  I could see my own betrayal of Jesus: my focus on feeling good, on wanting to hold on to Jane; on wanting to turn the clock back and my desire to want to run away.   As the tears came and as they continue to come; I am reminded of another mother, Mary, who 2,000 years ago watched her son die on cross.  While Mary’s son, Jesus did rise again; the relationship was never the same; Jesus was not her little boy anymore.   I find comfort in knowing that she cried too and that even in knowing that what happened was good for all of humanity; I have to believe it was painful for Mary. So on this Friday; I grieve but I am also thankful because on a Friday many years ago Jesus died and became the Living Hope for all of humanity.  I am thankful for the sunshine, and I am looking forward to this evening with my husband and friends watching minor league baseball. I know in my heart that my redeemer lives and believe even when I do not feel it that my Fridays are being redeemed and healing is occurring.  I weep over what is lost but I look forward with joyful anticipation to what is to come.