Pass It On

May the poor find wealth, 

Those weak with sorrow find joy. 

May the forlorn find new hope, 

Constant happiness and prosperity.  

 

May the frightened cease to be afraid, 

And those bound be free. 

May the weak find power, 

And may their hearts join in friendship.   

 

An Open Heart, The Dalai Lama   

    

I found this book in one of our Little Free Libraries.  I am not sure that it had ever been read, but I hope so.  We are in a time, and maybe we always have been, when we need to say, "This is what I have learned.  Pass it on."    

 

I have not been at ease since the election, and at times my prayers have not been as gentle and wise as the Dalai Lama's beautiful prayer.  My impatience has overflowed more than once.  Yet,  in a Zoom worship with a care community on Thursday, I felt my thoughts and feelings untangle.  In this service, I talked about prayer, and how many of the psalmists would start out with a sense of frustration, despair, and even fear.  However, as they worked their way through prayer, most Psalms conclude with a surrender to gratitude and praise.  A surrender to God.  And as I talked about my own prayers, that sense of gratitude made its way into my heart.  I knew God had been quietly listening to me, but yesterday, I felt it deeply.  I reminded myself and those gathered with me that our prayers do not need to be noble, eloquent, or gentle.   However, they do need to be honest, or we cannot grow.  

  

This is the value of coming together in community.   If you are struggling with what it means to be a Christian in this time, I do suggest a beautiful book that was recommended to me, Following Jesus, Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety, edited by Gabrielle Earnshaw.   In this book, which is a compilation of six lectures given by Nouwen, he says, "And contrary to popular opinion, we are not called to imitate Jesus. We are called to form a community of people who through different ways reflect the great love of Jesus. Not one of us can reflect the fullness of that love."  When we come together to talk, pray, laugh, and sometimes cry, Christ is made known.  Then, and maybe only then, we can pass that great love to others.  We can pass it on.