Right Sizing

 The most important teaching that I am taking away from this time of  pandemic is the belief that Christ resides in each and every person I meet. Those of a different faith tradition will call this sacred meeting by another name, and I celebrate that. There are, of course, many who simply cannot believe such a notion. However, that most certainly does not mean that my awareness should be diminished.  Quite the contrary. 

Meditation and prayer help us to sweep out our sacred temples. "Meditation is about the radical Christian conversion, a change from being people of theory, taster of ideas, to people of experience, prophets of certainty.  This no doubt sounds rather arrogant. But in the course of that process, which does not happen overnight and yet we can begin whenever we wish, all arrogance is burned away and we are compelled to become extraordinarily humble."*

I have also learned that I have grown too accustomed to thinking in terms of a "mustard seed" size of faith.  On Thursday, Rabbi Yael Levy shared with her class what she calls, "Verses for Protection and Rescue".  She readily admits her translations do include some creativity, and I deeply appreciate her work. She also encourages us to go and ahead and struggle with the more difficult Psalms, while taking  what is meaningful for us at any given time, even if it is only a short verse. The Psalm that I am carrying with me this week is Psalm 61:4 which Rabbi Yael translates as: "You are my refuge, a tower of strength." I am  grateful for this reminder that God can never be diminished, no matter how small the faith. Therefore, my  faith can remain steady and even increase. This is true regardless of whom and what I must face, as long as I remember to make room for Divine Presence and Source.  We are all  capable of living into sizeable, yes, even towering love and courage. 

 

    

*The Selfless Self, Father Laurence Freeman, OSB, page 55-56

photograph: Passion fruit flower, San Leandro, June 2021. I have never seen an all white blossom before. I did not have time to investigate further, as there was a man armed with a leaf blower coming our way. He was stirring up an amazing amount of dust. He seemed determined to keep going, so I felt Jack and I needed to move along.