Pax et Bonum

The Online worship resource for St. James Parish

January 29, 2009

Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven.
---John Donne---
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Just Breathe

This has been an unexpected week, full of illness, and concern for those most dear. When I am confronted with the needs of those whom I love, I often react as if I need to be the wise, the fixer, the trailblazer. I remember the words of John Donne, "No man is an island, entire of itself; each man is a piece of the continent..." And so I take on the needs of others like clothing, until I become a tight knot of stress.

Yet, when I allow myself to stop, and listen, and breathe in the breath of God, it is as though God comes and loosens the knot, and if I let him, God will take away those clothing that belong to someone else, and remind me that while it is true that we are all connected, there is only so much we can do on another’s behalf. But God’s ability to act is infinite.

This is a time of "tight-knot" living. The word on the economy gets worse each day. People we love suffer loss, and we wish, oh wish that we could rescue them. Somehow within that compassionate desire to help, we must do the thing that seems counter-intuitive. We must let go, breathe in God’s breath, and trust. God is able to do what we cannot, and when we are quiet and calm, we can be open to God’s words of wisdom.

Charlie+ tells the children in chapel that when they are quiet, they make room inside for God. May we, like the children, learn this lesson of faith.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.

The Beginning of Wisdom

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.
Psalm 111

The fear of the Lord is a phrase that I have written about before in these meditations. In this Psalm it is attached to wisdom. In a general way then, we might say, that proper consideration of the Lord’s place in our life leads us to wisdom.

In this short verse, however, we move from fear or awe to a praise that endures. The fear of the Lord in this context is then about so much more than terror or awe; it is about the relationship between the Other and us.

While much of contemporary spiritual literature focuses on the “friendship” aspect of Christ and the parental aspect of God, it neglects the otherness that is also God. This otherness envelops us when we are at worship or prayer, even as space is made for our uniqueness.

The Divine is very close to us whispering wisdom. The breath of God which began our life is still humming. It is, however, sometimes so quiet that we can’t hear it at all until we are caught off-guard by kindness or love or beauty.

We are breathless, and yet we still breathe. The automatic breathing inherent in our physical bodies has been surprised and the surprise takes our breath away.

It is as if we reenact the moment that God breathed into us.

Otherness does not have to be about fear or disdain. Otherness can be about completion. We are completed in the Lord and that is why we praise God.

God’s breath coming into us creates the longing to respond with our breath going out to God in praise.

If this surprise is the beginning of wisdom, then wisdom is the practice of making space for surprises!

Wisdom allows us to be wrong, to be patient and to be expectant. We rely on God instead of our intellect. Spiritual wisdom is an invitation to seek for God’s will in all things.
Open yourself to the surprise that is waiting for you in God!

Blessings,
Debra

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.

Daily Morning Prayer

Daily Morning Prayer

This Week at St. James

Beginning February 7, SJA presents the musical ‘Bugsy Malone.” Call the school office for ticket information.

Prayers Etc.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
---Edwin Hatch---

For those on our prayer list:

In Closing:

When you want to pray, then, the first question is: How do I open my closed hands?
Certainly not by violence. Nor by a forced decision.
Perhaps you can find your way to prayer
by carefully listening to the words the angel spoke to
Zechariah, Mary, the shepherds, and the women at the tomb: "Don’t be afraid."
Don’t be afraid of the One who wants to enter your most intimate space
and invite you to let go of what you are clinging to so anxiously.
Don’t be afraid to show the clammy coin which will buy so little anyway.
Don’t be afraid to offer your hate, bitterness, and disappointment
to the One who is love and only love.
Even if you know you have little to show, don’t be afraid to let it be seen.
---Henry Nouwen---

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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