Past Reflections

Jesus said to the blind man, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam” – which means Sent.

So he went and washed, and came back able to see. – (John 9: 7)

Have you ever struggled to understand something, and suddenly, like a flash of light, you got it! It may have been algebra. Or throwing a baseball. It may have been – God! One minute God was a concept, the next minute, God was Real, Immense. Yours. And you were – are – God’s. And the question of whether you were a sinner or not is no longer the question. Of course you were. You still are. God claims you anyway.

You too may face opposition because of your faith. Or ridicule: Who do you think you are, trying to tell us anything? Don’'t let it upset you. Opposition is a normal part of a believer’s life, just as it was for that once blind man in today’s gospel.

Claim that pool. It is the pool in which believers are baptized. We are sent to it by the Lord. We are sent from it into the world. To witness to what has happened to us. To witness to God’s love for the whole world, even the “good” folks. Even the “not-so-good”, thank God! (who are we to think we can tell the difference? That’s part of our blindness.)

Ask yourself: If God loves the whole world so completely, how can I who believe not see everyone and everything as created good, fallen, and in the process of being saved? And how can I use who and what I am, and have including my vote, for what God desires: the good of all creation?

Meditation:

Allow yourself to sit quietly and relax. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say or even how God is going to respond to you. Just be. And then begin to move down inside yourself until you come to that place, deep inside yourself where you really live. (This may take a few tries to get used to.) Explore that place, how expansive it is.

You may become aware that someone is there with you. If that sense comes with peace, it is the Lord. Let him love you. Rest there in the peace. You need do nothing more.

As the Lord gazes at you, lovingly, you may become aware of the places in your being where you are blind – unable to love fully, perhaps unable to see some people as loving, or to forgive someone. You may not be able to let go of a habit that isn’t good for you, or a fear. You may not be able to see your own goodness. Whatever it it is, ask the Lord for the courage to let him touch you, and whatever he asks you to do, do it. Receive the gifts of healing he gives you. Know that being fully healed may take time. Don’t be discouraged, don’t deny the healing you have received. Claim it. Sit quietly for a bit, pondering what has happened in your prayer time. And then live your healing. The more you live it out, the more Jesus uses it to complete your healing. And the more he uses you, just as you are, to offer healing to the people you meet. Even those who right now seem blind to your goodness, blind to God’s healing work in our broken world.

"Whoever drinks the water that I shall give will never thirst again … [it] will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4: 14)

Have you ever encountered hostility? Had a relationship go sour? Have you ever hesitated to enter a room, or crossed a street, to avoid facing the scorn-filled faces of neighbors or classmates? Then you know what drove the woman of Samaria out into the desert at noon to draw water. Have you ever felt excluded by the faith of your childhood, and yet felt your heart warm when someone mentioned that God loves you (has anyone ever told you that?)? Then you know why her question to Jesus was, where do I have to go, which mountain do I have to climb, to find God?

And Jesus’ answer was, I am the one you are looking for, the Messiah. You thought I was coming for the Jews. I have come for everybody. Even – especially – for you.

Even – especially – for you. May you encounter him, not at some distant watering-place, but wherever you go – to get the things you need to live in this world, to hide, to have fun … wherever you are, right now. And may he so free you that you may see your entire life with his loving, accepting, forgiving eyes. See how he has been with you in all of it, even the worst moments, even the best.

And may you too be so changed that you can go to those who have hurt you, those you have feared, those you have looked down upon, and tell them what has happened to you, and, in your own words, ask: “Could he be the Savior of the world? the whole world? Could he be the One who can save both you and me, and draw us together, maybe not in friendship, but certainly in love?

Meditation:

Allow yourself to sit quietly and relax. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say or even how God is going to

respond to you. Just be. And then begin to move down inside yourself until you come to that place, deep inside of

yourself where you really live. (This may take a few tries to get used to.) Explore that place, how expansive it
is, how peaceful. You may become aware that someone is there with you. If that sense comes with peace, it is
the Lord. Let him love you. Rest there in the peace. You need do nothing more.
You might experience him offering you something – whatever Living Water translates to, for you. Understanding.
Forgiveness. Joy. Protection. A way out of no way. Freedom from something that has you emotionally
crippled. The courage to accept his love, and trust it.
Whatever it is, open your heart to accept it. As that Samaritan woman did, bring him your questions, your
doubts, your fears. All he wants is your trust, your willingness to let him come close and love you. You need not
move farther than you feel comfortable with, for now. He will never desert you, he will wait for you, continue to
draw you to himself.
Whatever happens in your prayer, trust it. Allow it to slowly change your life, to make you whole. And, if a
nd as you can, share something of what you have received with someone who needs it.

"Jesus … was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light." (Matthew 17: 1)

Have you ever seen anybody so joyful that they seemed to glow? Maybe a bride and a groom at their wedding … or new parents gazing at their newborn infant.

Jesus’ glow totally enveloped him – inside and outside he is ablaze with light, as he prays. It is his unity with the Father that we are seeing, his true nature which is revealed. And that nature is Joy … it’s Love … it’s Glory… We call it God.

Like the disciples we can catch a glimpse of that glow, that glory – that God! – when we open ourselves to the Lord in prayer. as with them, we cannot stay there. But we can bring a memory of the glow down into whatever awaits us when we leave our prayer time. And as we trust him more and more, we can come to see that glory shining through every person, every situation we encounter.

Meditation:

Allow yourself to sit quietly and relax. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say or even how God is going to respond to you. Just be. And then begin to move down inside yourself until you come to that place, deep inside yourself where you really live. (This may take a few tries to get used to.) Explore that place, how expansive it it, how peaceful. You may become aware that someone is there with you. If that sense comes with peace, it is the Lord. Let him love you. Rest there in the peace. You need do nothing more.

Or you might ask him to let you sense his beauty, his Light. Whatever happens, let the peace, the Light, the beauty, flow through you. You can sit quietly with what you sense. Or you can talk with the Lord about it, and listen to (await) his response.

When you feel ready to leave, invite the Lord to come with you, and slowlly return to your prayer space and time. Sit quietly for a few moments, reflecting on what happened (or didn't happen). Accept it, If you can, thank the Lord for it. If not, ask for help with your next time of prayer. Then invite the Lord to go with you and act through you, in all you do across this day.

3/6/2011

"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

To be blessed is more than to be happy. It's to, deep-down, be whole, to be at one with God. To be, in a way, like God, the God who became human - Jesus - and so experiences the depth of human suffering and temptation and still is Joy Itself.

Do you experience yourself as blessed? Sit in peaceful prayer, and ask God to reveal to you your blessedness.

Do you recognize the blessedness of each person you meet, even those who are most needy, those whose behavior yo least like?

Prayer:

Loving God, help me to see all the blessings you have poured upon me. To see myself as a blessing to others, just the way I am. To my thought, my actions. I pray for those who are in need, especially those who are homeless or without heat. Show me what you want from me for them, and give me the grace to say yes to you. Amen