Joyce Rupp's blog

One misty autumn morning I was taking a walk around a pond next to a retreat center. I let my intellect take a vacation and just gazed at what was before me. The clear water, the thick woods beyond, the steep, grassy hill, each took me in and held me until I was transported to an easy peace. I felt a trace of that “thin veil” Celtic lore uses to describe situations when the visible and the invisible mesh.

Quiet Mystery,
Today the earth wears mufflers on her ears.
Heave wet clouds disguise the silent land.
The city is a giant mound of bleary white
With dense fog permeating everything.
Even the sparrow's song sounds thick.
In the concealing mist of morning,
Street lights blur with masked revelation,
And walkers are lost in a veil of obscurity.

Eternal Dwelling Place,
I know all things are passing.
My final home is not here.
Yet I zoom mindlessly through my days
missing the passionate gift of life.

Eternal Dwelling Place,
I know all things are passing.
My final home is not here.
Yet I zoom mindlessly through my days
Missing the passionate gift of life.

Radiant and Unfading Wisdom,
your deep love calls to me.
I seek you with all my heart.
Hasten to make yourself known.

Jesus and his disciples were walking through a field of grain. The Pharisees became upset when the hungry disciples pulled off and ate some of the heads of grain because such activity was not permitted on the Sabbath. Jesus responded to their criticism by telling the Pharisees that he was not so concerned about the rules of the law (sacrifice) as he was about the way people related to one another (mercy).

Recently I asked a large gathering of retreatants to write down some of their questions regarding prayer. Quite a few wanted to know how they could tell if they were doing God's will. Others wanted to know if they were on "the right path."

I believe that "dry bones" feelings happen in most people's lives at one time or another. It's part of our human condition.

Tiredness grounds me
Into a quiet stupor
of the spirit.

I yearn to be inspired,
to be lifted up, set free
beyond the place of deadness.

the struggle goes on,
however,
and you and I, God,
we exist together
with seemingly
little communion.

yet in the deepest part of me,
I believe in you,
perhaps more strongly than ever.

I am learning you
as a God of silence,
of darkness, deep and strong.

I do not wrestle anymore,
only wait, only wait,
for you to bring my dry bones
into dancing once again.

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Prayer action suggestion:

Divide a piece of paper in half. On the one side list people, events, situations and things that take your energy away. On the other side list people events, situations and things that give you energy. Look at your lists. How much energy is being taken from you? How much do you willingly give away? What can you do to have more balance in your life?
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In the first liturgical reading for New Year’s Day God tells Moses to share a beautiful blessing with the Israelites. Moses is to say the them: “The Lord bless and keep you, make his face shine upon you, be gracious to you, and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). These are marvelous words that we could speak to our friends and loved ones, as well as to ourselves on this January first.

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

---Luke 1:78-79

On this day before the feast of Christmas, we hear Zechariah’s familiar canticle telling us that the dawn from on high will break upon us. Zechariah knew about darkness. He sat through nine months of it, unable to speak. He also knew about light, experiencing the power of Divine revelation when he prophesied through his canticle.

As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we are being invited to look within our own selves and within our world. Always we find some darkness there, mixed in with the light. It is to these dark corners that the Savior comes, bringing light by the tender mercy of God.

What a joy it was to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Basilica in Mexico City. It is there that the cloak of Juan Diego, with its imprint of Mary, hangs for all to see. Pilgrims, many of them poor peasants, walk for miles to be able to view the cloak and pray beneath it. Their only wealth is their deep faith in God’s abiding presence. Their joy is the bonding they feel with the Mother of God who revealed herself to one of their own.

Could there be any better time than Advent to focus on and remember that God dwells in our midst? I find it particularly necessary to be aware of God’s nearness when I am zooming through December, busy about too many things.

Do not be afraid, stand firm ... The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.
               —Exodus 14:13-14

Moses' advice to the Israelites came as they were fleeing Egypt with Pharaoh's army hot on their heels. Imagine how the people must have felt when Moses told them to "keep still," that God would fight for them. Surely, these were not easy words to accept as they ran for their lives and freedom. We know, of course, that God did fight and provided a way for them to escape their life of bondage.

"You have only to keep still." This is no easy thing when we are struggling to be in control and life keeps getting messier and more out of control. What happens if we stop grumbling and attacking our difficult circumstances? What happens when we are "still," when we turn to the One who promises to care for us? Our situation will not change instantly, but we will have greater peace of mind and more love in our hearts. Grumbling, complaining, worry and criticism never changed anything. On the other hand, trust in God, peace of mind and love in the heart have led to profound changes.

Moses was born when the king of Egypt had ordered that all the Hebrew baby boys be killed. In order to save him, the mother of Moses made the excruciating decision to give the little child away. As three-month-old Moses floated in the basket, he was found and given a good life with Pharaoh’s daughter.

What must Moses’ mother have thought as she placed him in that basket? Her heart must have been near to breaking. She could not have envisioned that her little son would be discovered by a rich woman and brought up among the elite. Nor could she have seen that this little endangered boy would be counted among the greatest spiritual leaders of all time.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
      --Psalm 25:4

Recently I asked a large gathering of retreatants to write down some of their questions regarding prayer. Quite a few wanted to know how they could tell if they were doing God’s will. Others wanted to know if they were on “the right path.”

Do not withhold kindness even from the dead. -- Sirach 7:33

The following could be prayed by anyone who feels alienated or not at peace with someone who has died.

1. Have before you a photo of the person who has died.
2. Recall your differences, the situations and events that sparked the alienation.
3. Write about some of these difficult memories. You may even want to write a dialogue with the person who has died.
4. Hold these memories out to Jesus, the healer. Allow him to take these memories and hurts from you.
5. Visualize Jesus welcoming you and healing you from these memories and hurts.
6. Pray for peace for the one who has died. Envision this person being at rest, at home in the arms of God. (Or visualize Jesus taking this person by the hand and welcoming him or her home.)
7. Allow peace to permeate your mind and heart. Rest in the comfort of God’s love.

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Reflection:

Have I locked a door that keeps me from expanding my relationship with God, self or others?

I remember the children of the world. As Jesus called to the children to come to him, so I gather in prayer the children of my world who are hurting. I embrace them with loving kindness and with a desire to mend the systems that bring such pain to their young lives. I remember the children:

To my brothers and sisters in developing countries:

While I was deciding which oat bran cereal to eat this morning, you were searching the ground for leftover grains from the passing wheat truck.

While I was jogging at the health center, you were working in the wealthy landowner’s field under a scorching sun.

Oct. 4: Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

We did not listen to the voice of the Lord our God in all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us...
Baruch 1:21

Reflection

What would cause a young man from a wealthy family to give up all that he owned, including his own luxurious clothes? Falling in love could have that effect. It did on Francis of Assisi. He fell in love with God.

Like clothes, every body will wear out,
the age-old law is, “Everyone must die.”
Like foliage growing on a bushy tree,
some leaves falling, others growing,
so are the generations of flesh and blood:
one dies, another is born.
Sirach 14: 18-20
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The Falling Leaves
with a constant chorus of cicadas
the leaves tumble down,
from long, thin silver poplars,
they twirl to the ground,
dancing the Autumn death dance
beneath the great blue sky.

the leaves seem glad at the going.
(is there something I don’t know?)
Sparkling in the October sunshine,
they fill the air with gentle rustling.

Reflect on the following:
How much of what you do each day is service and what part is just work?

Meditation
Stand in an open doorway. Take a deep breath and deliberately unite with the Holy One’s presence. Call to mind the inner qualities you bring with you into your labors. Extend your arms outward beyond the door. As you do so, send forth your earnest love toward those who are a part of your life today. Imagine this love blessing them. Continue standing in the doorway. Now extend your love to the larger world. Face the East. Send your love to this part of the world. Do the same for the South, the West, and the North. Close by folding your hands over your heart and extending this same goodness to yourself.

God will not always take away our difficult situations because they are often a natural part of our earthly life, but we do know that this loving presence will always hold onto us, support us and strengthen us. We have this promise constantly in the scriptures. All we need to do is reach out in faith and trust. We will lessen our worry only if we believe more completely that God’s fidelity and love will support and comfort us no matter what painful, difficult or fearful situations come to us.

We will learn how to deal with our fears if we allow ourselves to believe more totally in God’s power working in us and through us. We have the example of Jesus to encourage us in this belief:

Jesus did not give in to his fears. He knew the Father was living in him, was doing the work, and that by himself he could do nothing (Jn 5:30; 14:10).

I shall sing to Yahweh all my life, make music for my God...
Psalm 104:33

A small, wooden flute,
an empty, hollow reed,
rests in her silent hand.

It awaits the breath
of one who creates song
through its open form.

For this prayer you should place a suitcase in a position where you can see it while you pray.

Read and Pray: Psalm 121

Yahweh guards you from harm,
He guards your lives.
He guards your leaving, coming back,
now and for always (Ps 121:7, 8)

This blessing is designed for use with groups, inviting those present to each find a partner to bless. However, it could also be used by just two persons, with one blessing the other.

When used with groups, partners should face each other and then ask about the other person’s comfortableness with being touched. If he or she prefers a non-touch blessing, the other person can simply hold his or her hand near the part of the body being blessed, rather than touching it.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Luke 1:39-40

We know the story well. Young Mary, pregnant with Jesus, hastened CNS photoover the Judean hills and valleys to be with Elizabeth, pregnant in her old age. Mary had a good excuse not to go on the journey: her own health and preparations for birth. But she risked the road. She took the time. She spent the energy. All of Mary’s life was guided by the Spirit of God. Mary knew Elizabeth needed her, and so she went.

Hearts on Fire

…there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart.
Jeremiah 20:9

Which of you walks in darkness and sees no light? ... lean on God
Isaiah 50:4-10

Some people lean against fence posts
when their bodies ache from toil.
Some people lean on oak trees,
seeking cool shade on hot, humid days.