prayer – Page 13 – Writing to Pray

Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-11

In Homily 81, St. Jerome states that the donkey that Jesus rides in the procession into Jerusalem represents Israel and their long-standing relationship with the Lord, while the colt signifies the new faith of the Gentiles. St. Jerome argues that because the Lord is carried into the city by both he is symbolically ushering Jews and Gentiles together into the Church (Ignatius Catholic Bible Study). Within us too dwells a piece of our character long familiar with God, and another in which He often seems like an unwanted foreigner. We alone cannot reconcile the two, and like the infant church of Jew and Gentile, only the Lord can integrate them together.

There do not appear to be many references in the Old Testament to the word ‘Hosanna.’ However, during each morning of the Feast of Tabernacles, prayers called ‘hosannas’ are recited, and the seventh day of the celebration is called ‘the Great Hosanna.’ Although Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on this occasion is not connected to that feast, in Jewish custom seven is a number of ‘divine completion’. This element of the word ‘Hosanna’ would have been common knowledge to the Jews welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem. He rides from the East towards the city on a donkey and a colt thus fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy (9:9) and Isaiah 62:11. As depicted in 1 Kings 1:32-40, Macc 5:45-54, Josephus, War 7:70-71 (The New Oxford Annotated Bible), palm branches were customarily used to greet a king home after a successful battle. Here, however, He arrives on a humble donkey in peace. Indeed, Christ does Divinely complete the prophesies.

The term ‘Hosanna’ means ‘Save us,’ but became over time in Jewish custom an expression of joy, praise, and devotion. It was used in this way during the Feast of Tabernacles. Resources state that the original meaning of ‘Hosanna’ was lost, and morphed into this expression of joy. This is ironic because, indeed, the people saying ‘Hosanna’ did in fact need to be saved. With insight and hindsight we understand that salvation and joy are inexplicably linked. Perhaps each is richest when they join together. Is there not ultimate joy in the Passion, for it leads to the Resurrection? So too, many such moments of joy and salvation are mini-moments of Divine completion. His death did save us, and should move us to express joy.

Journal Questions

Chunk your life into compartments (list them.)
In which pieces has the Lord also been present, and in what areas is He an interloper?
How can you open yourself to His presence more fully?

Writing Exercise

Recount a time of great joy. Was there a possible salvation within that moment of joy? How did the moment lead to completion or fulfillment?

Creative Arts

Fabric Arts-Use seven elements in a piece, and reflect on your sense of its “completion,” or lack thereof.

Paper Arts– Create a piece titled ‘Hosanna.’

Home Arts- Plan a celebration and somehow symbolize within that celebration what you have been saved from.

Lent 5th Sunday 2014

Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45

The Ezekiel passage harkens back to creation; the spirit, breath, wind of God, “Ruach,” is required for life (The New Interpreter’s Bible). Life without it is dry and dead, like the bones. Nature provides flesh and form, however, only the Trinity can animate life, i.e. bring life to life. The Spirit of God brings us life; while following Jesus brings us an understanding of this “Ruach.”

Christ receives new life while Lazarus is given the same life; in other words, Christ is resurrected while Lazarus is reanimated. We have often been called to be Christ and carry our crosses, however, sometimes we are summoned by Christ, our friend and savior; we are reawakened. Jesus is sent for by His friends in need, Mary and Martha are asked to have faith, and Lazarus is called to a rebirth.

So often when Christ performs a healing He says, “Your faith has saved you.” Mary and Martha are not passive recipients of a miracle, they are actively involved. We think of “doing something” as an activity of hands, feet, and/or the brain, however, faith is an internal disposition and requires as much energy, focus and intention as physical actions. So too, when Jesus comes to our rescue, He invites us to believe in Him with an active heart and experience a reawakening. Like Lazarus, we too need to be untied and set free to experience true new life.

The disciples and others at the tomb blame Jesus for the delay in his response; we are not told why He remained in Judea two “extra” days. Perhaps, because He knows the danger and ultimate outcome of entering Jerusalem, he’s spending this time in prayer. The anguish in the garden will be a time for decision, however, He knows what is in store and has many choice points leading up to that moment.

“He sees the light of this world,” and “he stumbles because the light is not in him,” become clearer if we capitalize the ‘l.’ We are then saying, “I can walk surefooted if I see Christ in the world, and I will stumble if He does not dwell within me.” Our spiritual well-being depends upon our openness to seeing Him in our everyday lives, but He must also have a home within us.

Journal Questions:

In what circumstances have you experienced Ruach? How did you perceive it at the time, and how do you understand it now?

Have you had situations in which there appeared to be a moment of decision, however, you realize in hindsight there were many choice points leading up to that moment? Reflect on these circumstances.

Writing Exercise:

Write three distinct narratives; a) a situation when a friend needed your help, b) a time when your faith required energy, intention, and focus, c) circumstances in which Christ gave you a “wake-up” call. Try to carry one element through all three narratives.

Creative arts:

Fabric Arts- Knit or crochet a prayer shawl in which the embellishments on it represent Ruach, or Light.

Paper Arts- Paint or represent dead, dry bones coming to life, and Ruach animating those bones. The bones represent elements of your life and you may care to depict them using other symbols.

Home Arts- Identify someone whom you think of as having Ruach or the Light of Christ within them. Reach out to that person, or group of people in some way. For example, maybe you have a co-worker who seems extraordinarily compassionate or intuitive. Perhaps you tell them your observation, or surprise them with cookies or a card.

Lent 4th Sunday 2014

1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

The story of David’s selection and the gospel reading can both be considered stories about recognition. Samuel is grieved by Saul’s failure, indicating an attachment or friendship; however, he fears Saul will kill him. We do not know what strategy Samuel used to understand God’s choice; The New Oxford Annotated Bible indicates that he would have used divination tools, such as Urim and Thummim. While we may not be familiar with such objects, it seems the process of prophecy involved a series of yes and no questions. Similarly our own “divination tools” are the questions we ask.

In the gospel reading, the man born blind, 1) doesn’t see Jesus at all, 2) identifies Him as a man, 3) names Him a prophet, 4) acknowledges Him as “from God,” and finally, 5) understands Him as the Son of God and savior. These are developmental steps that we must cycle through. Our perceptions of Christ change as we come interact with Him, and have our faith tested. However, this man found that his self-perception shifted as well; in the beginning he is known as “the man blind from birth,” and at the end, a disciple of Christ’s.

“Give glory to God” was the typical oath used to confess sins; we might mean,”Because I give glory to God, I owe it to Him to confess.” In the context of the gospel, however, we can more honestly finish the statement, “I give glory to God because I am a sinner. I have opportunity to experience the Lord’s power, mercy, and forgiveness, and thereby draw closer to Him.”

“Jesus shifts attention from cause to purpose” (The New Oxford Annotated Bible). Because we live in a society which celebrates “empowerment,” many times we focus on the cause of a situation so that we can change it. If we concentrate on the purpose of a circumstance, we become more aware and trusting of Divine Providence and God’s Will; we switch from empowerment mode to learning mode. As Jesus teaches us, they are opportunities for the Lord to act so we can know and love Him more intimately.

Because the man doesn’t see Christ when He heals him, he literally wouldn’t have recognized Him by sight. He would have known Christ’s voice and touch, but not His appearance. Christ needs to explicitly identify Himself, so that the man can “put the name to the face,” and so identify Him. The blind man relies on deductions and logic in his progressive understanding of Jesus. He listens to the words of others and becomes more certain in his belief, but this is not blind faith. He has experienced the impossible and has reasonably concluded the presence and workings of Christ. It is true in our lives as well; we may not understand in the moment, but through logic we understand that the little miracles in our lives are only possible because of the presence of the Lord.

The expulsion of the man born blind reminds us that when we reject or are rejected by others, we have time and space, energy and attention for someone or something else that we may have previously over-looked. Because the man born blind was rejected by the leaders of his faith, he was free to become a disciple of a new faith. The end is clear, not only will the blind see and those who see will be blinded; sin and condemnation come from ignoring knowledge not from a lack of knowledge. Once we understand something we are obligated to respond to that truth. Falling back to former ignorance is not an option.

Journal Questions:

Have you ever been saddened by another’s failure? What was your role in the situation? Did you fear retaliation?
Who or what have you either rejected or been rejected by, and who or what stood in its stead?

Writing Exercise:

Recount an experience that required a making a choice. Focus on how you made the decision and your feelings of doubt or confidence before, during and after.

Creative arts:

Fabric Arts– Contemplating Christ’s curative touch, texture fabric to be comforting or healing.

Paper arts– David was toiling in the pasture, Jesus was healing on the Sabbath, and building the pool of Siloam required much labor. Depict a scene or use imagery denoting work.

Home arts– Perform a task wearing a blind-fold, and the same or a similar task without it. Reflect on the experience. It may be helpful to have a partner, taking turns with the blind-fold, keeping each other safe, and sharing impressions afterwards.

Lent 3rd Sunday 2014

Exodus 17: 1–7; Romans 5:1–2, 5-8, John 4: 5–42

All water, except that which stands in pools or cisterns and jugs, is living water. “The water I give shall become a fountain within, which will in turn give eternal life.” In Jewish custom, the Torah is likened to living water. Barclay and The Jerome New Bible Commentary suggest the prophets use the expression to symbolize the Spirit of God. In Jeremiah 2:13 the Lord refers to Himself as the fountain of living water.

In the same passage, the Lord identifies two great sins committed against Him. A) the people have forsaken Him but also b) ‘they are using broken cisterns that hold no water;’ i.e. their religious practice is somehow spoiled (The Collegeville Bible Commentary.) It is possible that in speaking with a Samaritan woman, Jesus is recalling that the Samaritans combined Mosaic traditions with pagan ways, creating a damaged spirituality (The Gospel of John, Ignatius Catholic Study Bible). While forsaking Him is bad enough, corrupting “true” knowledge of Him to incorporate worldly ways into our religion is a sin as well. We tend to think of compromise as beneficial; perhaps the Lord does not feel this way in reference to Himself.

In the first reading, His people are questioning the divine plan and purpose of suffering. Despite their questioning, God does not chastise them. He simply meets their needs. Nor does Jesus, in the gospel, rebuke the woman at the well for having many husbands and living with someone not her spouse; He shows her who she is and follows that with revealing Himself to her. Understanding who we are, with honesty but not condemnation, leads to greater recognition of the Lord; and recognizing the Lord leads to recognizing His presence within, the fountain of Living Water that dwells internally.

Jesus comes to the well and meets the Samaritan woman at noon, the sixth hour. Six is a powerful number in Jewish culture because it symbolizes the cusp of fulfillment. The conversation becomes a game of “trade ‘ya.’ Jesus says, “You give me a drink of this physical water, and I will give you Living Water, i.e. the Spirit of God.” Christ goes beyond meeting the need for water, as did the Lord in the Exodus reading; He gives us a source of the Spirit of God which will not run dry, continually sustain us and serve us in this world and the next.

Reflection Questions:

What have been your attitudes towards, knowledge of, and experiences with water?
Do you perceive “Living Water” as scripture and Christ’s teachings, blessings bestowed , the Spirit of God and the attending grace, , or something else?
How has understanding yourself more honestly dovetailed with your understanding the Lord?

Writing Exercise:

Recount three separate occasions or experiences with water, as distinctive narratives, but tie them together with a unifying theme or detail. For example, you may write about a particular boat trip, an experience in which you got sick on water, and the first time you saw the ocean. You might focus on the smell of the water in each account, or highlight how your attitude and understanding of it changed because of each experience.

Creative arts:

Fabric arts- Using fabric or specific knitting, needlepoint, or crocheting switches, denote water. For example, you may cut up an old beach robe and rework as a quilting square, or you may work the various colors of water into your overall piece.

Paper arts—Create a piece with preferred coloring tools, but then treat the piece with water. Reflect on the effect that water had on the piece, (aside from wrinkling the paper.)

Home arts- Donate to an organization that helps provide clean water to those in need. Visit a water treatment plant and write about it. Create a water fountain of some sort for your home.

Lent 2nd Sunday 2014

Genesis 12:1-4; 2 Timothy 1:8–10; Matthew 17:1-9

When the Lord speaks to Abram He uses the word “bless” four times. Why did the Lord choose to bless Abram? What was Abram’s reaction at the time? His motives? This is the first interaction between a man, a people and the Lord, but why did Abram warrant such favoritism?

Because of free will, Abram could have rejected the Lord’s invitation to friendship. But perhaps, the Lord so blessed Abram because he knew of his character and the potential for the loving relationship that could develop between the two. Similarly, the Lord often blesses us of His own volition, and we are unaware of the whys. And at times, we may be unclear as to the motives of our reactions. Like the author this passage, we need not defend God’s decision to bless us; we only need acknowledge and respond with love, hope and action. It is not ours to question why.

We do not know when the Communion of Saints was established by the Lord in the spiritual world, but surely, in this prayer experience Jesus is communing with those who have gone before. Here it involves a small gang, the Lord, Elijah, Moses, and Jesus; even the sleeping John, Peter, and James were present, in spite of themselves. When we pray, we similarly have a little posse which includes Jesus, God the Father, the Holy Spirit and people in our own lives who have been the law-givers and prophets.

According to Matthew Henry, 1662-1714, the word ‘transfiguration’ in Luke’s account can be translated as, “the fashion of his countenance was another thing than what it had been” (Commentary of the Whole Bible, Vol. 5). And while we, even through grace, blessing and prayer don’t literally become transfigured, we do become other than what we had previously been. For some, it is a dramatic transformation that is observable, in other cases, it remains subtle; however, we are simply not the same before and after prayer and spending time with those in our posse.

Reflection questions:

Has the Lord shown you unwarranted favoritism? How have you responded to it?
Reflect on your prayer life in general. Have you noticed a change following prayer?
While we may not perceive this transfiguration, have others noticed a difference in you during a time in which your prayer life was rich?

Writing exercise:

Recount with as much detail as you can remember, and reflect on an experience you had in prayer with someone in the Communion of Saints, and your subsequent “transfiguration.”

Creative arts:

Fabric arts- Somehow “transform” a piece of material so that its appearance is altered. For example, perhaps you take a fabric square and attach beads, sequins or ribbons to it to accentuate the pattern.

Paper arts- In either two distinctive pieces, or one that is split into two halves; represent your life, relationships and faith before and after the transformative prayer.

Home arts- Write a letter to someone you consider “blessed” by God, who is also a blessing to others. Find an object given to you by someone in your personal prayer posse and either use or display it. Read material about someone in the Communion of Saints, and share the materials with another person.