The life of a chaplain can be intense, fast-paced,
yet lonely and isolated. The senior leadership conference in
2001 and 2002 highly recommended that each chaplain engage a
“companion spiritual discipline” through a spiritual
director, an associate membership in a monastic community, and
periods of intentional study.
The following book reviews and meditations come from Chaplain
Gary Parker and others. He and other chaplains have also provided
us with some helpful links for spiritual
formation with religious communities, societies and organizations
and also some websites for contemplation.
Book Review
Practicing Your Path, A Book of Retreats for an
Intentional Life
by Holly W. Whitcomb
Innisfree Press, Philadelphia, PA 2002
The most recent entry from Chaplain Gary Parker:
"... Several
of you have asked for a concise reference on Christian spirituality
that you may take in the field. Well, I came across this gem
this week..."
The Upper Room Directory of Christian Spiritual Formation
Practicing Your Path, A
Book of Retreats for an Intentional Life
by Holly W. Whitcomb
Innisfree Press, Philadelphia, PA 2002
"Designed both for individuals who want to create a private
spiritual retreat day for themselves and for leaders of church
group retreats. The retreats contained in this book are easily
customized. Each chapter includes a flexible structure for a
1-day retreat with thoughtful meditations."
Soulmates,
Several of you have asked for a concise reference on Christian
spirituality that you may take in the field. Well, I came across
this gem this week. Also I shall be with 22 hospital corpsmen
early 4 July at the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall while it
is in Chicago. WE have the 0400-0800 watch 4th July 03. I asked
to be with them because many Veterans come early in the morning.
Having a chaplain with them would mean a lot to them and to
me. Blessings on the Fourth. AS always you are special in my
daily prayers. Gary
Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
The Upper Room Directory of Christian Spiritual Formation
edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe
Upper Room Books 05/03 Hardcover $30.00
ISBN 0835809935
Upper Room, a United Methodist related ecumenical
organization, is dedicated to providing resources for spiritual
growth and leadership. Keith Beasley-Topliffe serves as General
Editor of this 314 page introduction to the key people, practices,
and ideals of Christian spirituality in the Protestant, Catholic,
and Orthodox traditions. Fifty scholars from many denominations
have written 470 articles, covering such topics as prayer, imagery,
conformity to the will of God, discipline, the stages of spiritual
growth; cross-references are given in boldface print. Special
features include a comparative chart of the various streams
of Christian spiritual traditions and a list of spiritual classics.
Throughout the text are boxes explaining spiritual practices
for individual or group use: creating a personal breath prayer,
a method for entering prayer, the process for a clearness committee,
an examen journal, and more. Beasley-Topliffe and the other
writers profile an ecumenical crosscut of major figures in Christian
spirituality from the past (Ambrose, Hildegard of Bingen, William
Blake, John Calvin, John of the Cross, Meister Eckhart, Douglas
V. Steere, and many others) and the present (Joan Chittister,
Matthew Fox, Tilden Edwards, Rosemary Radford Reuther, Raimon
Panikkar, Richard J. Foster, and many others). Of course, there
is ample material as well on traditional Christian themes such
as love, faith, hope, silence, grace, humility, and providence.
Although the target audience for this wide-ranging and substantive
resource is pastors, seminarians, and teachers focusing on spiritual
formation, its outreach should not stop there. It is a very
good resource for laity, many of whom are desperately trying
to relate their Christian faith to the exigencies of everyday
pressures, deadlines, and challenges at home and at work. They
need to see the variety of spiritual practices that have developed
over the centuries to deal with dryness, acidy, the judgments
of others, guarding the heart, seeking justice for the poor,
and being both compassionate and forgiving. This companion for
the spiritual journey is a Godsend filled with the abundant
riches of the Christian tradition. An Excerpt from The Upper
Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation edited by Keith
Beasley-Topliffe This comprehensive resource covers the key
teachers, concepts, and practices of the Protestant, Catholic,
and Orthodox Christianity. Here, for example, is the entry on
solitude. "SOLITUDE. The experience of oneness with God
that comes of taking the time and effort to be available to
the One who is closer than our breathing, closer than our imagining.
Solitude helps us find the answers to our own mystery and to
the mystery of the God by whom we were created. Although both
monastery and monk stem from the same Greek word, monachos,
meaning 'alone' or 'single,' it is not necessary to be alone
to encounter solitude or to be in a definite place. Paradoxically,
solitude actually enables us to connect to others in a far deeper
way than does mere attachment to others. Solitude is a oneness
of mind and heart. "True solitude cannot be entered without
an attitude of abandonment or surrender - surrender of the ego
and the affectations of the false self. We have entered into
solitude when we no longer perceive God as judging parent but
as friend. The essence of solitude is to hear the voice of Christ,
not only in mystical moments but also in and through the voice
of every human - to see Christ's face in every human face. One
who has received a oneness of mind and heart through solitude
is a person through whom others experience peace - not only
a peacemaker but also a peace-giver. "Solitude has been
a major theme for spiritual writers from the desert fathers
and mothers to Carlo Carretto. Recent writers exploring their
own experience of solitude include Catherine de Hueck Doherty
in Poustinia and Elizabeth J. Canham in Heart Whispers. (Russel
M. Hart)"
Kelly, Thomas R., A Testament of Devotion,
Harper San Francisco, 1941, renewed copyright 1992.
Here is a spiritual classic from a Quaker. As chaplains
he describes perfect some of our conditions. "We feel honestly
the pull of many obligations and try to fulfill them all. And
we are unhappy, uneasy, strained, oppressed, and fearful we
shall be shallow." Then came this further in the book: "We have
seen and known some people who seem to have found this deep
Center of living, where the fretful calls of life are integrated,
where no as well as yes can be said with confidence." It is
hard for us to say no when it is right and good. Thomas Kelly
helps awaken our longing for a life lived in God's presence.
He beckons us away from the distractions and sensual bombardments
of popular culture, and points us a simple place of abiding
faith. In this book there are many beautiful descriptions of
the inner life of one who listens to God's call and waits in
silence for the Divine Presence. It's an invaluable companion
in the life of anyone who is searching and seeking for that
Presence and/or has already discovered that Presence. One reviewer
said he learned from Kelly that it is more important that he
live as God's masterpiece than pen one himself. Kelly says all
activities in life become "spiritual" and significant as one
lives within the Divine Center, listening and following the
Spirit's leadings. Only within this Center is there true peace
in the midst of a world full of "inevitable suffering" and people
who do not live within the Divine Center. When you're ready
for the truth in a nutshell give this book a try.
The Genesee Diary by Henri Nouwen is
a classic in spiritual writing and a hallmark of one man's soul-searching.
He has, as I am sure, come into our lives before with his books
by breaking our favorite illusions in life and brought them
back to us in a truer form in Reaching Out, The Wounded
Healer, and one of my favorites, The Return of the Prodigal
Son. His seven-month stay in a Trappist Monastery, not as
a guest but as a monk, came out of many years of restless searching.
His stay did not solve all the problems in our life yet this
diary helps us to praise God with new vigor. Fr. Nouwen emerges
from his time in the monastery with a new strength to deal with
the human condition, and we can profit from his pilgrimage.
Reading this book is a wonderful experience. The Genesee
Diary is both an inspiration and a challenge to those who
are in search of themselves. And who is not searching for God
and self?
Solitude: A Neglected Path to God
by Christopher C. Moore was published in 2001. Fr. Moore is
the rector of the Church of the Holy Comforter in Drexel Hill,
PA. I shall quote from the back cover of the book. It says it
better than I could. This book is a keeper. In our spiritual
journeys as we get older, the question of solitude comes up
along the path for all of us in our busy lives.
" 'This book was
born in solitude on a quiet summer morning on the coast of Maine…'
So begins Christopher Moore's exploration of solitude as a spiritual
path to God. Although we often avoid time alone out of fear
of loneliness and isolation, in Christian tradition solitude
has always been a significant way of drawing closer to God and
discovering the truth about ourselves. Moore believes that our
human need for solitude is often left unmet today; even the
church places great value on constant activity and personal
involvement. Our spiritual lives dry up because we cannot pay
attention to the insights that well up in solitude and silence.
Moore considers a
variety of factors that affect the quality of our solitude,
as well as both the dangers and healing power of solitude. Finally,
he shows us practical ways to reclaim the experience of solitude
as a spiritual and personal discipline, no matter how busy and
demanding our lives may be."
Three meditations:
Abundant living
By Chaplain Gary Parker
Introduction:
My spiritual director is much like the auctioneer. Whatever
is brought out into the open has value. My director never questions
the value of my life experience or feelings or observations.
All that I bring to the table is important, valued, and a piece
of the puzzle of who I am. The attempt is to clarify what God
has done and is doing in and through me. Not everything has
the same value, but it is valuable nonetheless. I have my doubts,
a lot of it looks like junk, but my director is the one who
helps me see my life with more grace than I would afford myself.
The auctioneer has seen it before, the value in the most insignificant
bucket of bolts.
In my spiritual direction I am constantly being reminded that
my life counts not merely for me but for others. My ministry
and keeping faith over the years is not merely valuable to God
and to me, but it is work that finds its place into the lives
of other people. We, as chaplains, priests, Christians make
a difference. We never know what God will use to touch someone
else. A gesture, a comment, an act of kindness, a sideways glance
that says you're not sure, that honest response of doubt and
self-accusation, even periods of self-loathing, all are possible
touchstones in the lives of others.
As I say this I am humbled by the fact that I am called to this
kind of action, if only as a chaplain and a Christian friend.
Ultimately all Christians are called upon to be spiritual directors.
Meditation One: Barrenness of Busyness
While it may be the character of God to reveal himself, it is
the nature of life on this planet to drown out the voice of
God. And what is it about life that threatens to out-shout his
voice? We are a whole lot distracted-by what? Our cares, our
prosperity, and our human limitations- that the voice of God
is the last thing we might think to listen for. We hear only
a faint, persistent buzz somewhere off in the distance, and
we wonder what it is and when it will go away and leave us in
peace. The irony is, sometimes, without knowing it, it is precisely
that warning buzzer that we need to hear, even long to hear.
God appears silent when life itself seems to contradict the
idea of a good God. If he is capable and he is kind, it would
seem he has some explaining to do. This suffering seems to overpower
the voice of God.
We may, in our depression, listen more intently and thereby
discover that God is not as mute as first we thought. But good
times are not so continuous. They lull us into a self-involved
hearing disorder, in which our concentration is so inward, so
self-directed, it may never occur to us to turn down the music
and call off the party. We may never get around to creating
the quiet so necessary if we are truly to listen for the voice
of God. And the party music, the work ethic, the type A personality
of our good times overpowers the voice of God.
God appears silent when so many speak for him-or speaks for
themselves-in confusing and damaging ways. This static does
not always come from others-conflicting signals out there competing
for our attentive and allegiance. Sometimes the fault rests
solely with the receiver, with us. We find the message disagreeable.
Sometimes we know God has spoken, but we refuse to hear. We
just don't like what he has said. We find it hard to believe.
How could we acquiesce to his command, or measure up to that
standard? And we do something quite subtle, subconsciously perhaps,
but nevertheless something clearly dishonest. We conclude he
is silent, and the voice of God is overpowered through the static
of opinions.
Sometimes we miss the voice of God because of our negligence,
or our disinterest or our lack of experience and persistence
in hearing. We hear the Word. Yet, we grab the remote and tune
in some other idea or philosophy, amusement or diversion.
It is so obvious as to be overlooked, but we strain to hear
the voice of God due to our human limitations. God's voice sends
out vibrations we are ill equipped to receive; it is almost
as if we have ears to hear. We are, after all, finite containers
yearning to be filled with the infinite. Our inability to hear,
sometimes at least, overpowers the voice. Without hearing him
I work harder to find something, work harder for purpose, long
hours away from family, faith, Our Father. God's voice matters
to me, and I am driven to understand his silence.
A well-known speaker started his seminar by holding up a $20
bill. In the room of 200 people, he asked, "Who would like this
$20 bill?" Hands started going up all over the room. He said,
"I am going to give this to one of you, but first, let me do
this." He proceeded to crumple up the bill. He then asked, "Who
still wants it?" Still the nods were up all over the room. Well,
he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground
and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked
it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it? " Still
the hands went into the air. "My friends, you all have learned
a very valuable lesson," he said. No matter what I did to the
money, you still wanted it, because it did not decrease in value.
It is still worth $20." My sisters and brothers in the shepherding
you are still worth… in spite of the busyness you and I are
driven by in this institutional ministry.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground
into the dirt by decisions we make and the circumstances that
come our way. We may feel that we are worthless, but, no matter
what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your
value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still
priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes
not in what we do or whom we know, but by whom we are.
You are special, very much so, don't ever forget it. Remember,
always count your blessings-not your problems.
Another aspect of the barrenness of busyness is accumulation.
No matter how much we accumulate, it seems we never have enough.
The more we have, the more we want. It's a phenomenon a friend
of mine calls the Barbie-doll law. "Accessories once considered
optional become mandatory, creating needs and wants we never
thought of before." More often than not, we come to the end
of endeavor and acquisition vaguely discontented and unhappy.
Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State writes, "To Americans,
tragedy is wanting something very badly and not getting it.
But many people have had to learn…. that perhaps the worst form
of tragedy is wanting something badly, getting it, and finding
it empty."
The apostle Paul, on the other hand, said he had learned how
to be content: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me" (Phil 4:13). Do all things? Does that mean he could run
faster than a speeding bullet or leap over tall buildings? No,
but he could be content, whether full or hungry, whether living
in plenty or in want.
True contentment comes from our Lord alone. We must ask Him
to flood us with His presence and strengthen us with His love,
so that we will be satisfied with Him and what He has given.
Only then can we rest in contentment. "They are the enemies
of the cross of Christ:…who set their mind on earthly things."
(Phil 3:18-19)
At one time the beginning of progress in my spiritual life was
a rock-bottom experience. I didn't look good. I didn't feel
good. But it was the most spiritual moment in my life. I hope
this is an encouragement to others who are at that point. So
often we think that to be spiritual we must always be on top.
That's not true. To be spiritual is to come to the place where
there's nothing of us, and all is of God. Psalm 4, "I lie down
in peace; at once I fall asleep…" I usually fall quickly to
sleep at night, but when I can't, the problem is often that
something is out of balance in my soul. I ask myself these questions
when I cannot sleep: am I angry with someone? Am I impatient?
Do I take myself too seriously? Am I obedient? Busyness can
distract me. If I do not slow down enough to sort my values
and prioritize my time God sends trials not to impair us but
to improve us. While visiting my son's family in Vermont I was
presented with a tin of pure Vermont maple syrup. It was given
to me by a man who consistently won blue ribbons for his product.
Producing syrup of that quality is no easy task. Its richness,
flavor, and color depend on many factors: the tree from which
the sap is drawn, the time it is collected, the existing weather
conditions, and the skill of the one who controls the boiling
and filtering process. A blue-ribbon award is the result of
a carefully controlled process from start to finish. This reminds
me of the way the Lord refines the lives of His children. Even
now, He is working in us. The fires of hardships and trial may
be painful for a time, but afterward they will result in great
blessing and reward (Hebrews 12:11). He knows just the right
amount of heat necessary to make us blue-ribbon Christians.
You begin in friendships to understand one another in that deeper
emotional sense in which souls communicate as peers. It starts
with intent listening. It progresses and is maintained through
intent listening. Out of the busyness this is how we must listen,
if we are to hear the voice of God. "He who has ears to hear,
let him hear." It means that we are willing and equipped to
listen to foreign ideas conveyed to us by God, in his "language".
A large part of the problem we have with God's silence is that
we perceive the world through our five physical senses. -touch,
taste, sight, smell, listening.
Our physical senses can take us only to the doorway of understanding,
beyond which is God himself. It is this spiritual sense that
opens the door and carries us through
"No eye has seen
no
ear has heard,
no
mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love
him…
but
God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." (I Cor.2:9-10)
If we do not allow for this spiritual dimension, God will remain
incomprehensible; his ways and words mere whispered gibberish.
This spiritual insight (six sense) is rooted in objective ideas
that God has communicated to us in black-and-white, ink-on-paper
document: the Bible. Out of the dissonance of our pluralistic
lives, for the document to come alive beyond the normal human
channels of processing information, must come this supernatural
spiritual discipline. Allowing quiet, silence, instead of noise
and busyness we may find the silence of God to be astoundingly
articulate.
I did not discover God on my own. His voice neither thundered
from heaven nor rustled quietly in my mind. Nothing outwardly
supernatural transpired. I discovered God through people of
faith. I heard his voice because others recounted his word.
His mysteries became open secrets, when other who knew them
shared them. I learned because I was taught.
But faith is more fascinatingly interdependent even that this.
Faith is not only shared experience, it is legacy. I hear the
voice of God today, and it is possible for me to believe because
hundreds of years ago Abraham obeyed God, Moses hears the voice
on high, prophets and apostles. From our generation to the next,
the voice of God was raised through faithful people, from house
to house, from city to city, and around the world. Schools have
been founded, churches established, books written. To hear the
voice of God and understand the mind of Christ is not simply
a private, personal pursuit. It is the quest of the people of
faith together. It is, and has been, the passion of the church.
It is not in busyness, but in a still small (voice). Amen.
-
Meditation Two: Silence of God
To myself, at this moment as I say the words "the silence
of God," what comes to my mind? Mystery. For not all of life's
mysteries have become open secrets. I may find God silent
when I face pain and perplexity. In my hurt, it is unlikely
that I will receive my own private word from God, explaining
the particulars of my negative or challenging experience.
I hurt, and my pain is met with silence.
But for me, the silence of God has another dimension. God
speaks, yet his very expressions of truth may feel at times
ambiguous. Since we find such dissonance distasteful, we frame
as many viewpoints as we have denominations. A plethora of
opinion. With so many contradictory voices speaking for God,
without him supernaturally correcting the misconceptions,
we may have a hard time calling the resulting cacophony, "the
voice of God."
God has spoken. The church has relayed the messages. But in
the static of our divergent, human interpretations, what so
often is heard instead of the voice of God is his silence.
It does seem odd that God would entrust his voice, his truth,
to something as fragile as the church. Certainly, God knew
that in doing so he was opening himself to misunderstanding
and misrepresentation. Why would he do it?
I am perplexed.
It is, though, consistent with the nature of God to risk everything
on fragile containers. After all, God himself appeared in
the weakness of a human body, so easily broken and destroyed.
And yet, its glory was its brokenness, for out of brokenness
the power of God was displayed.
In Scripture, I hear the voice of God. In Scripture, I gaze,
at times mesmerized, at the portrait of his character-his
work, his will, his ways-painted in the experience of individuals
and nations. In Scripture, through faith, I find my life transformed,
my perspective changed, my mind renewed.
The host has offered a foreign gift, a revelation of himself
and all that matters, a book he himself has authored. I have
accepted the gift, I have examined the book, and slowly its
meaning is opening to me.
Were I to stop here, however, I would give too limiting an
interpretation of my own spiritual pilgrimage. For though
I hear the voice of God in Scripture, profound and rich, and
though it is the point of reference and judge of all of my
spiritual experiences, yet there is more to be said of both
God's self-disclosure and his persistent silence.
God speaks. Certainly, God speaks. But not as I converse with
you or you with me. His voice is, it seems, more frustratingly
indirect.
Certainly, he spoke with Moses, "face to face, as a friend
speaks to a friend"; he walked with Enoch; he revealed himself
to prophets in dreams, visions, and supernatural appearances.
But these were the exceptions, not his customary manner of
communicating with people. WE see in Christ the supreme revelation
of God, because finally God fully disclosed himself-the Word
became flesh-yet he returned to heaven, hiding himself from
our view. He sent the Spirit to live within us and to illuminate
his Word, yet when I pray, I receive no audible response.
When I am heartbroken over the mystery of pain, no divine
voice scatters the silence with reassuring words. When I crave
the companionship of God, I do not meet him through my five
physical senses. Scripture offers principles, it illustrates
the purpose and character of God, but to truly hear that voice
in my experience, another step must be taken. I must teach
the silence to talk. Or more to the point, I must teach myself
to hear God's voice in the silence.
I
must life the key and open the door.
I
must take the gift, open it, and read.
I
must learn to live, as Paul expresses it, "by faith, not by
sight" (2 Cor 5:7).
By putting faith and sight in contradistinction, Scripture
is not saying that God is unapproachable, that he cannot be
perceived or known. He can be "seen," just not in the customary
manner. He can be "heard," but not just with our ears. He
can be "felt," but not with these human hands. Alongside our
physical senses, there must be a spiritual conduit of sensation.
A different sense. Another avenue of truth.
Faith.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone
who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards
those who earnestly seek him" (Heb. 11:6).
What does it mean to earnestly seek him, in faith? Among other
things, it means to nurture the perspective of God alive and
active in life's every moment. If God chooses the invisible,
as he has, I will live by faith. If God chooses silence, I
will create quiet so that he may be heard. I will contemplate
what sense denies me; I will fill my heart with what will
not fill my vision. I will fill my mind with what will not
fill my ears. I will give my imagination a theological education.
Similarly, through the promise of the Spirit, all that there
is of God is living within us. We often think of the immensity
of God. He fills the entire universe. But also, all that there
is of God is concentrated with me. It is impossible to get
more of God. He is not parceled up and distributed around
the infinite stretch of space. He is here, all of him, within
me. In all his limitless power. IN all his incomprehensible
wisdom. In all his loving kindness.
This is truly astounding. This God is willing to call me his
home!
For a moment, put aside all you have ever heard or known of
faith, and ask yourself: What would it be like if through
some miracle, God could live within me? How would life be
different? Certainly, it would change everything.
So why hasn't it? Why isn't life as consistently dramatic
as you'd expect? And where is the voice of God? How can life
feel so ordinary while God is at home inside us?
Or is it possible that "the ordinary" is the point?
Could it be that God intends to fill the ordinary with new
meaning? Is it conceivable that God is present and speaking
through every experience and through faith we may see his
face and hear his voice? Is this what it means to teach the
silence to talk?
God is present in the mundane also, in every moment. He is
speaking, if we will hear it-speaking of his kindness, his
faithfulness, his sovereign lordship over circumstance, his
mercy in heartache, his mirth in our success. The gift of
this relationship is not merely an illustration of God's faithfulness
or grace; he speaks through the gift because he is alive within
it.
To express all this yet one other way. Though the Bible is
the interpreter and judge of all my spiritual experiences,
it is not God's sole voice. His words are not conveyed through
Scripture alone. He has many ways of speaking. Nature is his
mouthpiece, and relationships and circumstance. Success and
failure, joy and sorrow, art and science, star and atom, the
wilderness and the wind.
Then our understanding is filled with his words; when our
mind perceived his way; when our heart worships the mysteries
of his person; when we see his sovereign hand controlling
epochs and milliseconds; then his voice can be hard in everything.
Even in his silence.
And this is the key I hold and treasure.
It is one thing to say God now speaks to us in the ordinary,
to say that his silence is articulate because in some mysterious
way he is speaking through the silence. It is quite another
thing to hear God's voice in confusion, paradox, and mystery,
in life's discordant experiences. Even to claim, as I do,
that God's character is revealed in Scripture may not feel
fully satisfying when in the crucible of crisis. And for most
of us, perhaps all of us, sooner or later there does come
a gap in our parade of good times. Life gets hard. Our beliefs
are tested. God's voice grows faint. And our faith faces this
greatest challenge: partial answers and irreconcilable ideas.
"We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away,
yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light
and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what
is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal." (2Cor 4:16-18) I've seen it
in friendship. I've experienced it in my family. Some of the
most sublime moments of companionship are moments shared in
silence. Perhaps it can be the same with God. Perhaps an even
deeper level of communication begins when we quit talking.
Then, there in the silence we both become articulate.
Isn't it remarkable that Jesus' ministry grew out of six weeks
of concentrated silence, and that he was sustained through
the demand and stress of the next three years by that custom
of his, those frequent all-night retreats into silence? At
his baptism he went into the desert than back into the noisy
demands of the public's eye. Aren't you curious about those
six weeks of silence? Forty solitary days? When he wasn't
fending off attacks by Satan, what filled his quiet moments?
Based on his habits as Scripture records them, we would assume
he prayed. Shortly after his six weeks in the desert, Mark
recounts, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place,
where he prayed." (1:35) This flustered the busy, noisy disciples
who, when they had found him, exclaimed, "Everyone is looking
for you!" (1:37)
Not everyone.
His Father had already found him, and he had found his Father,
in the silence of prayer.
It is fair to speculate that this also was his experience
those forty days in the desert. Prayers.
I'm not so sure the all-night prayer was non-stop talk, and
I doubt Jesus talked himself hoarse those six weeks in the
desert. I rather suspect he drew strength from the quiet companionship
of God in silence.
I hope for the silence that makes a difference. A silence
we are pleased to create. For if the words of God will echo
in our minds, whether we face the harshest of difficulties
or "merely" the mystery of the ordinary, we will most surely
find the silence of God to be articulate.
As you and I are here in the silence of this retreat awaiting
the Lord, may we rest in that mystery and that articulation.
Amen
Meditation Three: Healing for Dying
You might say that it has been God's intense desire that no
one would reach the end of human history, and then stand before
Him as a stranger. Once terminally ill patients begin the
process of dying, they are no long future-directed; they want
to know how to deal with living life in the present moment.
Americans are especially adept at avoiding death's shadows,
as they focus on being healthy, looking to the future, and
aiming for a bright and successful life path. They may exercise,
eat the right foods, carefully monitor their fat and cholesterol
intake, and do everything possible to extend their life. Some
may even joke about death to lessen its potency. Although
many people live in denial, everyone is in the process of
dying each day from the time of birth onward. Dying with dignity
is our right, but it also requires planning and healing.
Someone who knows death usually knows life. Anyone who forgets
death is like to be forgetful of life. In Jeremy Taylor's
Holy Dying he suggests that we begin to practice how
to die early in life, so that these skills are learned long
before one is sick, weak, or dying. Practice dying is a powerful
technique to fight off denial of death and an easy way to
recognize if unfinished business between family members or
friends needs to be addressed. Life itself can be a preparation
for death. If we enjoy life and love it fully, we are less
afraid of death than if we live superficially.
When we have a strong relationship with God, it is possible
to be transformed, renewed, reconciled, and to find purpose
in our death. Each one of us would do well to deal with issues
and problems before our last days. By opting to start healing
for dying, we can become more aware of new possibilities and
knowledge and begin to live. 9/11 for me and I believe for
many brought me to death, my own, and families as a nation
on that infamous day. Many have said to me, "I want to prepare
for a fuller life before dying". Here are some questions I
would like to share with you:
*If I had one year to live, what would I want to do with that
time?
*What have I done with my life? What have I done for others?
What have been the most precious events in my life? What brings
me peace and joy?
*What do I believe? Is faith important in my life? Will it
play a role in my dying process?
*Who are the most important people in my life who have brought
me joy? Have I told them why they are important to me? Are
there people I want to see and spend time with before I die?
Are there issues I want to sort out with particular people?
Are there people whom I need to forgive or from whom I wish
to receive forgiveness?
*What are my personal beliefs about dying? Where do I think
I will go when I die? What is afterlife, if any, to me?
*If I could plan my ideal death, what would it be like?
*Am I living with the assumption that no accidents will happen
to me or that I will not be the victim of violence? Am I immune
from fatal illness?
*Have I had an open and honest discussion with my family or
loved ones about what should be done if I, or one of them,
were to die or be killed?
*In what kind of environment do I want to die? Do I want to
die in a hospital, a hospice, in a nursing home, or at home?
Whom do I want to be with me when I die? Are there any people
I don't want to have around? Why not? Are there any forms
of treatment I do not want to have under any circumstances?
Have I made my wishes known in a will and a living will?
· What do I still need to do before I am ready to die? What
do I want to finish (personal dreams, relationships, business,
or legal matters)? What treasures do I want to leave to special
people?
· What funeral or memorial arrangements would I like to have
made? Do I want to write my funeral liturgy? What about my
obituary or epitaph?
· Are there any spiritual or religious practices that I want
to have observed at the time of my death or immediately thereafter?
Each day is a new resurrection. Value and make the most of
any and all time remaining in this life. Have a full appreciation
of life in the present moment-not just the past or the future-and
greet each day as another opportunity to live. Become more
aware and attentive of oneself, other people, nature, the
world, and God. Fell free to have sudden outbursts of love
and affection for friends, family, and community, especially
if that has not been expected before.
Learn in the days remaining in your earthly life to accept
the unanswered questions, mystery, silence, quiet. Deepen
your trust and faith in God as death draws near for all of
us. Learn to be quiet and listen to the sounds of life. Celebrate
the life that has been and is, rather than focusing on loss
and what is no longer there. We, as priests, have seen many
deaths and resurrections in our lives and others. View the
deaths as a new venture, a grace, something special, and cease
new possibilities. Deaths give life to life. At each death
that means something to us, we grope our way back to the meaning
of life-and change our own. We may be able to live life more
fully and have a more peaceful death-the ultimate goal of
healing for dying and for living. What will your legacy be?
If for having known us, one soul finds the courage to carry
on, one life is brightened, one lost sheep finds its way into
the arms of God, is that not legacy enough?
Links for spiritual formation with
religious communities, societies and organizations
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| Community
of
St. John the Baptist |
Society
of St. Margaret |
Franciscan
Order
of the Divine Compassion |
Order
of the Ascension |
Order
of the Holy Cross |
Order
of Julian of Norwich |
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Third Order,
Society of Saint Francis
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Society of Saint John
the Evangelist
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Our Lady of Walsingham
Shrine
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Shalem Institute for
Spiritual Formation
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Websites for Contemplation
An
Online Retreat (a 34 week retreat for everyday life)
Sacred Space
Belief Net (A
comprehenisve site on spirituality from around the world)
A Selected Bibliography on
Spiritual Leadership and the Workplace
Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, Inc., 5430 Grosvenor
Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814
www.shalem.org
Bolman, Lee G. & Terence E. Deal. Leading With Soul:
An Uncommon Journey of the Spirit. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,
1995.
Conger, Jay, et al. Spirit at Work: Discovering the Spirituality
in Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1994.
Fox, Matthew. The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood
for Our Time. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1994.
Greenleaf, Robert K. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the
Nature of Legitimate Power & Greatness. Mahwah, NJ:
Paulist Press, 1977.
Griffin, Emilie. The Reflective Executive: A Spirituality
of Business & Enterprise. New York: Crossroads Press,
1993.
Hall, Douglas John. The Steward: A Biblical Symbol Come of
Age. Grand Rapids, MI: Erdman's Publishing, 1990.
Haughey, John. Converting 9 to 5: A Spirituality of Daily
Work. New York: Crossroads Press, 1989
Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge,
MA: Belnap/Harvard, 1994.
Jaworski, Joseph. Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership.
San Francisco, CA: Berrett Koehler Publishing, 1996
Klein, Eric & John Izzo. Awakening the Corporate Soul:
Four Paths to Unleash the Power of People at Work. Canada:
Fairwainds, 1998
Marcic, Dorothy. Managing with the Wisdom of Love: Uncovering
Virtue in People & Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,
1997.
Maynard, Jr., Herman Bryant & Mehrtens, Susan E. The
Fourth Wave: Business in the 21st Century. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishing, 1993.
McMakin, Jacqueline and Sonja Dyer. Working from the Heart:
For those who Hunger for Meaning and Satisfaction in their Work.
San Diego: LuraMedia, 1989
Miller, William C. "How Do We Putr Our Spiritual Values
to Work." New Traditions in Business: Spirit & Leadership
in the 21st Century. John Renesh (ed.). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler
Pubs., 1992.
Palmer, Parker. The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work,
Creativity, and Caring. New York: Harper & Row, 1990.
Parks, Sharon Daloz, et al. Common Fire: Leading Lives
of Commitment in a Complex World. Boston: Beacon, 1996.
Quinn, Robert. Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996
Ryken, Leland. Redeeming the Time: A Christian Approach to
Work and Leisure. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995
Sims, Bennett. Servanthood: Leadership for the Third Millennium.
Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publishing, 1997.
Vest, Norvene. Friend of the Soul: A Benedictine Spirituality
of Work. Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publishing, 1997.
Whyte, David. The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation
of the Soul in Corporate America. New York: Doubleday (Currency),
1994.
Readings for Lay
Readers and Others on the Christian Journey
Confessions — St. Augustine
The City of God — St. Augustine
On the Love of God — Bernard of Clairvaux
Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi — Bonaventura
The Imitation of Christ — Thomas a Kempis
Spiritual Exercises — Ignatius Loyola
Book of Martyrs — John Foxe
Laws of Ecclesiastical Policy — Richard Hooker
Poems — John Donne
The Temple — George Herbert
A Priest to the Temple — George Herbert
The Practice of the Presence of God — Brother
Lawrence
Journal — George Fox
Christian Perfection — Fenelon
A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life — William Law
Journals — Soren Kierkegaard
Purity of the Heart — Soren Kierkegaard
The Christian Year — John Keble
Anglicanism — P.E. Moore and F.L. Cross
Mysticism — Evelyn Underhill
Worship — Evelyn Underhill
Christus Veritas — William Temple
The Cost of Discipleship — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Shape of the Liturgy — Gregory Dix
The Diary of a Country Priest — Georges Bernanos
The Screwtape Letters — C.S. Lewis
The Mind of the Maker — Dorothy Sayers
Confessions — Augustine
Autobiography — Teresa of Avila
Waiting for God — Simone Weil
Surprised by God — C.S. Lewis
Sermons — Phillips Brooks
The Meaning of Prayer — Harry Emerson Fosdick
The Meaning of Faith — Harry Emerson Fosdick
The Meaning of Service — Harry Emerson Fosdick
The Living of These Days — Harry Emerson Fosdick
Personal Journal — George Fox
Personal Journal — Soren Kierkegaard
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