Tuesday, April 22, 2014

What now? Two - April 22, 2014


The Power of the Threshold

The Resurrection is not a single event, but a loosening
of God's power and light into the earth and into history
that continues to alter all things, infusing them
with the grace and power of God's own holiness.
It is as though a door was opened, and what poured out
will never be stopped, and the door cannot be closed.

                                                                                                        Megan McKenna

Responding to Easter, Possibility One
Service

In Sacred Thresholds Paula D'Arcy tells a story about providing an evening program for women inmates at a nearby prison. Before she left home, Paula received specific instructions about what to do before going through the prison's security system. Consequently, when she arrived at the prison's parking lot, she complied with the instructions in this way:

            I popped the trunk of my car and removed every piece of jewelry, including
            my watch. I threw in my pocketbook. I removed my car key from a key ring
            bursting with keys, each one representing entry into the busyness of my life. From
            my wallet I retrieved my license. It was a strange exercise with a great deal
            of power....Your education and degrees no longer serve you. No one cares.
            Your level of income is irrelevant. Your pretenses are dangerous. Nothing
            will get through the metal detectors but who you really are.

Who you really are. No matter what form of paid or volunteer work we do...the most valuable gift we bring to this labor is our self. The more we open the door of our depths and learn from what we find there, the greater spiritual richness we are able to bring to others. We go forth humbly, no longer hiding behind the careful defense of our persona. We enter our work knowing there is much to receive from others as well as give to them. We set out with the power of the Holy One alive and resilient in us...

Prayer

Teacher and Healer
you brought the gift of yourself
to those who benefited from your work
You touched them with well springs of love
Remind me each day to do the same.                                                                Joyce Rupp






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