Sunday October 15: The Kairos of Now

To Practice: 

• Re-read the passages above in the manner of Lectio Divina, perhaps aloud so you can engage more of your senses. What do you hear for your journey now?

• As you  move through your day, make a habit of tuning in to what you hear underneath the external sounds. Can you hear the constant rising tide of “the original sound”?

• The practice of silent retreats is an opportunity to rest and experience kairos time. Even a half-day or full day is beneficial. If you don’t have a regular practice of retreat-going, you may wish to search for one that suits you, either in-person or via Zoom. You can search our online calendar here; it is updated weekly by local volunteers who offer retreats. You can also search local chapter websites here for offerings, especially if you live outside the United States. Another possibility is to create your own retreat at home or in another setting.

If you wish to re-read the full email reflection, you may do so here: https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/word-of-the-week-oct15

Two themes struck home with me. In my youth I lived in relative poverty. In my mature years I lived in relative wealth. I know the wisdom that brings into my life. I know the balance. If you have lived your whole life in poverty or in wealth, than you do not have this experience. You may not know what St. Paul is talking about. I think I do. I have never been afraid of losing my abundance, because I know how to survive being poor. If you don’t know how to do that, you are afraid of losing your abundance because you may think you can not survive. But look at the lilies of the field. You and I know that divine providence always cares for us in abundance or in poverty. That is my life experience. It gave me my faith in Divine Providence. I know from experience that God will ALWAYS lift us up. In centering prayer we come to know Divine Providence in all matters lifting us up.

The second theme was a prayer said before every class led by the La Salle Christian Brothers “Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.” I use that in centering prayer. I often think of two people who “glowed” from being in the presence of God. One was a scripture scholar, a priest. The other was a retired Amish mother, homemaker, farmer. She spent her old age reading scripture all day long and welcoming visitors like me. From that I know that Lectio Divina is a great gateway to centering prayer and I have the book provided by CO. Needless to say that I do not glow yet like those that I have met, but at least I know that it is possible.  I met Mother Teresa and you know the work her nuns do. Very difficult work. The rule of her order requires the nuns to spend a great deal of time, in silence, in the presence of God, to enable them to do the difficult work they do. The more difficult our lives, the more time we must spend in silence with our God to continue, just as St. Teresa of Calcutta requires of her nuns.That is why CO is so very important in our lives. So very important to the world we live in.

What an amazing God we have and how amazing his friends….here.

this is what just now knocked my socks off: Absence is the form God’s presence makes in the world. Simone Weil

i wonder , as I practice surrender, will I welcome the reality that anything may happen at any moment, that something isn’t good or bad for me. It just is. And God is in the middle of what is. There (here) is where I in-tend to be. With the God (of my understanding).

Father Keating speaks to my journey with that “unifying point between rest and activity, at which they interpenetrate and become one.” Brother Lawrence echoes this in his writings as well. Both mystics share how to practice the presence of God from interior stillness while being fully present to our God ordained lives. I sense the way to stay near the unifying point is to infuse my life with Spirit’s love. Accepting the love for myself bring the stillness. Kairos living means pouring out that love with activity to support others. <3 linda

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