Here I am Lord, open to your love.

This reflection reminds me my best daily love practice is to pray then do the next practical thing. Like the rest of humanity, my days are filled with many practical things that need doing. In choosing one as a love starting point, I find a natural rhythm for the unfolding of my day. “May I live in love.” <3 linda

My deepest gratitude for posting Judy Sorum Brown’s “Trough”. Trough living is tough. At times it seems easier to stay busy when no new horizons are evident. Yet resting, stillness “keeping our energy and noticing the shape of things, the flow. …” allows me to see where I need to swim. Judy knows there is still work to swim – I know I am not removed from the waters, the trials. I am best using my energy to regain my sense of where I am. <3 linda

On retreat I experienced metta as a prayer blessing. As a group, we paired off, first one praying the blessing and laying on hands, then the other. As the metta closed, we turned to another partner and performed the metta anew, until all in the group had been blessed, loved by touch, and moved to tears of community. May all our hearts know Peace. <3 linda

[linda rhead]

I received several prayer sentences for my journey from today’s reflection.

From Cynthia Bourgeault: Centering prayer … kenosis in meditation form.

From Ilia Delio: Welcome the refining fire that consumes whatever obstructs love while building communities of profound compassion.

From Seng Ts’an: Do not like, do not dislike: all will then be clear.

<3 linda

• This reply was modified 4 days, 2 hours ago by linda rhead.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes writes “To display the lantern of the soul in shadowy times like this – to be fierce and to show mercy toward others, both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity. Struggling souls catch fire from other souls who are fully lit and willing to share it.”

I have been both struggling soul and fierce to show mercy. Contemplative practices allow movement from struggle to fierceness to be wrapped by overarching love of God, self and all creation. Silence lights my pat as my candle illumines my desk. Lord, keep me close to the furnace of Divine Love. <3 linda

St. Bennedict’s Monastery, Snowmass, Colorado, is one of my thin places. Recently sold, I will not be able to revisit except in my mind’s eye. The prayer energy of the monks and retreatants sustain me to this day. May St. Benedict’s continue to bless the new owners with grace and peace. <3 linda

“Christ is here.” Gotta love when Spirit uses a writing prompt to call me out about my own lack of faith. I recognized Christ’s presence in my life with my brother, text messaging a friend and my sister. I resisted recognizing Christ in myself. As I allow Spirit to inform me, I am shown that grief has “Greatly Restricted Incoming, Endless Fidelity.” Merriam Webster defines fidelity as “the quality or state of being faithful (fidelity to your spouse)” – as in relationships. Jesus’ unwavering fidelity to me call for my response to be as unwavering as I am able. Lord, help me release my grief to restore fidelity to You. <3 linda

Gazing upon “Heaven on Earth, 2014” the first impression that comes to mind is how disoriented I feel. I sensed a similar disorientation what God “out there in heaven” moved into the deepest recesses of my heart. I see myself in the artwork walking down the steps, one foot on the edge and solidity, the other stepping in the sky and full trust I am stepping in heaven. So glad for contemplative practices to deep me oriented. <3 linda

I find myself drawn to Father Keating’ words, seen through a different set of lenses for my spiritual eyes. “Without contemplative prayer, action easily becomes mechanical, routine, draining and may lead to burnout. At the very least, it fails to perceive the gold mine that ordinary life contains. … the treasures of holiness in the most trivial and mundane events.”

Pain and loss are two powerful lens “foggers”. Only time, healing and great loving support clears the film. I can again find the holy treasures in the daily routine of a newly restructured life. Thanks be to God, this contemplative community and the next practical (hence holy) thing that needs doing. <3 linda

“In any relationship, fierce love causes us to cross boundaries and borders to discover one another, to support one another, to heal one another.” The beauty of a labyrinth is it has well defined, distinct boundaries that can be crossed with little effort; a slight misstep finds one in a new lane.

As I learn to love better, I find it is in my missteps to love that a deeper way to love is revealed. I believed it to look one way. I step, stumble upon a different path. I reorient to my North, the Love I seek. I sense the scholar in today’s Gospel was also caught off step by Jesus’ question and found a new way to see and love better. <3 linda

I spent a few weeks with a dear friend recently, and together we made a pilgrimage to a Benedictine Monastery. While present with each other, we were also alone with God. We joined others at the monastery for prayers and a meal. Each worked on tasks as Spirit led. We blessed the space that held us close to God and to each other. Our time away filled us so we could rejoin and bless our worlds. <3 linda

I experienced an event that called for the Welcoming Prayer, yet I did not exercise it in the moment. When I sit with the sensations still in my body, I found deep yearnings and hunger for love. I am being called to deepening my trust that love is the primary reason I experienced this event, and with my full knowledge and agreement I consented to this same event. I am surprised and humbled at my upset, and grateful for the reminder that the Welcoming Prayer is ready for me when I am ready to face myself. <3 linda

What do I need to offer today?

What am I holding back?

I have to love the Spirit of God, member of the Godhead Who speaks in few, yet powerfully convicting, words. While I sat in silence pondering the twin questions above, the Spirit gently and firmly suggested the same answer: myself. Ouch. Absolutely true. Spirit, help me not withhold myself anymore, I offer myself to Your loving service. <3 linda

“heal the world, one heart at a time…”

How would I live if I was exactly what’s needed to heal the world? … our very wounds … enable us to make a difference.”

I trust when I post a reflection, no matter when it was published, my words are meant for this time and place and space. My very wounds which kept me from writing this past summer have healed enough for me to cautiously return to Merton’s dance. How would I live if I was exactly what’s needed to heal the world? Pray, write, post, dance. Repeat. <3 linda

I spent time away from my usual environment out to lunch at a busy local eatery. I dined alone yet along with all present. My attention was drawn to those preparing our meals. They each had their roles and had worked together long enough to time their movements perfectly. This event brought Brother Lawrence’s experiences in his kitchen to mind: practicing the presence of God among the pots and pans. <3 linda

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