God in all things

The destination is the journey says the old sage. I am discovering this again as I travel. There is so much to pay attention to every day, every moment. Newness bombards me often. I have had an absolutely marvellous time at the 20th wedding anniversary of my friends in Leipzig where they held a dance party that required period dress. What fun it was to watch guests arrive dressed from other eras! Conversations were deep, despite the language barrier I faced. The food was delicious and plentiful. Watching my friends dance and entertain their family and friends was heartwarming. The love they have for each other is inspiring.

I have been learning lots about Germany too. This country has survived much pain and horror. Remnants of huge wall remind people of a divided country that still shows signs of differences. A visit to the Stasi police station reveal secrets of this police force of former times. That journey is indeed a destination…as is this one. However it is late here and so I must sleep. More another time.

Peace,

Suzanne

Prior to leaving, I couldn’t help but think of the footsteps of the famous saints that I would be treading in. I had not really considered some of the remarkable, yet ordinary, people whose paths I would also stumble across.  On this Feast of St. Ignatius, I entered the church of St. Thomas in Leipzig and discovered that Bach was buried on this day.  I stood in the church where he worked and wondered what it was like for this genius. I am sure hundreds of ordinary folks have brightened the church with their lives and prayer. All I can do is be In awe of the number of amazing people that have graced our world.

Peace,

Suzanne

Such a fascinating city!  I am intrigued by all the history here. There is much to learn here. I am sorting through some emotions regarding how much violence there is in our world. The heartaches that have happened here are mind-boggling as in other places such as Guatemala, South Africa and Rwanda. The city leaves a trail of tears along the remnants of the Wall. If trees could talk what would they say?

There is not much time to write today but I continue to pray that I may be open to learning new lessons for this journey called life.

Peace,

Suzanne

What do you treasure most in life? For what would you forsake everything? What does this mean for you in this day, in this moment and in this place? The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are sometimes incomprehensible. Once in awhile, like Solomon, we get it right but often we miss the mark.

In today’s First Reading Solomon’s stunning and humble response is a model for us. The Lord in a dream asks him what he should be given. Solomon begins his answer by extolling God’s great and abiding love. He expresses his inability to know how to complete even the simplest of tasks. Solomon reminds us that we are a great people, chosen by God, a people that he desires to serve well. He therefore asks God for understanding in order to govern well. God grants his request. Solomon’s heart did not chase worldly possessions or fame. He treasured service, even though he was king.

All things work together for good for those who love God we are told in the Second Reading. If we love God first and foremost in our lives, then what are we willing to do for such a great God? All things can be ours if we are called to work for a divine purpose and not our own. The work of our hands will be glorified Paul writes in Romans because we are justified. I suppose this can be twisted around and used for all sorts of wrong purposes but if love is at the root of our actions, then perhaps not.

The Gospel today has more images of the Kingdom of God. Simple images of people doing every day life and discovering the Divine right in their midst. How fantastic is that? Where do you find your treasure? What field needs buying and attention in your life right now? What do you need to get rid of in order to have room for this precious pearl?

If a field does not appeal to you, perhaps then the image of the net filled with fish might. I read for the first time though I am sure I have heard it many times before, that the bad fish will be tossed out. The next image is even more eschatological. The Angels will separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace. There are many good fish, I suspect in the net. I cannot judge even my own life, let alone someone else’s, but I struggle with this image. Again, it comes down to what do I treasure. What is in my heart? Hold fast to the old treasure of wisdom and understanding like Solomon and merge it with the new teaching of loving your neighbour and you may be able to find a path in the field that leads to Life.

There is much to ponder in today’s readings, especially as I leave on vacation. I hope to find quiet moments to see what flowers bloom in my heart and what pearls of price I want to purchase. I know these come at a great cost but as I walk the fields of Taize, I will remember this Gospel and ask the golden fields what wisdom they have for me.

Peace,

Suzanne

If you do not stand in the space where the Holy lives, fear and doubt can creep in and unsettle you. Suddenly, just prior to my departure, I am distracted and not in a place of calm.  Instead I find myself  procrastinating because I have to make some decisions about what to pack, what to leave, how to best organize myself.  Some days I think having a life partner would be helpful in these moments so that I could be spurred on.

Regardless, I find myself still excited. I wonder if my photos will turn out, if I will be safe, if my belongings will get stolen or lost, and a half dozen other whispers to knock me off my centre.  Funny how that goes. 

Perhaps I should just head to bed so that those voices are silenced. In about 36 hours I will be heading out on an adventure that you can follow here. I decided not to start a new blog since the one I was trying out did not jive with my new i-pad. I released my need to try something new at this late date. 

I shush the nay-sayer voices and know that all will be very well.

Peace,

Suzanne

In a few short days I will be boarding a plane and heading to Europe, with my first stop as Germany. For the first leg of the journey, I will be partying, reunited with a former roommate, to celebrate her 20th wedding anniversary. This is the spark that led to the decision to go to Europe and I am very much looking forward to catching up in person, exploring her home bases, and watching her and her husband glide across the dance floor surrounded by a host of people who love them.

After that though, the pace will shift a bit. Today is the Feast of St. James, who is the patron saint of pilgrims and earlier today, I placed the journey into his hands, asking that he might go ahead and prepare the way for me. I will be walking in the footsteps of the many holy people who have gone before me. Saints like Francis and Clare of Assisi, Paul in Rome, Brother Roger of Taize, and Catherine Laboure will lead the way into the depths of silence of my own heart and stir my spirit in ways yet untouched.

Several friends have walked The Way of St. James recently–El Camino as it is called. He accompanies many pilgrims on the walk through Spain. I pray that he might accompany me too, interceding for those intentions that I will carry in my heart. I have a deep desire to reconnect with the Sacred on this trip.

So I pick up my cross and follow those who followed the crucified and risen Christ. I hope to learn much from them. May my heart be open to all that comes. May the Spirits of the communion of Saints whisper loudly to me and show me the way to holiness that I may be further converted and confirmed.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

Peace,

Suzanne

God is in the details, I often think. More precisely, I am usually asking God to take care of the details. I sometimes can obsess about what has to happen in a specific time frame. As I prepare to head out on vacation, I run through a dozen scenarios that still need to unfold prior to me getting on that plane.

Tonight I said to a friend that at least this time I am going to a place where I can buy something if I need it. I won’t be hundreds of miles away from a large urban centre or in a country that has a shortage of necessities. Whatever does not get done will have to happen while I am away or I will simply have to let go of it.

This is a time of slight stress for me but I have to trust that if God takes care of the sparrow, God has these needs too. God has it. God.has.this. Breathe.

Peace,

Suzanne

I have been working on a new webpage. One that will chronicle my European trip. Stay tuned. I may post the link in the next day or so when it is done.

Peace,

Suzanne

I’m not sure why my posts have not been published but here are the ones that were in my drafts folder. I did press publish. Sigh. Not happy these days with WordPress.

When you walk through a forest do you notice the weeds among the flowers? When you look at a crop full of food yet to be eaten, are you aware of the threats to the field? Yesterday I stopped by my dad’s place and weeded the garden for a bit prior to the mosquitoes getting the best of me.

I am not a skilled gardener and I could not always tell what did not belong since I had not planted the seeds. Life is sort of like that too. We are given many gifts by God and yet we do not always know about them. We sometimes squander them or toss them aside, never even opening them. The Evil one also likes to whisper in our ear that we are not worthy of such greatness, sowing seeds of discord.

In today’s Gospel we are reminded that the good and bad seeds must grow together. We must make peace with the darkness within us and God will take care of that later. With just a mustard seed of hope and faith, we can cover great expanses. What yearns to flower within you that needs water and warmth? What needs to be yanked out in the right time?

Peace,

Suzanne