God in all things

I have upgraded computers although it is still a PC but it is definitely faster. By the weekend I hope to have it all up and running, with my favourites and email switched over. I have so much to learn but I must confess that even though I just bought a new tower, the screen display looks so much better that it is as if I got everything new. I am a little bit nervous and a whole lot excited about the possibility of what this computer means. I hope to be able to write more and create photo books with a little more ease. I suspect using Skype might be faster too, with less freezes. I have been wanting to do this for some time but kept putting if off, mostly for financial reasons. My mantra since seeing my charge card bill (which also entailed new glasses which have yet to arrive and my Christmas shopping) is “Give me just a little more than enough, God.” Really, enough is enough, but just a wee bit more would allow me to breathe easily and continue to be generous. The prayer for abundance sometimes scares me so this one feels comfortable to me.

Thank you, God for the great gifts you give. Help me to be generous because of them and to serve you wherever and whenever I can.

When was the last time you gave thanks for having more than enough?

Peace,

Suzanne

I am not sure when I stopped breathing during 12 Years a Slave but it was early on. This was the second movie I had seen this weekend and, like Philomena, the religious folks come out looking hideous. What happens when we think we understand Scripture and yet that could not be further than the truth?

Today’s gospel has John the Baptist clearly knowing his role–he came baptizing with water so that the Lamb of God would be revealed. John testifies that the Son of God has arrived. In the end, John pays greatly for his role in announcing the Kingdom of God. John, however, did what was asked of him, difficult as it was. The protagonists in the movies underwent great hardships too, but remained faithful to God.

Both films were amazing. The protagonists suffered greatly at the name of organized religion and from those who did not know their role, who abused their power, and who misunderstood Scripture. Today’s psalmist sings, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined his ear to me and heard my cry. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”  I think in the end both protagonists can sing a new song of praise but the painful journey to that place seemed unbearable to me. As I watched them suffer, my heart broke. So much wrong was done to them and I know that God suffered with them. 

Both films are based on fact–on real people–which is why I think they were harder to watch for me. Philomena’s story is heart-breaking on many levels and the abuses of the Catholic Church are painful for me to witness. Solomon’s 12-year journey is gut-wrenching. I honestly did stop breathing until I started to weep right at the end. I do not think I exhaled until the tears finally came. Faith played a strong role for both Philomena and Solomon and in the end, their resilience was buoyed by their belief in something bigger than themselves. There are powerful scenes of redemption in both films. 

I wondered though what they thought as they waited patiently for the Lord to hear their cry and then act. Each time there was a roadblock or a setback, what ran through their minds? Each cruelty endured must have cast doubt. Was the Lord inclining an ear? Philomena again and again sings praise to God. In the end, we see beautiful and heart-stopping acts of forgiveness. We see that God rescued them and placed their feet on solid ground. Solomon especially is a broken man but they both allow their testimonies to be made public so that, as in the first reading today from Isaiah, they would be light for the nations. Their stories, as painful as they are, must be told. As difficult as they are, we must, like the Lord, incline our ears and hear their cries.

Peace,

Suzanne

This week’s photography homework had the options of shooting two out of three items: a bench, a fire hydrant and a monument. I took a lot of photos of colourful hydrants against the snow and tried to find one of the painted mural ones to no avail. I shot a wonderful photo of the monument to honour Nellie McClung. I took several benches and liked them. I decided to go shopping. I saw the clean benches without any snow as I walked towards one of the stores and then I saw this: icicles dripping off a bench arm. I spotted it from afar and thought this was the photo that could make the difference. Sometimes we just need eyes to see.

Peace,

Suzanne

Sometimes we just need to take a minute to breathe and ask, “What’s wrong with this picture?” When we just stop and look, really look, at a situation, something might become really clear. What in your life needs a time out, a good look, and an answer that you have been waiting for?

Peace,

Suzanne

Today wraps up the Christmas season. We move back into ordinary time tomorrow.  I feel somewhat sad to say goodbye this year. My tree is down, but my twinkle lights remain. I will soon pack up the Magi and the Holy Family. I will miss their presence in my living room.

Today we read the beautiful story of the baptism of Jesus, where a voice from heaven announces, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We see John hesitant to perform the baptism but Jesus encourages him to do it in order to fulfill the plan. How many times are we reluctant to do something and then upon prayer and discernment, step out and do it for the greater good? How often do we need reassurance that God calls us beloved too and has great plans for us if only we trust?

Today I facilitated a retreat for a small church group that I greatly admire. They are once again struggling and I suspect I planted a few seeds of hope for them. There were a few tears and a sense of uncertainty regarding the future of this church but still I was blessed by how they persevere both personally and as an organization. We sometimes do not see our own ability to bless because as the beloved God will work in ways that are much needed in order to heal the world. In the first reading from Isaiah, the Lord says, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.” God likes to recognize the people who are God’s chosen. God loves to delight in us. Today I saw that in this small group. What an honour to watch!

If you could name one thing that you do that brings God delight, what would it be?

Peace,

Suzanne

Tonight as I did prison ministry, my mind and heart raced. I listened to a man talk about how he tried to commit suicide rather than bounce back in. I heard his pain and I felt my own frustration rise at the system that failed him. We had been in contact “on the street” as they say in prison lingo and when I saw that he was back inside a few months ago, I had hoped we would be able to talk. Tonight that happened.

Talk he did. Almost non-stop for the visiting hour, he told me one thing after another, with me sliding comments and reflecting back to him what I heard whenever I could. I challenged him on some of his thinking, telling him he deserved better. At one point, he admitted I was right, that he did deserve better. He told me about the crime that he committed and I could hear the shame in his voice. In life, most of us mess up at some point. Perhaps we do not do something that lands us in jail, but we do something dishonest or act without integrity and Grace steps in and washes that away…or attempts to but may be blocked by our lack of self-worth. I saw that so clearly tonight in this man and my heart broke a little. I see it from time to time in the men who are really working on themselves. I am humbled when I see it.

I also feel rise within me a deep desire to hug these men who need to know they are loved–in an honest, non-sexual way. I sense that God wants to scoop them up in arms that heal and squeeze out all that holds them prisoner to their mis-thinking and self-loathing. We build our own prison walls sometimes. These barriers prevent us from living fully and joyfully.  We fool ourselves into what we call reality when God desires freedom from our limiting thoughts.

What walls are keeping you locked up right now? Can you let go and allow God to permeate these barriers and heal them?

Peace,

Suzanne

The past few weeks in the busy Christmas season, the number one story seemed to be about weather in Canada, and some areas of the USA. In some places, it has been bitterly cold; in others, icy rain has cramped activities. Rolling blackouts hit one part of the country and sunshine the other. I have trudged on, just doing what needs to be done, like a true Prairie Girl. My city has been compared to Mars and the North Pole and come out as the winner for frigid temperatures.

This has been accompanied by complaints about the roads. In December we had 20% more accidents which primarily happened after Christmas thanks to the ruts in the roads and the slippery conditions. Broken bumpers and other car parts are littered on street corners.  Staff in autobody shops are probably some of the few people not complaining.

In the meantime, not much is said about the homeless people or the squeezee kids. Passing one today I prayed he was taking breaks in his begging so that he would not get frostbite. I have seen a story on pets and keeping the warm so at least someone was considering the toll on cats and dogs.

In the end, we will have weathered it all well and welcomed the warmer temperatures and sun as they arrive.

Stay happy people! We can get through this.

Peace,

Suzanne