A brief meditation in a series of daily Lenten videos from the Society of St. John the Evangelist.
A small aside: I love seeing the passion, the smiles, and especially the hands on this page.
Archive for love
A dart of longing love
Category: Lent, love, Mystery, prayer, Presence / Tags: Cloud of Unknowing, Society of St. John the Evangelist, SSJE
Love came down at Christmas
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
–Christina Rosetti
Daniel E. Gawthrop composed one of my favorite settings of this poem.
You can listen to it here. (Or try here, if you have trouble.)
Souls seeking God
Nothing to do but pray
Free will. Agency. Good works.
So much of our identity as Christians, as humans, is tied up with what we do. We move in the world, we make a mark. We daily reenact the story of the Fall as we choose good or evil, obedience or disobedience. We further the Kingdom as we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. And we feel a great sense of frustration and helplessness when our friends and loved ones are burdened, and there is nothing we can do but pray.
And yet…how can we imagine we do nothing when our work becomes one with the work of the Spirit? What do we imagine we are doing when we pray?
The greatest gift we have to offer one another is indeed our collective prayer — not merely kind wishes, not simply good intentions, but deep prayer—the ability to hold, tangibly and intentionally, others in that abundant love that flows freely and gracefully within us and among us. This has substance. This has weight and heft. This, and this alone, is the source of deep healing, lasting transformation, and enduring peace.
From a pastoral letter by Episcopal Diocese of Colorado Bishop Robert O’Neill that was to be read in congregations across Colorado on Sunday, July 22, 2012 following the shooting at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado.
