Mater Dolorosa

Just returned from a trip to Southern California where I visited

 Mater Dolorosa in Sierra Madre 

with Anita, my best friend from high school. 

Our school made an annual trip to the beautiful grounds

of this  peaceful retreat center, which  includes a walkable Stations of the Cross

and the Seven Sorrows of Mary. 

The photo below is of yours truly taking a photo of a quote

from St. Paul of the Cross that was on a glossy surfaced pillar.

. 

"Nourish yourself with God's Holy Will.

Drink of the Chalice of Jesus.

Close your eyes and do not seek to know

what it will contain.

It is enough to know that Jesus offers it."

St. Paul of the Cross

Mater Dolorosa

the wise men vs.the leprechaun

Well, Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

I spent the morning facilitating a workshop on creating Celtic Blessings

and came home feeling completely blessed. 

Until of course, I heard the commotion coming from the guest bathroom.

It seems the wisemen are having "issues" with the leprechaun.

ME:  What is all the noise about?

Wiseman #1:  We want to issue a formal complaint.

ME:  About what?

Wiseman #2:  This gigantic green man you've put on our shelf.

ME:  The leprechaun?

Wiseman #3:  Yes. The leprechaun.

ME:  What seems to be the problem?

Wiseman #2:  His smirk.

ME:  Leprechauns are known for being full of mischief.

That's just his mischievous look.

Wiseman #1:  No!  He's taunting us.

Wiseman #2:  Yes, he keeps bragging about his gold.

Wiseman #3:  And we are sure it's stolen.  Call the police!

ME:  Hold on.  Calm down.  You wee fellas get riled so easily!

Wiseman#1:  He says that he will steal our gifts while we're sleeping.

ME:  Um. Knowing how much you dislike my bringing up your

immovable arms....

Wiseman #2:  We'll make an exception this one time.

ME:  Well look at his arm.  It too is permanently attached to his gold.

Wiseman #1, #2, #3:   SILENCE

ME:  Do you realize that if a human captures a leprechaun he has to

give them 3 wishes in order to regain his freedom? 

Looks to me like this could be your lucky day!

 Here's your chance to get your arms unglued!

The wisemen moved to the corner to  put their heads together to confer for several minutes.

Wiseman #2:  We've made a decision.

Wiseman #3:  Yes, We're at peace with the permanent position of our arms.

Wiseman #1:  And so we are pooling our 3 wishes.

ME:  So tell the leprechaun what you want!

Wiseman #2:  We want YOU  to remove him.

ME:  And why would I do that?

Wiseman #2:  Because we have evidence of your

fraternizing with the enemy.

ME:  What are you talking about?

Wiseman #1:  Look at this photo.  You are one of them!

ME:  OMG!  Where did you find that ancient picture? 

Wiseman #3:  Never you mind!  Please remove him

or we'll post this for all the world to know your true identity!

ME: Oh all right.  But you need to know that I'm not a

real Leprechaun.  I just play one to annoy my children.

invisible geography

Here are 2 stanzas from John O’Donohue’s “Morning Offering”

from “To Bless the Space Between Us” p. 9

 

“May my mind come alive today

to the invisible geography

That invites me to new frontiers,

To break the dead shell of yesterdays,

To risk being disturbed and changed.

 

 

May I have the courage today

To live the life that I would love,

To postpone my dream no longer

But do at last what I came here for

And waste my heart on fear no more.”

photo taken on the road to the Pololu Valley

on the big island of Hawaii

forgiveness blessing

I’m giving a Celtic Blessing Workshop this Saturday

and my mind is filled with blessings.

So over the next several days I’m going to share blessings

 from the master, John O’Donohue.

What I love about blessings is that they are a continual calling forth,

 wrapped in warmth.

Here’s part of one we could all hear over and over.

 

“May all that is unforgiven in you be released.”

To Bless the Space Between Us, p.97

 

art work: abundance

by Melanie Weidner

 

call back every judgment

"Whenever a judgment or evaluation
Arises within you,
Whether positive or negative,
Add the three words: '. . . just like me.'
You can go ahead and judge another as lazy,
But be inclusive with it: He is so lazy, just like me.
She is arrogant, just like me.
They are incompetent,
She is unreliable,
He is angry,
Just like me.
Call back positive judgments in the same way:
The Dalai Lama is so wise, just like me.
She is so compassionate,
He is so strong,
Just like me.
In this way, call back every judgment to yourself
And realize that there is no other out there:
It is all you."

— Arjuna Ardagh

the love of the faithful creator...

"The love of the faithful Creator,

The peace of the wounded Healer,

The joy of the challenging Spirit,

The hope of the Three in One

surround and encourage you

today, tonight, and forever."

The Pattern of our Days

edited by Kathy Galloway

p. 158

photo from here

revision as spiritual practice

“If a teacher told me to revise,

I thought that meant my writing was a broken-down car

that needed to go to the repair shop. I felt insulted.

I didn't realize the teacher was saying,

'Make it shine. It's worth it.'

Now I see revision as a beautiful word of hope.

It's a new vision of something.

It means you don't have to be perfect the first time.

What a relief!” – Naomi Shihab Nye, writer

Today’s quote is from Wisdom Commons – a wonderful source.

What drew me to this photo (which is by Chris Goldberg on flickr)

is that it is of a classic car on the side of the road in Cuba.

This is a '58 Buick worth repairing –

and a good reminder that the creative process is worth the work that it elicits from us. 

For a first/second/third draft of a poem, story, or sermon is a jewel that is just waiting to be mined.

Revision is a great spiritual practice!

practice

 

“You may wish to change your life,

you may be in therapy or religion,

but your new vision remains merely talk

until it enters the practice of your day.”

-John O’Donohue, Anam Cara

photo of beachfront in Kona,

where I pondered new visions

and the changes needed

for them to come to fruition

church boats

"Most church boats don't like to be rocked;

they prefer to lie at anchor rather than go places in stormy seas.

But that's because we Christians view the church as the object of our love

instead of the subject and instrument of God's.

Faith cannot be passive, it has to go forth -

to assault the conscience, excite the imagination.

Faith fans the flames of creativity altogether as much

as it banks the fires of sin."  - William Sloane Coffin

see Aidan Hart's icons here