Prayer

"Always be joyful, pray continually; give thanks, whatever happens".
New Zealand Book of Prayer

The Gospel on Sunday was Luke 11: 1-13. This is the story of when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus our beloved, teaches them to pray The Lord's Prayer.

How do you pray? When do you pray?

I know for me my favorite time to pray is that moment between asleep and fully awake. I am in between here and there and that place is so peaceful. God meets me there. It is our little moment where time stands still and I enter into an intimacy of my inner self and God offers me the opportunity to enter into his intimacy. It is in this dwelling place that the omnipotent hand of God embraces me as I begin my day. A holy interchange. A blessing. A gift.

I love to pray while I walk my dogs, there is something about being outside and feeling close to God. I love the Book of Common Prayer, the New Zealand Prayer Book and Celtic Prayers from Iona. I pray the rosary everyday. There are times I pray and meditate on the rosary and the psalms, or a particular scripture will speak to me and I carry it with me throughout the day. The repetition of the prayers prepares my mind for clarity and quiet. To just be with God.

Henri Nouwen, who is one of my favorite theologians, writes about prayer being the bridge between our conscious and unconscious lives. Prayer connects these two sides where God dwells. "Prayer is "soul work" because our souls are those sacred centers where all is one and where God is with us in the most intimate way. (Bread for the Journey)"

I grew up knowing prayer was about talking to God and that was always comforting to me . As I have grown in my prayer life I have learned that it is in the silence of prayer that God speaks. Probably for me, the silence gives God a chance to get a word in!

Silence and being still does take practice. For me, it has become a discipline. Life is busy and my to do list can take away from this sacred time. I attended a women's retreat in the spring and that was a starting point for me to be intentional about contemplative prayer.

"Be still and aware of God's presence within and around." (Celtic Prayers from Iona) The first time I read these words I slowed down. I re-read it, but as I read those words a second time, I was breathing them in and exhaling calm. For me these 10 words help me be very intentional about silencing my senses,calming every part of me to be very present for dwelling with God.

Intentional silence can awaken an awareness that there is an interwoven presence of God dwelling and dwelling in God. These moments slow my breathing and place my heart within the embrace of the peace that passes all understanding. You know, I use to hear that , week after week: ...the peace that passes all understanding...and I would think. "That's nice". It wasn't until I experienced that peace that passes all understanding, during prayer one day that it had such different meaning. Now when I hear those words, I close my eyes and my breathing changes, my entire body is once again embraced by this amazing, life giving peace. Prayer, this peace, my breath is breathing in the breath of God.

In Sunday's homily, Rev. Mary Kay ended with The Lord's Prayer, a version that she shared she learned during her time at the National Cathedral. It seemed especially beautiful.

Our Father, Loving mother in heaven,
May we hold your name in awe.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, in us, among us, and throughout the earth, as in heaven.
Give us today all the bread we need.
Forgive the wrong we do, and the wrong that is in our hearts.
Help us to forgive all those who have wronged us.
Save us in times of trial, And deliver us from every evil.
For the kingdom is yours, the power is yours, and the glory is yours-now and for all time. Amen.

Namaste,
Maureen

I was out walking along the quiet dirt road behind my house with my two labs, Rocky and Max. The road winds through a few farms. The beauty always takes my breath away. Each time I walk I get lost in my thoughts. Sometimes I am just quiet taking the beauty of creation in, other times I engage in the dance my dogs do with the cows.

Each time I walk this path I discover something different. I have seen rainbows, new birds coming alive in their nests, mama cows taking care of their babies, flowers blooming,horses grazing,bugs dancing on the creek water, even the ants in the dirt seem to have a particular mission.

On this particular day, I was contemplating what my life is about, what my life has become and what will my life be like as my journey continues. The conversation I had with myself went something like this:"Okay God, I am feeling a bit frustrated with you. I know it is okay to tell you that, right? What are you doing? What are you up to? What are you asking of me? Are you testing me? Struggles at home. Struggles with my kids. I know you are here. My faith tells me yes but there are times, especially now in this moment,I cry out, help me. I need you. Show me what to do." Well, as I said these words 10-15 butterflies were circling me. They were yellow and two were quite large and purple. They stayed with me for sometime, circling me as I continued my walk.


God certainly got my attention. It was that pick yourself up by your boot straps, kick in the pants, tug on my heart, embrace by my Beloved. I smiled and knew God was walking with me.

Hmmmm. Movement of the Spirit indeed.

Butterflies.

These delicate creatures made me think. They are so beautiful yet their journey to this point has been no easy task.That feels very familiar. Their reward of living through the darkness of their cocoon enables them to float in the breeze of God's spirit. Quite a transformation and that feels inviting to me.

I smiled to myself thinking there was a lesson in this for me. The lesson is challenging and difficult at times. God's call is challenging and difficult at times. Quite possibly, for the kingdom of God to happen within my life, my community, my family, my church, I must give something up, let something die. Is there an attitude or way of thinking that keeps me from experiencing the fullness of the grace that Jesus intends for me? Is there some something I must confront to lift some darkness, mine or for someone else? Maybe I have to let go of some of the things that take up my time and give that time to God. Completely. I think this is the cost of discipleship.

In that moment on my walk I realized that yes, these butterflies are a symbol for me, of the transformation that is taking place in my life through the power of Jesus, creating a complete metamorphosis of my soul. This journey that God is calling me to, requires me to leave behind what I know and embrace a new way of being and submit to the mystery and trust of God's plan for me. There are quiet times, dark times, lonely times,prayerful times, times of joy, times of grace and times of peace that passes all understanding. God is present and working in all of this.

My faith enables me to trust and believe God and His Word when circumstances, emotions, people and reason point the other way. Like the apostle Paul, "for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."

Jesus says to his beloved,"do not fear". During my walk Jesus answered my questions and He spoke a tender yet powerful whisper to me. "Let go, let the mystery unfold and I will be there with you. I am here in the darkness and you will emerge as something more beautiful that you can imagine."

So I leave you today with the following scripture. Read it, meditate on it, pray and welcome your own transformation..

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Corinthians 5:17

Namaste,
Maureen

Here I am

Well, here I am taking the plunge into blogging. I have been writing on and off since I was a child. It has been a venue that enables me to write what is on my heart. Lately, I find myself waking to the whisper of a summer breeze or the sweet sound of the cows "moo" and I am nudged to write in the stillness of the night, often ending as the sunrises over the horizon.

So here I am. I figure I will write about my own evolving views on theology,thoughts on the liturgy I love,my ministry,sermons that touch my heart or challenge me,the people who inspire me,and what ever the Spirit moves me to share.

I am on an amazing journey in my life right now. For the past few years I have been in discernment to where God is calling me in my life. I tried to ignore my call for sometime but God is persistent. I finally "stepped out of the boat", like the apostle Peter,stepping into the unknown to which God is calling. Peter walks, becomes frightened by the wind, begins to sink, cries out to Jesus, and is rescued. This is not a story about the skeptic who doubts, but a story of a faithful follower who becomes overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding him, who begins to lose his nerve when he discovers the odds stacked against him, but who from Jesus finds a steadying, delivering hand. Peter's story is my story. It is that bridge of faith that allows me to move between the known and unknown, toward a new horizon with limitless possibilities, opening my consciousness and allowing me to see the invisible, all guided by the voice of God. This has given me new life, new energy and a new purpose to my living. The path isn't always easy or comfortable but it is my path that is set by God for me and "all things are possible for those who believe". So, here I am...

Upon completing my formal discernment this spring and with my committee coming to consensus,I know and trust that God is calling me to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. What is God up to? A wife. A mother. A priest? I am saying yes!

I invite you along on my journey. I look forward to your comments and discussion as we learn and grow together in the Spirit.

Namaste,
Maureen