guest post by Evelyn Heard
On my walk yesterday I came upon the same elderly lady that I had traded smiles with on previous days. She was stooped over tending her small but exquisite garden, encouraging Spring to show its face. She then slowly straightened up and kicked in for a lengthy chat. The conversation inevitably led to COVID-19 and its impact on us personally and our community, which prompted her to relate the story of Vivian Bullwinkle.
Vivian was a nurse with the Australian Army and in September 1941 she sailed for Singapore. On February 12th 1942, Vivian and 65 other nurses boarded the SS Vyner Brooke to escape as Singapore had surrendered in defeat. They saw the huge fires burning along the coastline as they sailed for freedom under the cover of darkness. Two days later their ship was sunk by Japanese aircraft but Vivian and twenty-one other nurses, together with a large group of men, women and children somehow made it to shore to Radji Beach on Bangka Island. The survivors split up on the island with the nurses staying on the beach to look after the wounded. On the sixteenth of February, Japanese soldiers discovered the survivors and motioned for the nurses to wade into the sea where they were machine-gunned from behind. Vivian was struck by a bullet in her hip and lay motionless in the water pretending to be dead surrounded by her deceased colleagues until the Japanese soldiers left and the tide took her pain-riddled body back to shore. She managed to hide in the jungle for a while before being captured and enduring three and a half years as a prisoner of war. Her survival was nothing short of inspirational. She returned home to live a full and productive life devoted to nursing, becoming the Matron of the Queen’s Memorial Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne. She devoted decades honouring and raising funds for a memorial for her fallen colleagues, eventually dying in July 2000 in Perth, Western Australia.
I looked at the lined worn face telling me Vivian’s story as she related personal stories of other hardships she had been through. When things get tough this elderly lady puts on her “Vivian” and soldiers through. In these past eighteen months it is the stories from the over 80’s that have inspired me and given me renewed hope and purpose. Each generation in history faces hardships of one type or another. Our present circumstances truly reflect war times except that the enemy is not visible. Stories of hope and inspiration are very much needed to encourage one another in these times of separation from family and friends. Many now are struggling to find hope and purpose in what seems to be a never-ending journey of hardship. Perhaps the older folk around us are a resource for us in ways that we never imagined. Listening to their stories might also be a gift to them!
The Apostle Paul’s reminder of the value of these stories written years ago has a new relevance for us today. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope”. Romans 15:4
Evelyn Heard is a Melbourne Writer; Photo by Eduardo Barrios on Unsplash
Now available for registration! Join Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin as they explore what it means to find beauty in the ashes and prepare for a meaningful Lenten journey. Live via Zoom on Saturday, February 26th from 9:30 am PT to 12:30 pm PT (check my timezone). This retreat will include opportunities for creativity and contemplation, interaction and informative refreshment – but is also designed to be recorded as a course. If you aren’t able to make it live, you will still enjoy all the fun, and have the recording as yours forever to enjoy at your own pace. Click here to register as a live-or-later participant!
February 1 marks the feast day of St. Brigid of Ireland. Her life approximately dates from 452-523. Saints have always been a part of my faith tradition and spiritual journey. However, I knew little of St. Brigid except that she was considered one of the patron saints of Ireland and finds a place on the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Episcopal Church calendars.
That all changed in 2017 when I arrived at St. Brigid’s Anglican Cathedral in Kildare, Ireland. I was amazed! The cathedral was built in the 13th century on the same land where St. Brigid’s monastery was centuries before. Entering the building, her image in the stained glass window actually took my breath away. There she stood right between St. Patrick and St. Columba. And what was she holding? A crozier, the primary symbol of the office of Bishop! Stories are told that the bishop said the wrong prayer over her as she was being set apart as an abbess, making her a bishop in the church. To see what I had considered to be a folktale preserved in the historical record of the church (the window) was amazing.
St Brigid’s Window, St. Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare, Ireland
Bishop aside, she is remembered as a fine monastic leader, a spiritual guide and a healer. She and her double monastery (she presided over both men and women) were known for their generous hospitality and their compassionate care for the sick, the poor and the oppressed far beyond the gates of the monastery.
St. Brigid is predated by the Irish Goddess, Brigid sometimes spelled Brigit. Some speculate that the many legends which surround the saint are actually Christian versions of the traditions of the pre-Christian goddess. The goddess Brigid was associated with animals and nature, the elements of water and fire and poets, artisans and healing.
Upon leaving the cathedral the day I was in Kildare, my friend and I looked for lunch in the village. Amazingly, signs of Brigid were everywhere.
Brigid’s Cross, Shop Window, Kildare, Ireland
I saw her image in a fine tile portrait in front of a local pub, pictured with her legendary mantle. Just a few doors down the road her cross was displayed in a shop window. I imagined the owners hung her cross asking for her special prayers of blessing and protection on their business.
There are many accounts about the cross of Brigid being placed in homes and shrines asking for her blessing and companionship. I knew this but I was not prepared to see her large cross guarding houses on Inish Mor in the Aran Islands. In Ireland, the presence of Brigid both goddess and saint, continues to be a blessing: in the church, the market place and home.
Brigid’s Cross, adorning house, Inish Mor, Ireland
Brigid’s story and presence is still enmeshed in the lives of everyday people. Countless wells dot the countryside of Ireland where people go for healing and prayer. Fire is still kindled in her name. Women in childbirth pray to her for protection. She is invoked for safe passage in travel, in prayers before sleeping and in prayers before rising.
A prayer from the Carmina Gadelica sums up her importance:
I am under the shielding
Of good Brigit each day;
I am under the shielding
Of good Brigit each night.
I am under the keeping
Of the Nurse of Mary, *
Each early and late,
Every dark, every light.
Brigit is my comrade-woman,
Brigit is my maker of song,
Brigit is my helping-woman,
My choicest of women, my guide. –Carmina Gadelica
*Legend places Brigit at the birth of Jesus as the midwife to Mary.
In his most recent book, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, John Phillip Newell devotes an entire chapter to Brigid. Most notably he writes,
“Brigid is an icon for us today of sacred feminine strength. It is particularly the strength of faithfulness to the interrelationship of all things. What most endangers us as an earth community today is that we have neglected our interrelationships as countries, faiths and races. The reality is that we need one another. Awareness of the sacred feminine enables us to protect one another’s well-being, not simply the wellbeing of our people, our community or our species.”
We need the witness and presence of St. Brigid in our lives, specifically because of the deep divisions that govern our world at the moment. Her life and also her spirit which continues to enliven so many has a message for us today. She invites us to build bridges by seeing the divine; humanity and creation as being sacred and a blessing. She shows us how to manifest the compassion of Jesus by being in right relationship with our neighbors, strangers and the Earth. She calls us to pray but to also see our lives as an act of prayer by loving, caring for, and sharing all the gifts that God has given us.
Brigid the saint and Brigit the goddess embodies and personifies the beauty of shalom, God’s vision of wholeness and peace for the Earth and humanity. It is a right and joyful thing to celebrate her life and legacy this day!
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Celtic Prayer Cards include 10 prayers inspired by ancient Celtic saints like Patrick or contemporary Celtic writers like John O’Donohue. A short reflection on the back of each card will introduce you to the Celtic Christian tradition, along with prayers by Christine Sine and beautiful imagery crafted by Hilary Horn. Celtic Prayer Cards can be used year-round or incorporated into various holidays. Available in a single set of 10 cards, three sets, or to download.
February 1st we celebrate the life and death of Brigid of Kildare, one of my favourite Celtic saints. One of the things I love about Brigid is her strong emphasis on hospitality. Some of the beautiful Celtic hospitality blessings and runes are attributed to her.
Hospitality was one of the most demanding and often costly tasks undertaken by the Celtic monasteries . Celtic Christians believed hospitality was not only meant to be a custom in their homes, they believed it was also a key into the kingdom of God. The guest house or hospitium, often occupied the best site within the monastic community and, though the monks might live on bread and water, visitors would often receive the best of food and drink. The monastery at Derry is said to have fed a thousand hungry people each day. Brigid, who presided over the monastery at Kildare, often made butter for visitors. Tradition has it that when churning the butter, Brigid would make thirteen portions – twelve in honour of the apostles and an extra one in honour of Christ which was reserved for guests and the poor.
According to Christine Pohl in her inspirational book Making Room, the tradition of hospitality was once an important part of all Christian communities and revolved around the welcoming of strangers into one’s home. “For most of the history of the church, hospitality was understood to encompass physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of human existence and relationships. It meant response to the physical needs of strangers for food, shelter and protection, but also a recognition of their worth and common humanity. In almost every case, hospitality involved sharing meals: historically table fellowship was an important way of recognizing the equal value and dignity of persons.” Making Room p4)
The following litany revolves around the practice of hospitality and incorporates a number of Celtic blessings and prayers. You may like to get together with a group of friends over a meal and discuss how you could become God’s hospitality to your community. Use this litany to focus your minds and hearts on the call to be Christ’s hospitality to our world. Brigid’s prayer which is used as part of this litany, also makes a great grace before a meal. You might like to write out copies for each person and recite it together as you begin your meal
Celtic Hospitality Litany
Leader: The Celtic Christians believed that hospitality was not only meant to be a custom in their homes, they believed it was a key into the Kingdom of God. To offer hospitality was seen as receiving Christ into their midst and fulfilling the law of love. Let us sit in silent prayer for a moment to remind ourselves of the incredible hospitality of our Creator who invites us into the divine presence and into the eternal family.
All stand for lighting of the candle
Leader: The King is knocking. If thou would’st have thy share of heaven on earth, lift the latch and let in the king of Kings. (Hebridean welcome)
All: Christ as a light illumine and guide us
Christ as a shield overshadow us
Christ under me, Christ over us,
Christ beside us, On our left and our right
This day be within and without us
Lowly and meek yet all-powerful
Be in the heart of each to whom we speak
In the mouth of each who speaks to us
This day be within and without us
Lowly and meek yet all-powerful
Christ as a light, Christ as a shield
Christ beside us, on our left and our right (Northumbria Morning Prayer)
Leader: Brigid the fifth-century Irish saint, was famed for her hospitality. The following prayer is attributed to her. As we recite it let us consider our own need to be God’s hospitality to others
All: I should like a great lake of finest ale, for the King of Kings
I should like a table of the choicest food, for the family of heaven.
Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith, and the food be forgiving love.
I should welcome the poor to my feast, for they are God’s children.
I should welcome the sick to my feast, for they are God’s joy.
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place, and the sick dance with the angels
God bless the poor, God bless the sick, and bless our human race.
God bless our food, God bless our drink, all homes, O God, embrace.
Leader: I open my heart to Christ in the stranger,
People: To Christ in the face of colleague and friend,
Leader: I open my heart to the one who is wounded
People: To Christ in the hungry, the lonely, the homeless
Leader: I open my heart to the one who has hurt me
People: To Christ in the faces of sinner and foe
Leader: I open my heart to those who are outcast
People: To Christ in the broken, the prisoner, the poor
Leader: I open my heart to all who are searching
People: To Christ in the world God’s generous gift
Scripture Readings –
Psalm 84
Hebrews 12:28 – 13:8
Mark 12: 28-34
After the gospel reading recite the following Declaration of Faith
We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ the Son
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One
Leader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you
Leader: Let us pray
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen
Leader: Let us pray that we may learn what it means to be God’s hospitality to our world
Kneel or stand for the prayers
Leader: That the barriers that divide us may be broken down,
All: Lord have mercy
Leader: That we may live by the law of love in unity, peace and concord
All: Lord have mercy
Leader: That we may come to mutual understanding and care,
All: Lord have mercy
Leader: Upon all who are torn apart by war and by violence
All: Christ have mercy
Leader: Upon all who suffer from dissensions and quarrels,
All: Christ have mercy
Leader: Upon all who are divided in their loyalty and love,
All: Christ have mercy
Leader: That all who work for unity and in the spirit of hospitality may be blessed
All: Lord have mercy
Leader: That all who seek to heal divisions between peoples may have hope
All: Lord have mercy
Leader: That all who lead nations, may seek peace
All: Lord have mercy (David Adam, The Rhythm of Life: Celtic Daily Prayer, p82)
Leader: The following blessing is an ancient Celtic rune of hospitality that many think was written by St Brigid
We saw a stranger yesterday, we put food in the eating place,
Drink in the drinking place, music in the listening place,
And with the sacred name of the triune God
He blessed us and our house, our cattle and our dear ones.
As the lark says in her song: Often, often, often goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise
All: I open my heart to be the hospitality of Christ, to all those who come to my door.
I open my heart to embrace the stranger, the friend, the rich, the poor
I open my life to offer a generous heart towards all.
Leader: The blessings of God be upon this house, with plenty of food and plenty of drink,
With plenty of beds and plenty of ale, with much riches and much cheer
With many kin and length of life, ever upon it. Amen
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I am currently facilitating a discussion group on The Gift of Wonder. It is fun not only to revisit the book but to remind myself of the impact it had on my life and especially how some of the lessons I learned helped me find healing in the midst of the traumas of the last couple of years. Surprisingly, though I facilitated several virtual workshops on wonder and trauma, I never blogged about it so I think it is time to rectify that.
I started the last session by reminding participants of the traumas of the last couple of years – the struggle of lockdowns, quarantine and job losses precipitated by COVID; the horror of weather-related disasters like wildfires in Australia, Western U.S. and Canada; drought in Africa, the volcano in Tonga, tornadoes in the midwest; the challenge of Black Lives Matter and the inequalities of racial injustice highlighted by the pandemic. On top of all these the personal traumas of loss of family members and inability to hold memorial services, separation from communities, and the high anxiety of fear and worry about possible exposure.
I think most of us are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, (PTSD) filled with fear and anxiety. In the back of our minds is the quiet whisper Is God the saviour of the world or an uncaring monster?
Unresolved trauma incapacitates us. It makes us lose meaning and trust in the future and creates rigidity, fear and control. Fear paralyzes us and makes us resistant to the very adaptations that make it possible for us to respond with resilience and joy. Fear and trauma often result in violence to ourselves and others.
Wonder Changes Our Approach to Life
Wonder on the other hand changes our approach to life. It opens us to surprise, expectation, celebration, anticipation, unpredictability and mystery. It enables us to imagine new life, new opportunities and the possibility of new beginnings.
Wonder and joy replace rigidity with flexibility and make us aware that we are part of something much greater than ourselves. We all live in a world that is incredible, it shimmers with the glory of God, but we have lost our ability to appreciate that wonder and therefore to discover the blessing of the healing power it holds.
Interestingly the awe we feel in nature can dramatically reduce symptoms of PTSD, according to UC Berkeley research that tracked psychological and physiological changes in war veterans and at-risk inner-city youth during white-water rafting trips. I think it is why so many people are spending more time in nature as a response to the pandemic. It is definitely why I become a stronger advocate for awe and wonder walks every day.
There are three gifts of wonder that stand out for me as healing tools in our current situation.
Photo by Javardh on Unsplash
The first is the wonder of balance. Humans are not meant to hibernate over the winter. Even though the last couple of years have felt like an eternal winter, believe it or not our souls have not been sleeping. Just as trees put down strong roots in winter, so our souls have found fertile ground for growth and renewal over this long winter season.
Awe begins when we slow down, make space for silence and listen deeply to God speaking through the world around us. “Being still brings with it a deep listening which is required if we are to receive the revelation glory intends for us” (Meister Eckhart), but it doesn’t end there.
We need to balance silence and solitude with community. We need to foster companionship no matter what the weather, no matter what the distance apart. Evidently, the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world and one of the keys to their happiness is that they rarely eat alone. And we should be – in person and online – eating together, laughing, having fun, expressing curiosity together, etc which are wonderful ways to bring healing in the midst of trauma. I still remember that first lockdown Thanksgiving when we shared a meal across zoom with my nephew and his wife in Australia. What a special sense of community and a delightful wonder it was.
I don’t think we are meant to live alone. The lockdown was particularly hard on people who did. As you know my husband and I live in a small intentional community. The delight of community meetings in our small community gave all of us the resilience we needed to stand firm throughout the pandemic restrictions. I encourage all of us to consider ways to live in community (and yes we do have a vacancy at the Mustard Seed House in Seattle if you are interested).
The second gift of wonder and healing is getting out into nature. I love my awe and wonder walks which I have just re-instituted after a forced gap caused by illness. Getting moving in the middle of winter may not sound wonder-producing for some of my northern hemisphere friends but we can make it so. Intentionally notice what isn’t noticed at other seasons. This is a season of rest but also of growth – not above the ground but underneath. Roots grow deeper in winter and we prune in winter. Dream, imagine and listen to your inner wisdom as you walk. It is growing deep into your soul. Imagine the resilience and sacred strength that comes as you explore the wonder of this very special season.
The third gift of wonder that provides healing is the gift of creating rituals. Creating rituals stirs our imaginations. We need rituals that remind us of what a fantastic world we live in, what an incredible God we worship and what impressive people surround us. We need rituals that anchor us in the security of God’s presence and at the same time invite us into the delight of living. We need rituals that help us move from grief to glory.
One of the forms of ritual I have created more frequently over the last couple of years is that of contemplative gardens. They give me awe in the creating as I consciously connect to my creativity and I dig deep into an appreciation of the wonder of what is around me. There is also awe in the connecting to the grief expressed & the joy experienced in the elements of the garden. This form of ritual invites the full expression of my long-suppressed emotions. Lastly there is awe in contemplating as I use my gardens for reflection and a focus for prayer each day.
You may not be a gardener and this form of contemplative expression may not appeal to you, but all of us have the divine spark of creativity within us and I am increasingly convinced that this is given to us to inspire wonder and through that wonder, healing. So I encourage you to take time this week to connect to the wonder of God revealed in the creation of ritual. Perhaps something as simple as lighting a candle or saying a short breath prayer. Whatever grounds you in the eternal presence and lifts your spirit with the wonder of God within you will help you find healing in the midst of trauma.
THIS Wednesday! Join Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin for a discussion on Candlemas and Cup Prayers in the Godspace Light Community Facebook Group. Can’t make it live? We post them after on our youtube channel, so you never miss the fun! If you can attend live, consider bringing a candle and a teacup or coffee cup!
A contemplative service with music in the spirit of Taize. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below:
“In God Alone My Soul”
By J. Berthier — copyright 1991, all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé
“Shepherd Song”
Words adapted from John 10:11-18
Music by Kester Limner
Creative Commons copyright–free to use with attribution (CC-BY)
“Bring Your Peace”
Words and music by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
“Kyrie”
Text and music by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
“By The Mark”
Written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Thank you for praying with us! www.saintandrewsseattle.org
by Louise Conner, as originally published on The Ecological Disciple
Using keen observation skills and an aptitude for creative solutions, the Khasi and Jaintai people in northeastern India have, for at least 500 years, built bridges that require no raw materials beyond a particular kind of tree, patience, time, diligent effort and generational cooperation. The resulting bridges don’t just blend in with the natural world, but are entirely part of that natural world.
The particular kind of tree needed is the Ficus elastica tree (rubber tree), abundant throughout that area. They work because they send out secondary roots from partway up its trunk. These roots naturally reach toward the ground, but can instead be guided to grow horizontally, often by threading the roots through Areca palm trunks or bamboo that has been split, which can then train them in a particular direction, such as across a river.
As the roots continue to grow, they can eventually span long distances, such as the opposite side of a river, or partway in order to be linked up midway to a root from another tree growing from the opposite side of the river, which has been guided similarly. Some communities on each side of the river cooperatively bridge the gap by each planting and tending the tree on their side of the river.
Once the river is spanned, the beginnings of a bridge is created. At first, the roots are slender and flexible, but eventually (think 10 or 15 years), those roots grow thick enough and strong enough to support people crossing on it—some bridges can hold up to 50 people at once. As long as the tree from which the roots grow remains healthy, the bridge will renew itself as new roots grow to replace the old and will strengthen as the roots age and thicken.
To strengthen the bridge, the builders entwine individual roots with other roots or with branches and trunks of the same or another fig tree. The roots can also grow together and fuse in a process called inosculation which occurs when the bark is worn away and the trees self-graft themselves to each other. Inosculation, in addition to occurring naturally, is also used by arborists for various decorative and practical purposes.
These bridges are very much a creation of their particular place. The Meghalaya region of India, where hundreds of these bridges are found, is perhaps the wettest place on earth, receiving between 32 and 45 feet of rainfall a year. When heavy monsoon rainfall causes river levels to rise, the rivers are often unsafe and the bridges provide a safe way to cross the swollen rivers. Because the structures are living, they don’t rot in the way that lumber bridges would, aren’t easily swept away by raging rivers as bamboo would be, and don’t rust like steel structures do in damp climates. They are a practical, no-cost, regenerative solution in their particular places.
Many who are passionate about making architecture greener look to learn from these bridges and even to transfer some of their elements to other, more urban places. The possibilities of using these techniques in other places are endless and exciting to contemplate—living skywalks, anyone? As Ferdinand Ludwig with the Technical University of Munich, who has studied the bridges extensively suggests, you could use the idea to make a “street with a tree top canopy without trunks but aerial roots on the houses. You could guide the roots to where the best growing conditions are.” [2] Among other things, these would cool the houses and reduce greenhouse gases.
There are principles that can be applied beyond the realm of community planning and architecture, also. The first is the principle of taking the long view. Given that it takes 10-15 years for these bridges to reach maturity, building them requires a lot of patience. Those who begin them may not finish them; they are often building them more for those who follow them than for themselves. For the bridges to last as long as their potential (up to 150 years), people in the community must pass on the task to others, so it can never be just one person’s project if it is to be successful and long-lasting. It is an example of what long, slow, patient work can look like versus a quick fix.
“The living root bridge is a mosaic that’s embedded within the forest. Species do not differentiate between the bridge and natural forest.” [1]
Another principle that can be applied is that these structures don’t just mimic the ecosystem, they are completely part of it. A single Ficus elastica tree can support up to a few hundred living species — birds, insects, mammals and vegetation such as mosses. The trees themselves are ecosystems, constantly interacting with their living and nonliving surroundings.
They also do their part in converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, and, being composed of natural elements, if they decay, they merely rot back into the ground, leaving behind no rusting metal, no useless obsolete parts. That, in itself, is enough to make me pause and think about applications in my own life.
It is a refreshing approach to consider how we can work with nature rather than working against it or merely replacing what is present with man-made structures. What if we were to begin to look at the world around us not as something to conquer or replace but as something we can find ways to partner with?
“[Conventionally], when we construct a bridge or a building, we have a plan – we know what it’s going to look like,” says Ludwig. “But this isn’t possible with living architecture. Khasi people know this; they are extremely clever in how they constantly analyze and interact with tree growth, and accordingly adapt to the conditions.” Whenever a new root pops up, Khasi builders find a new way to integrate it into the structure. [1]
It makes me think of an earlier post on The Ecological Disciple written by Vidhya Chintala in which she describes her backyard and how she and her family thoughtfully planted things that would work together to create a thriving, diverse ecosystem. This is the kind of thinking we need if we are to grow as ecological disciples—looking at places and what is already there, not just in terms of our own needs, but in terms of the needs of all the non-human inhabitants as well. Then, by taking the long view, and being willing to do the necessary labor, we can find the best and most creative solutions available.
Reflection Questions: Do the root bridges raise new ideas for you about how you might approach living in your own place? Is there a challenge that you want to take on in living more sustainably? Is there a particular area where you have found creative ways to truly partner with nature? Does one of the principles mentioned particularly resonate with you?
Louise Conner can be reached at info@circlewood.online
[1] Rathnqyake, Zinara, November 17, 2021, The Ingenious Living Bridges of India, https://www.bbc.com/future/
[2]Kelly, Erin. December 12, 2019, India’s Living Root Bridges Could Be the Future of Green Design, https://allthatsinteresting.com/.
THIS Wednesday! Join Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin for a discussion on Candlemas and Cup Prayers in the Godspace Light Community Facebook Group. Can’t make it live? We post them after on our youtube channel, so you never miss the fun! If you can attend live, consider bringing a candle and a teacup or coffee cup!
Last week I was the chaplain for a gathering of Spiritual Formation leaders from across the country. I had the honor of curating the prayer/meditation times that helped people process their day and what the various speakers had to say. The opening keynote talk by Reverend Isaiah Shaneequa Brokenleg inspired my creativity and got me thinking! Reverend Brokenleg told a beautiful story about learning to make stew. …and compared good stew/soup to a church community.
A good stew/soup has yummy ingredients, layered flavors, and is usually made in a big enough pot to serve lots of people .
Good stew/soup provides hospitality and warms us up on a cold winter day.
What is your favorite soup or stew? if you happen not to like soup, what is your favorite comfort food? (use this food instead of soup as you pray through the questions)
Think about all the textures and flavors.
The colors.
Imagine the smell of the soup/stew wafting through your home.
Now consider the Stew/Soup of your life….Think about all the great flavors and ingredients. What are you thankful for? Take some time to thank Jesus.
There is a great passage that talks to us about how we are to be in the world. Read it and take some time to ponder or journal from the questions below.
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God- flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Creator in heaven.What ingredients are you missing?
- Are you bringing good flavors to your world? Are you feeling flavorful or are you feeling scorched?
- What is scorched in your life? Talk to Jesus about this.
- If the stew is scorched, burned on the bottom, you don’t scrape the burned part into the rest of the stew…you pour the stew out into a NEW POT. After pouring the scorched stew into the new pot, Reverend Brokenleg said her grandmother used a potato to take out all the scorched taste. The potato was like Jesus, removing all the scorched flavor from the stew. What scorched-ness do you need Jesus to remove today, in your life, and in the life of your church community?
- What ingredients are you missing? What do you need to make your soup/stew better?
- Think about all the ingredients in your community…all the beautiful flavors they represent. Who are you grateful for in your community?
- Who is missing in your community or in your life who might add a different flavor to your stew? Who has been left out of your stew? Why have they been left out?
- What are tangible ways you can enhance the flavors of those who might be left out? Ask Jesus to show you.
I think we need to consider that we might need NEW POTS, Like New Wine Skins… in which to pour all the beautiful ingredients. And we definitely need new pots if the stew has been scorched. New pots and fresh ingredients…with room to mix them in fresh ways.
What could those New Pots look like in your church community? Or in your own life? Would they be smaller? Different sizes? Maybe we need a bigger spoon or more bowls to share our soup/stew. Who would you like to share stew/soup within the near future?
Read the passage again
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God- flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Creator in heaven.
I love the thought of bringing out God-flavors and God-colors in the world! What could this mean in your life?
God-Flavors and God -Colors
As you eat soup this week or make soup or stew, use this as a reminder to bring out the God-flavors in your home, your neighborhood, at work or school. Taste the richness and thank Jesus for all the rich flavors and varied ingredients in your life. When you see or eat a potato, remember that Jesus takes away all the scorched things of our life and gives us back the good flavor. And like we prayed last week, use your spoon, and allow the Holy Spirit to stir up NEW THINGS in your life in the days ahead.
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