Because of its simplicity, breath prayer is a great way to start when introducing a group to contemplative prayer, and breath prayer is a great way for an individual to slow down and remember God’s presence in the midst of everyday life. I know a family that engages in breath prayer at the beginning of their Sabbath day, and if the parents forget to make time for it, the kids remind them. I’ve used breath prayer in many different small group settings and occasionally in worship services as well, and most people take to it easily.
Botanic Garden, Dunedin, New Zealand
One way to engage in breath prayer is to imagine breathing out all our concerns and worries into God’s presence, while breathing in God’s love and care. At the Areopagus in Athens, the Apostle Paul said about God, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17: 28). If God’s presence and love surround us, then it is not a stretch to imagine exhaling our troubles into God’s presence and inhaling God’s love and care with each breath.
When I engage in this kind of breath prayer, I focus on one concern or one person in need as I breathe out. As I feel the air leaving my lungs, I picture myself relinquishing that concern or person into God’s care. Then I breathe in, imagining God’s love filling the empty space where the concern or worry was located inside me.
Sometimes the concern is so great that I spend several breaths on the same issue or person, always relinquishing the concern into God’s hands as I breathe out, and always imagining God’s love coming into me as I breathe in. Sometimes I simply name all my family members as I engage in breath prayer, saying one name silently with each breath out, knowing that God is aware of that person’s needs even more than I could be.
Another form of breath prayer uses the ancient prayer called the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This prayer is based loosely on the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 8:9-14 in which the tax collector says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (verse 13). One phrase of the Jesus prayer is prayed on each breath, with the breaths providing a rhythm for the prayer.
In groups, I have used a white board to list the favorite names for Jesus that the group members suggest, such as Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, Light of the World and True Vine. I suggest to the group that they pick one of those names and adapt the Jesus prayer to that name, along these lines:
Lord Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace, have mercy on me. I need your peace.
Lord Jesus Christ, Bread of life, have mercy on me, feed me.
Lord Jesus Christ, Light of the World, have mercy on me, shine your light in me.
Lord Jesus Christ, True Vine, have mercy on me, help me abide in you.
Then we spend some time as a group praying the new prayer silently in harmony with our breathing.
Breath prayer works well as a first stage of prayer for many other kinds of contemplative or intercessory group prayer. It provides a good introduction to guided meditations. So simple and non-threatening, breath prayer helps people relax and feel competent about silent prayer when they might feel a bit unsure about engaging in quiet contemplative prayer in a group.
Breath prayer engages the physical body and helps us experience God’s presence in our bodies and in the physical world, integrating the physical and spiritual parts of our lives. Focusing on our breath slows down our breathing, which has the effect of slowing down all bodily functions, a way to experience peace from the One who gives us breath and longs to give us peace.
Breath prayer also reminds us of the Holy Spirit, the breath of God in our lives. When leading breath prayer with a group, any of these connections can be highlighted for the group, helping them to deepen their experience.
This post is excerpted from Joy Together: Spiritual Practices for Your Congregation by Lynne M. Baab which you can order here:
By Sue Duby —
My happy place is a coffee shop. Not just any coffee shop. Something special and unique. Comfy chairs. A new discovery. Quiet music. A corner where I can get in to my “groove” and let my thoughts drift. A strong latte laced with heart-inscribed creamy foam.
I’m always on the hunt for a new one. I’ve graced the doors of most every coffee shop in Northwest Arkansas at least once. In the process, favorites have emerged. All unique. All drawing me in for varied reasons.
The “Quiet Starbucks”. Loads of tables and room to stretch and breathe. Safety to chat with a friend, knowing neighboring “sippers” won’t hear much. Who knew absence of a drive-through window creates a blanket of calm inside? Definitely preferred for deep girlfriend conversation. And the cold brew…perfect for a stiff wakeup of concentrated caffeine and tummy-happy low acid.
“The Holler”. A massive buzzing space filled with “youngsters”… you know, the 20 and 30 somethings with cool boots, ear buds and laptops. Some surrounded by files, books and notepads. Others gathered in energized groups, hunched over tables, puzzling through challenges I’ll never understand. The air drips with vision, creativity and intensity. In the midst, I sip my latte with a smile that says, “Go grab your dreams!”… grateful for a fresh generation.
Kennedy’s. The hipster corner spot that first grabbed my heart. Loud music, always a buzz of excited conversation. That corner, window seat claimed as my own. Where my heart settled and I wrote our first update to friends and supporters from our new home in Arkansas. Where I realized if I sat still long enough, shifted my focus to a listening pose for God to nudge and whisper, I’d get in my “zone” and words would come forth.
Of all my coffee wanderings, only one led to an unexpected ongoing journey of wonder and anticipation, watching God’s hand at work. It all began with a “toe- tipping”, cautious “gonna check it out” moment, looking for a quiet place out of the house, peeking through the doors of a hotel lobby minutes from our driveway. Soothing splashing from a central fountain, high-backed chairs gracing multiple empty bistro tables and a tucked-away coffee bar led me to heave a deep sigh. “This is going to be great!”.
While grabbing my coffee from the barista, I smiled and gave the learned-from-Chuck-gratitude response…”Thank you for your service!”. . . more automatic than genuinely “in the moment”. Still, the woman smiled back with an “I love my job!” kind of posture. Two hours later, after delightful quiet with my computer and classical tunes coursing through my headphones, I headed home.
The following week, I grabbed Chuck to experience my new discovery. This time, a teenage boy stood at the register. A slow, stuttered, “Hi, I’m William!” tumbled out of his mouth. With those few words, we knew immediately William struggled with limited skills. The barista stood behind him, calmly encouraging… “Push the latte button… that’s right… now take her card… remember to thank her… good job, William!”.
With each new visit, I began to pay attention. Barista woman became “Miss Sarah”. William greeted me with a big grin-laced “Hi Sue!”. Miss Sarah continued to stay in the shadow and let William shine. One day, I finally pulled her aside and blurted out, “You’re amazing! How do you have such patience! William is so lucky to have you!”. She smiled shyly and went on to explain that their dance together was actually part of a hotel-sponsored program to train young autistic adults.
As the months passed, my register visits were met with a “Hi Sue… same order?” I began to notice an employee discount on my receipts. Miss Sarah often managed to slip a free refill on my table with a knowing nod and infectious smile. One day, I looked up to find her standing with a new trainee. “This is Leslie. You need to meet her! She’s a writer too!”. Not sure how my coffee sipping presence had morphed in to some kind of famous posture, but from her I joyfully received the accolade. . . and marveled, realizing she’d just managed to simultaneously affirm Leslie in the presence of another adult (me).
One day, after Chuck and I had lingered for a while on our now almost always free lattes, Miss Sarah stopped by our table to say hi. After once again lavishing praise on her amazingly gifted heart for people (especially the trainees), she shrugged her shoulders with a quiet, “Well. . . I just want everyone to know they are special!”. Exclaiming that we, indeed, were part of her “everyone”, an “only God” conversation unfolded. Chuck’s gentle coaching questions. Miss Sarah’s vulnerable responses… “I’m not a good student. I never went to college. I’m not a book learner. I love my job and want to do more”. We pondered together. Brainstormed possibilities. Sighed and then promised to pray God would open doors, encourage her vision and passion and remind her of her own gifted heart.
On the way home, I excitedly turned to Chuck. “I have to buy her a book…you know that children’s book You are Special? I have to!!”. I know those God nudges. I also know if I ponder for more than a few minutes, I’ll go “chicken” and not follow through. Later pressing the online “purchase” button, I thought, “I’m crazy or on track… but in any case, I’m in with both feet on this one!”
The next week, Chuck and I returned, wrapped package in hand. We pulled Miss Sarah aside. “We have a gift. It’s to encourage your vision to make everyone feel special”. Her eyes widened and with a tearful smile whispered, “Can I open it now?”. As the paper crumbled, she looked up with childlike wonder. “Thank you… can you sign it? I’m going to read it as soon as I get home!”. Feeling like a much undeserved star, I scribbled a prayerful greeting from both of us. After big hugs, she skipped (really!) back to serve another customer.
Just this week, I returned to the hotel. I felt my heart warm with the now settled routine. Miss Sarah and I exchanged smiles of affection. Without a word, she grabbed my “normal” cold brew with vanilla and a splash of cream. I handed her my credit card. She pushed it back. There’s a mutual understanding that debate won’t change anything! I asked a few questions of the new trainee Leslie and commended her good service. Miss Sarah nodded from the corner. I waved and pronounced, “You are my sunshine!”. Immediately, I heard “You are my rainbow!”.
I’m reminded often now to pay attention to the moments. Who is in front of me right now? How can I best acknowledge their presence? Do I truly “see” them? Do I see what makes them special? Will I dare to be bold through my fear and remind them? Can this be my 2020 posture every day… all day?
Lord, may you continue to show me the value and wonder of each person that crosses my path. Give me Your eyes to see beyond my human vision to the heart. Show me how to follow Miss Belinda in her passion to make everyone feel special and to know that God sees them as His own treasure.
Last Wednesday, I went to Costco for my usual fortnightly visit, arriving early to avoid the crowds. Or at least, I thought I was. The place was crowded and people were loading carts with what looked like a year’s supply of toilet paper, rice and other staples. Over the weekend, it was even worse and when I went to Best Buy yesterday, it was totally deserted. Seattle has become like a wasteland as people panic, bulk buy and hoard as much as they can as though they expect to be under siege for a year or more.
Coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it is now officially known, is a serious threat to the stability of our communities, but it grieves me to see the panic that has gripped so many in our neighbourhoods as the virus spreads. My concern is that many Christians have responded with the same fear and panic when I think that we should be responding in a very different spirit. So here is a very quick post with a few suggestions.
Don’t Panic – Prepare
“The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts.
His wrap-around presence will strengthen us.” (Psalm 33:20 )
I think that as people of faith we need to start by reminding ourselves each day that our trust is in God alone not in how much food we have on hand or even in how little contact we have with people around us who may be infected. Reciting the verse in the morning and then repeating it several times a day is a good place to start.
Second, pray for all people who are sick and those who live in fear of contracting this novel and unpredictable virus. Please pray for family members and all caregivers, especially, our emergency response and health care workers. They do not have the luxury of staying at home to avoid the virus as they care for us and respond to our needs.
Having said all that, I know that we do need to be prepared for the possibility that people will be asked to stay home. Schools here in Seattle (where most of the deaths in the U.S. have occurred so far) are already closing, though only for a day to disinfect all surfaces, and some major venues have been cancelled. So, what should we do?
There is lots of good and bad suggestions out there at the moment. I like this very balanced article on npr.org and am just highlighting a few of the suggestions here.
- Stock up (enough for a few weeks not for a year) on dry goods like rice, lentils, and beans. (Sounds like a great Lenten diet anyway). You probably also want to make sure that you have enough toilet paper, hand washing soap and other cleaning supplies – again for a month not for a year. As one of my Facebook friends commented – leave enough for those of us who really need to buy toilet paper at the moment.
- Get an extra supply of essential medications if possible. Hopefully your health provider will be able and willing to do this. I know many insurers are not.
- Wash your hands whenever you walk through the door back into the house.
- Avoid hand shaking, kissing and other forms of bodily contact and if you do have contact with people, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer afterwards.
- Don’t wear a mask – masks, especially the simple face masks that so many are buying, can actually spread disease because germs cling to the mask and you are more likely to touch your face when you have a mask on, infecting yourself with whatever is clinging there.
Prepare Your Church
I was very pleased when our rector gave a very forthright and comprehensive overview of the behavior that is best in church at the moment:
- If you are sick, stay home.
- A bow rather than a handshake or hug for passing the peace or as the initial greeting when you arrive, and then use hand sanitizer after doing that.
- We use a common cup for communion and interestingly the very few studies that have been done show no difference in infection rates of those who take communion from a common cup to those in the general population. It is possible that the high alcohol content of the port used, and the combination of the silver chalice, kills viruses and bacteria. There has never been a case of a virus spread by use of common cup. However having said all that, I should add that in response to the King County health department, we have discontinued the passing of the cup and only bread is being served. Even then it is important to make sure that the distributers wash their hands before they serve the bread.
- Don’t pass the offering plate, leave it in a central place where people can add their offerings.
- If you have a baptismal font, remove the water from it until this uncertain time is over.
- Find out if there is something you can do to help the vulnerable members of your congregation weather the crisis. Could you provide a special supply of food and cleaning items for those that cannot afford them?
Prepare to Be God’s Presence in Your Community.
God’s people are meant to be people for others, not for themselves, so I think that one of the major discussions needs to be, “How can we help the vulnerable people in our communities prepare and cope with this crisis?” I was delighted to see that Microsoft has decided continue paying their hourly workers even though they may not be working. Perhaps we can encourage our churches and work places to do the same.
When businesses close, poor employees suffer most because they do not have savings they can live out of. They can’t afford to buy extra supplies either because they live week to week out of their pay check. And they can’t afford to take time off because usually their place of work does not pay them for sick days.
So if you put together emergency supplies for yourself, who else should you be doing this for?
Who are the vulnerable people in your community that could need help if they get sick, maybe with meals, a lift to the doctor or help with medications and shopping?
One thing that has challenged me as I read about the history of Christianity is how often more people of strong Christian faith died in epidemics because they were the ones looking after the sick. Are we willing to be Christ’s hands and feet during a time of crisis like this? Are we willing to put our own lives at risk for those who are the most vulnerable in our communities?
A Prayer for the Day
God of life and love, help us to be your people in times of crisis. May we respond out of love and not fear, out of trust and not panic. Help us to be sensitive to those who are vulnerable, to those who are afraid and to those who are confused. Amen.
We are almost one week through Lent and hopefully by now, you have established a good rhythm for the season. It has taken me this long to establish all of my own practices for the day and establish a manageable rhythm for my own time during this Lenten season, so if you are not there yet, don’t despair, persevere.
The prayer above, which I pulled out after reading through the reflections on the Centering Prayer for Lent Facebook page, helps me to begin the day by centering my thoughts on the God of all creation. Prayers like this are a wonderful way to start the day. I then read through the 2 devotionals that I have decided to use this year – For the Beauty of The Earth: A Lenten Devotional by Leah Schade and a free devotional by Randy Woodley entitled Drawing Closer to Creation and Creator: An Indigenous Journey Through Lent that I highly recommend to you as well.
Part of what I am enjoying is that because I have chosen to focus on creation care and how I can reduce my carbon footprint, in honor of the approaching 50th celebration of Earth Day, my practices are interwoven with the planting season in our garden. We already have early greens sprouting under grow lights and a couple of days ago, we planted over 100 tomato seeds, carefully placing them on the heat mats that will encourage them to sprout and grow.
Entering into the planting season in this way is a great addition to my Lenten practices and I am finding that it takes more discipline than I expected to set aside time in the busyness of my days to make sure that the garden is properly prepared and tended to. I am finding that For the Beauty of The Earth: A Lenten Devotional by Leah Schade is really helping me to maintain this discipline. Her Ash Wednesday question In what way am I taking care of the very soil from which all life arises? has had me thinking about our composting techniques, summer mulches, weeding and many other aspects of the garden that are important at this season.
Lent doesn’t just make us aware of our own shortcomings and need for repentance, it also connects us to the earth, to both its beauty and fruitfulness as well as its agony at degradation and pollution. Evidently the agricultural season that coincides with Lent in the northern hemisphere was once known as the hunger season. The garden was not yet producing and the beans, lentils and fruit from last year were being stretched to see through this challenging season. I suspect that the Lenten diet is still adhered to by many Orthodox Christians, which is heavy in lentils and beans, was for many poor people a necessity and for the more wealthy, it was a way that they could identify with the poor.
What Is Your Response?
Lent this year for me is a balance of contemplation and action – focusing in on the God of all creation who created us from the soil and gifted us with this beautiful planet to call our home. I recommend that kind of balance for you too. As we approach the end of the first week of Lent, here are some questions you might like to ask yourself:
- What contemplative practices help me focus myself on God as a beginning to the day?
- What am I doing to take care of the soil from which I and all of life arises?
- What other practices provide a rhythm for my life during this Lenten season?
Last week, I published a couple of musical versions of the Lord’s prayer sent to me by Paul Neeley. Paul Neeley co-founded the Global Ethnodoxology Network (www.worldofworship.org) and blogs at https://globalworship.tumblr.com/. He also sent me this beautiful version that he wrote himself.
Our Father in Heaven,
Help me trust you as good father,
Proclaim you as good father,
Live in faith that you are good father.
You are holy,
and I have missed the mark.
In your divine mercy,
cover me with the robe of the righteousness of Christ.
By your amazing grace,
forgive my sin,
that I may delight in your will
and walk in your ways
to the glory of your name.
May your kingdom be established in my life;
use me to establish your kingdom on earth
as it is in heaven.
Help me choose to do your will;
Use me to accomplish your will on earth
as it is in heaven.
Grant all that is needed for life and ministry.
Help me breathe in forgiveness from you
and breathe out forgiveness
to those who have wronged me.
Keep me strong in times of temptation,
deliver me from evil,
and save me from the time of trial.
Reveal your glory, your grace, your truth and your goodness
to us all, and through us all.
Amen
Notes: lines 11-13 are from the Anglican ‘Collect for Purity’. Lines 24-26 are common alternative English translations. Line 27 references John 1:14.
And as an extra treat, Paul sent me this version of the Lord’s Prayer by Liturgical Folk on their album Table Settings. Ryan Flanigan tells me that the folks at Liturgical Folk have just finished a 3-year, 6-volume music recording project called Liturgical Folk. Ryan’s setting of the Lord’s Prayer is the first song of the project, appearing on Liturgical Folk, Vol. 1—Table Settings. Three of the albums consist of new service music: Table Settings, Crumbs, and Psalm Settings. And three of the albums consist of new hymns penned by a retired Anglican priest Fr. Nelson Koscheski, and tuned by me and some of my friends: Edenland, Lent, and Advent. We recorded sixty-five songs in total, but I’m currently compiling a hymnal, including the B-sides, which will number about 100.
Album Cover Table Setting
By Lilly Lewin
The Lenten Season officially began with Ash Wednesday this week, but it’s certainly not too late to consider participating in the Lenten Journey this year. Consider where you’d like to be with Jesus by Easter. What could your relationship look like?
Lent is an opportunity to focus our hearts on Jesus and prepare for being a person of resurrection. Each year I remind my friends that we are living in grace, not performance, when it comes to our Lenten Practice. It’s about drawing closer to Jesus in the weeks before Easter, not about doing more things, or getting points from God. God loves each of us just as we are, regardless of whether we participate in Lent or not.
Some years, I feel like I really do prepare my heart and draw closer to Jesus. Other years, things happen and my practices are pushed to the wayside due to the events of life. And sometimes I really don’t feel like a person of resurrection til after Easter Sunday! I believe in baby steps and being creative in our Lenten practice. 
What do the next 40 days look like in your life? How can you imagine your journey between now and Easter Sunday?
As an Adventure
As a Wilderness Experience or camp out
As a Pilgrimage
As a Retreat
As a Fast
As a Honeymoon
What word resonates with your Lenten Practice this year?
Which one sparks your interest?
Each of these needs some thought and preparation. Each needs some supplies to help you on your journey. Maybe you need some partners in crime or traveling companions to go with you…who is this? Or who are they? Or maybe this is just a solo hike? Spend some time talking to Jesus about this. Lisa Cressman, of Backstory Preaching invites us to pray a labyrinth as a practice of asking Jesus about what our lenten practice might be this year. You can go physically walk and pray a labyrinth or use the one here as a finger labyrinth or outline it with a pen or pencil as you pray.
What could your Lenten Journey Look Like?
On an Adventure we need to be prepared for the unexpected. We might need to pack light and make sure we have a flashlight/torch and some extra socks and underwear. Or we might need to have our camera ready and watch for the next sign or unexpected highlight or spot of beauty. What makes an adventure special? Do you enjoy the thrill of the unknown? Do you need a map or just want to take a new way home? What would this Lent look like as an Adventure with Jesus?
Jesus was invited into the Wilderness by the Holy Spirit. What if the Holy Spirit is inviting you to the Wilderness this Lent? What do you need to be ready? The right shoes, a good sleeping bag, a great map or compass? A first aid kit? Does a camp-out with Jesus sound fun or scary? Would a hike in the wilderness bring you closer to Jesus or would you be worried about the snakes and the scorpions? 
On Pilgrimage everything is a gift. Everything that happens along the way can be received as a gift from God, from the crying baby on the plane, to the missed train or bus, to the blisters on your feet. Usually pilgrims experience some pain and frustration on their journey, but they also are traveling to places of beauty and/or sacred places. What would a Lenten pilgrimage look like for you?
Maybe your Lenten Journey needs to be a retreat. A time for rest and restoration. Retreats often take us away from our normal routines and invite us into spaces of reflection, prayer and the outdoors. Retreats can be directed and involve learning or they might be silent and unplanned. What kind of retreat do you need this Lent?
A Fast…one of the three traditional pillars of Lent is fasting. Like I’ve shared before, fasting food doesn’t work well for me, but fasting busyness does. Fasting from political news is also on my list this year. Fasting from clutter, shopping, technology, social media all might be things to consider. Or fasting from lack of prayer or exercise! Or fasting from shame and self criticism and practicing receiving the gift of God’s unconditional love instead! I love Pope Francis’s list. And my friend Maggie Foote fasts from eating at chain restaurants and eats only a restaurants owned by minorities during Lent. Is there something you could use a break from this season? Something you could fast in order to draw you closer to Jesus?
A Lenten Honeymoon is one of my favorite ways to practice Lent. Honeymoons give us time to just BE with the one we love. We get to just enjoy each other. We get to rest after a lot of wedding planning and stress. There might be good food, and good scenery to go along with it too. How could you go on a Honeymoon with Jesus this year? What would that look like?
What questions are you asking in this season? We need to ask questions before we start any journey and any new season. Where is the Holy Spirit inviting you to go? What do you need to pack or unpack? What do you and I need to leave behind in order to go?
What burdens are you carrying that you need to let go of and give to God?
Use this heart outline to talk to Jesus about this.
You might draw or fill in your heart with words or doodles as you pray and ask Jesus about this season ahead.
What are the supplies that you need for your journey between now and Easter? There might be books, or a podcast, or a new journal. Do any of these words remind remind you of a book you’d like to read between now and Easter?
Adventure
Wilderness Experience or camp out
Pilgrimage
Retreat
Fast
Honeymoon
Some books that are going on my journey with me this year are :
Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
You are the Beloved Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living by Henri Nouwen
Postcards from Babylon by Brian Zahnd
I’d love to hear about your journey and the supplies you take with you!
Before you start, remember this is a season, a 40 day season…so it’s long not short. It’s not a race, it’s a journey, one step at a time. It’s a new beginning! A fresh start. When we when we make it to Holy Week, we can live in to the suffering and pain of the final week of the life of Jesus, but today, may we live and enjoy a GRACE-FILLED Lent and draw closer to Jesus between now and Easter Sunday!
©lillylewin and freerangeworship@gmail.com
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By Andy Wade —
That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? … Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. — Jesus
Matthew 6:25-34 NLT
Photo by Andy Wade
Look at the field lilies. Stop, really look at them. Do you see them in their beauty? Can you see beyond their beauty? Like us, they are conceived in darkness. A bulb divided, nurtured by the rich humus of earth. Before their radiant display of beauty and life, they grow, underground, hidden from our eyes.
Consider the lilies. We are not so different.
As their supple green shoots pierce the dark womb of their birth, they are freely nurtured by sun and soil as they drink deeply of refreshing rains. Although now visible, their color and expression are still mostly hidden from our eyes. But the lily knows and in its own time will unfold its full beauty for all to see. And when that happens, ah, this is what we’ve waited for. This, we think, is the point of the lily.
As the first colorful petals arch back, we begin to see the outward expression of the lily’s inward beauty. Those delicate flowers remind us of both the Creator’s complexity and simplicity as the artist extraordinaire. This simple flower nurtures joy in those captivated by its radiance as they are dazzled by fragrance and foliage.
Consider the lilies. We are not so different.
Tempted to capture the lily’s allure, we may want to pluck it, take it home and put it in a vase. Yet taking the lily bloom hostage will only hasten its death. This beauty is nurtured and sustained by all that surrounds it. Isolated from its community, the blossom will not last long. Even more, isolated from creation the lily is cut off from its gift to community. Its beauty has a purpose beyond aesthetics. Nurtured by its surroundings, the lily offers its nectar to bees and bugs. Even under earth’s surface, her roots reach out and mingle with the roots of neighboring plants. A rich network of mushroom mycelium intertwines, exchanging nutrients for sugar. The lily is so much more than just a blossom.
Consider the lilies. We are not so different.
Photo by Andy Wade
And what about death? It’s tempting to consider the lily’s end to be when it begins to fade and its fragrance and color cease to tickle our senses. It’s easy to define the life of the lily by the characteristics we prize most from it. But the life of the lily is not simply one thing. As we’ve commodified nature’s beauty, we’ve robbed it of life’s fullness. As its leaves wrinkle and brown and begin to drop to the forest floor, the lily continues to nurture the lives around it. There is richness in the experience of those aging leaves. Perhaps not as young and vibrant as they once were, they are still rich with nourishing goodness. Too quickly we devalue and toss aside as irrelevant those that still have so much to offer.
Consider the lilies. We are not so different.
Neither sowing or reaping, they are still so crucial to the balance of life around them. Created and placed in community for community, rooted in rich, abundant soil teeming with life, they have all that they need to flourish. Whether encased in earth-embryo, emerging into a new expression of life, standing tall and radiant for eyes to behold, or fading and falling to re-enrich the soil from which they came – all things in their season and each season a holy gift.
Consider the lilies. We are not so different.
Can we not anticipate Creator’s same love and attention to each season of our lives?
Have we not also been nurtured in the rich soil of community and creation?
Is not our value far greater than one single season of life?
Consider the lilies of the field. Stop. Take time. Allow the wonders of the lily to fully bloom in your imagination. Let the lily take root and grow.
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