Home by Another Road

Home by Another Road

‘Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” Matthew 2:12

The Epiphany readings from January 6th still ring in my ears. The wise men are told to return home by another road or way. In this new year what is the other road we may be asked to take? I keep hearing Scott Peck whispering that it is The Road Less Traveled. Barbara Brown Taylor also must have been intrigued by this message. She named one of her books of sermons, Home By Another Way. My spiritual director, Bridget, tells me the road for the wise men was away from Herod, away from power. Even more specifically it was away from corrupt, sinful power.

The wise men were going back home to the east. Facing the east is the rising sun. When I have not been able to sleep, I have often sat outside and watched the sun rise. Whatever has been troubling me frequently seems manageable. As I see the sun rise, light comes out of darkness, and I know it is a new day and I am enveloped with forgiveness and love for myself and for others. We do not need to stay in the darkness that has consumed us, but we learn a great deal about ourselves in darkness. We have been promised a new day where things will become brighter, clearer, where we are given another chance by a God who never ever gives up on us. We are called out of the darkness that has been festering inside of us into the light outside of ourselves. This light then illuminates the light inside of us, the light of Christ within us.

I am spending each day this year in prayer about what and where is the new path home I am being offered and asked to journey on.

My spiritual director suggests it may be more fruitful to start by considering what the road is moving away from.

This is beginning to sound more like a good Lenten discipline.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Rohr: Service

Rohr: Service

“If your spiritual practice doesn’t lead you to some acts of concrete caring or service, then you have every reason not to trust it.”

Richard Rohr, Adapted from Richard Rohr, 107-108, Near Occasions of Grace, Orbis Books 1993, From Richard Rohr Daily Meditation from Center for Action and Contemplation, meditations@cac.org.

Richard Rohr gives us an outstanding benchmark to determine if our spiritual practices are relevant, if this practice is really working for us. If the practice leads to service or caring for others, then we are on the right track. When friends come for spiritual direction and talk about being “dry,” this can be a good test to use to determine if they should change their spiritual practices. If they are still feeling compassion for others, we might suggest to keep going with the practice a little longer. If there is no concern for others, this may be a sign to try another spiritual practice to find connection to God.

If the Spirit is working in our lives, there is only one way it can go, and that is outward. The Holy Spirit is not a halo but more like a river on the move. It can be like the current in the mighty Mississippi flowing downstream to the Gulf of Mexico, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly. On occasion, it can be like the rapids on the Snake River. Watch out! We will need to keep our life jackets on and stay close to our community for this one.

When we are connected to the Love of God, it must flow outward. When we are aware of God, the Christ within ourselves, it can only flow out and lead us to seeing the Christ in another.

Joanna. joannaseibert.com

Singleton: Life in Community

Singleton:

“You never get it all done.” Betsy Singleton Snyder, Stepping on Cheerios.

Methodist minister, mother of four boys, including triplets, and wife of a then member of Congress tells us what it is like to stay connected to God in the midst of daily chaos. Some of Betsy’s other favorite suggestions in Stepping on Cheerios are you “take sorta kinda breaks,” “have family movie night as a spiritual practice,” “be just yourself and nothing else,” “nurture something with your kids,” “do less comparing,” and “stop more.” “God made bossy moms” and “everyone screws up” are two other examples of her wisdom that resonated with me.

One of the parts of Betsy’s book I treasured is what she calls “the Squad.” This is an extensive list and description of people who helped her out especially after she had a serious medical complication of pregnancy and times when her husband, Victor, was in Washington or meeting with his constituents at home.

Betsy and her family are a major example of what living in community is like. Not all of us will have triplets, but all will at some time need the support and love of a community as Betsy found. It makes all the difference as we receive help until we as well can again help others. We become more open to seeing the love of Christ in our neighbor who reaches out to us. We in turn, learn from our neighbor more about the Christ in ourselves who guides us to that life giving and sacred place of gratitude.

This is a major theme of Betsy’s book. She sees lessons in a multitude of situations presented to her and always moves out of them with gratitude. Gratitude for those who help her, gratitude for lessons she has learned, gratitude for the love of God shown to her family by so many. Her last chapter is titled, “My Cup Runneth Over,” as she thanks so many for making her dreams come true.

Joanna joannaseibert.com