Abundance

“The church is the only community that has as its central symbolic act called, ‘Thanks.’ The Eucharist. Eucharist is Greek for ‘Thanks.’ Participation in the Eucharist is an act of gratitude for the abundance that the creator God gives to the world! But the extraction economy wants to think, ‘It’s mine!’ ‘I made it, I own it, I can do what I want, I don’t have to be grateful to anybody.’ Which leads me to think that participation in the Eucharist is the most subversive thing we can do. But notice what the long history of the church has done to the Eucharist. It has siphoned off its danger into something about sin and salvation and getting right with God, rather than a meal for the neighborhood..”

—Walter Brueggemann, InwardOutward Daily Quote, August 23, 2018, InwardOutward.org, Church of the Saviour.

Brueggemann reminds us of something we so often forget about the Eucharist. Christ called all to the Welcome Table, and this should be the center of our worship. Weekly or daily Eucharist is an experience of abundance. There is always enough bread and wine and always some left over. The Eucharist is a reminder of a great gift, the love of God for each of us and for all.

Remembering that we are giving thanks for God’s great gift of love, remembering that this is a table for all, remembering that this is a table of abundance, remembering that this is an assurance that we have been given a life of abundance through Christ that can make all the difference in how we receive the Eucharist and how we live our lives.

Joanna. Joannaseibert.com

Visio Divina

“The experience of praying with icons and other images is quite different than praying with words.” —Christine Valters Paintner in Illuminating Mystery: Creativity as a Spiritual Practice, Reflections in Word and Image (Abbey of the Arts Press, 2009).

Rembrandt The Return of the Prodigal Son, The State Hermitage Museum

God speaks to us in many ways—through relationships, our experiences, sacred texts such as the Bible, and other avenues. Visio divina, Latin for divine seeing, is praying with images to listen to God’s words. It is similar to lectio divina, Latin for divine reading, in which we pray using sacred reading such as Holy Scripture. There are four steps we can follow to practice visio divina:

1. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and be aware of your breathing. Practice a body scan. Open your eyes and look at the image of art slowly, seeing colors, people, places, and things. Stay with the image for one to two minutes. You may want to jot down a few words about the image.

2. Close your eyes and breathe. Open your eyes. Take another, deeper look. Is there movement? Are there relationships? Use your imagination. What is the story? Can you place yourself in the story and in the image? Do you see deeper meanings than what is on the surface?

3. Respond to the image with prayer. Does the image take you to an experience, or remind you of a person or issue for which you want to offer thanksgiving or intercession? Offer that prayer to God.

4. Find your quiet heart center. Stay connected to your body. Breathe deeply. Relax your shoulders, arms, and legs. Rest in this quiet. Imagine God praying in you. God prays beyond words.

—From Kathyrn Shirey, “How to Pray with ‘Eyes of the Heart’ Using Visio Divina” at www.KathrynShirey.com.

Image Gently

“Relationship is not a project, it is a grace.” —Thomas Moore in Soul Mates: Honoring the Mysteries of Love and Relationship (HarperCollins, 1994), p. 256.

My friend, Marilyn Goske, who also is a pediatric radiologist, has spearheaded a campaign called Image Gently to decrease radiation to children in diagnostic radiology. This organization encourages physicians to use the least amount of radiation when performing tests on children. It applies to conventional X-rays, fluoroscopy, interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, computed tomography, dentistry, cardiac imaging, and imaging in the setting of minor head trauma. It is the organization’s aim to make physicians, technologists, and nurses aware of the amount of radiation being used, as well as the importance of reassuring parents about any of their concerns. This educational program entails communication with all those directly involved in these studies, as well as all medical organizations that support them. It has had overwhelming success, with more than 63,000 pledges to take part in this program.

Marilyn is showing us how we can change the world by communicating and dialoguing with all people who share a special interest. It involves trying to solve a problem, talking together, working together, celebrating when answers come, and honoring those who are bringing the vision to reality. In this way we are seeing the power of community.

I realize how important this could be in our spiritual lives as well. We find more answers to our spiritual questions in community; whereas often we cannot understand our concerns by ourselves.

Yesterday I met with my spiritual director, who helped me understand a dream that had baffled me for days. Each day in the early morning, I go back to the dream and uncover another insight as though she, and all those who have taught me about dream work, are still guiding me.

We also have many parts of ourselves: inner masculine, inner feminine, the child within, and so many more. When we can see them as helpful voices rather than unwanted adversaries, especially coming from the weaker parts of ourselves, answers are revealed. It is in our weakness, in our vulnerability, especially in community, that God the Holy Spirit creeps in and helps us discern a path—where before we saw only a jungle.

In community we image gently.

Joanna. Joannseibert.com