Meditation: The ripples

Everything is connected. The often imperceptible ripples from each thing we do, each thought, every word we say - these ripples spread and touch, in some small way, each other person. 

We see some of our ripples obvious before us as small waves, splashes and deflections - but most are unnoticed, too small or distant. Too insignificant to care about.

Or they are behind us, beyond our peripheral vision. 

All ripples begin as rings
spreading in a circle always
from a point of contact, all changed 
or deflected by winds and barriers.

God has no substance, and lives 
here with us only in love, 
only in human contact and 
in whatever love and forgiveness we offer.

We work together in each human act:
we create the waves -  
our role as God's co-creators.
The shape and height of the wave, 

its longevity and effect are not
in our control, spreading
in front of us, or a wave surging behind
rolling directly across clear space or 

deflected God only knows where, 
to touch, to baptise, to remind, 
to heal another person I have never met, 
will never meet. My brother, my sister.

My role is the contact: the word of love
the touch of hope, the gift of charity,
the smile. These contacts are mine. The ripple 
is our Creator's continuing act of creation.

Sometimes a ripple touches me 
and I am a hard flat surface
deflecting or directing the energy 
and doing God's work.

Sometimes I am broken coastlines, 
absorbing all of the energy and love 
rolling in the wave and doing God's will. 
Accepting God's flood of love.

Ripples go out from every human contact
every prayer, every touch, every feeling;
every act of love, of faith, of trust, of forgiveness, of joy, 
to we know not where - God's hand upon the world.

My acts send little ripples
not giant tsunami - that is not my calling.
But tiny ripples amplify other ripples
and become breakers on the shore.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for Jesus' personal message for you.

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation try Isaiah 55:8-9

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

or these famous words of Teresa of Avila

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion
is to look out to the earth,
yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good
and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.

Read one of these passages or the meditation slowly a couple of times.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with those words, or the word ACT or the word GOD. You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day. 

Meditation: Be still and know (Psalm 46)

Despite all the terrible things you read in your news,
despite the wars and shameful things you do to each other,
despite the earthquakes and storms, droughts and famines
despite even your abuse of each other and my earth ...

   all will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When things fail in your home, when stress and anger
dominate love and gentleness,
have faith. Be strong: even in your pain
I hold you, cherish you, prune and nurture you, and

   all will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When you become ill - or someone you need becomes ill

empty yourself, come to me, I wait to fill your emptiness,
to heal and console, to comfort and calm, and guide you
from the blind uncaring city to the quiet pool of Siloam in the ruins of David's old city.

   All will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When you see people doing unspeakable things to each other, 

feel moments of terror and unthinking anger,
days, months, years of starvation and illness,
when death and disease is all around, even then

   all will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When you see darkness in the actions of angry people

darkness in the eye of the storm, when you see
darkness buried in the earthquake
and fleeing children dead upon the shore, even then

   all will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When people put their own power before the people I created

I will melt their guns and disperse their gases. 

I will breach their fantasy of unscalable ramparts 

and destroy all their dreams of security and safety.

   All will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

When you damage my earth and trees and birds and fish,

when storms destroy your cities and drought lays waste your crops,
when the air turns brown and the horizon disappears,
when the waters rise and your security is shattered, come to me, then

   all will be well, because

   I am with you

   I will be with you always.
   Be still: step into my light.
   I made you. I love you. I am your home.
   Let me take you in my arms and give you peace.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for Jesus' personal message for you.

If you would prefer a Bible reading I suggest Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Read this passage or the meditation slowly a couple of times.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with those words, or the word GOD. You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

In my insights blog last week I suggested another way my wife used this psalm for meditation when she ran retreats.

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Meditation: Sparkle!

A friend recently returned from a business trip to China full of enthusiasm for a contact she had made with a big company. She had "hit it off" with them. As she left she asked them what made the difference, and was told they always deliberately looked to work with people who "sparkle". 

Sparkle [spahr-kuh l]: to shine or glisten with little gleams of light, glitter.

We know so many people: friends, acquaintances, 
children, family, who sparkle with life - 
people on trains, people at work and play: 
people unable to contain their spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Adults, darkly dressed and with important tasks, 
others relying on their decision, experience, or whim,
always self aware and making the right impression
trying to conceal their spirit, but still
alive with the sparkle of creation.

The dancer or composer or artist or physicist seeing 
the light of creation, records without words directly on each soul;
aware only of the wonder, not seeing the rest,
overflowing with life, not caring to contain their spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Young parent's light flickers, exhausted by work 
and worry and children. But the glimmer of a tired friend 
or partner revives hope and re-kindles the gleam, 
re-ignites the dream of love and new life, 
resurrecting in all the spark of creation. 

Children, full of energy, full of light!
always running, charged with energy and vitality.
Care-less and taking every thing for granted: 
of course I am full of life! watch me fly!
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Young animals bounding with life, leaping stiff-legged,
hanging still in the air for long moments,
turning to check mother was watching,
overflowing with life-spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

And as well, take joy from those who reflect 
our light; people who take the little light 
twinkling out from our gloom, and glitter it back, 
reminding us we too must see ourselves even
from our dark, still dazzling with the sparkle of creation.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for Jesus' personal message for you.

If you would prefer a Bible reading I suggest John 10, 7-10 ...

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All those who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1. Read this passage or the meditation slowly a couple of times.
2. What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?
3. Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.
4. Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with those words, or the word LIGHT or LIFE. 
5. You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock. 

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Meditation: At the hour of my death (Psalm 22)

GOOD FRIDAY 2015

Holy Week takes us on a very human journey with Jesus. 

So much Church teaching comes from this story, and sometimes we can get caught up in the meaning and significance of it all. Then we may not give our attention to Jesus' very human anguish and integrity and personal courage - and the roller-coaster of hope and despair that was his last week. 

And then we may not hear the personal message of that for each of us! 
Let Jesus speak to you through David in Psalm 22.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

    I have cried desperately for help,
but still I die alone.

During the night I called to you, my God,
    but did not hear your answer.
I call again today; I feel a gentle touch
    but still I get no rest.

In all ages your people put their trust in you;

    you calmed their fears,

you showed them hope to strengthen their courage.
    They trusted you, and you saved them.

But I am no longer a human being;

    I am without hope. Today I die

despised and scorned by everyone.

    “You relied on the Lord” they say.
“Why doesn't he save you?”

You have always been with me –

    always given me meaning and purpose.

It was you who brought me safely through my birth,
    and when I was a baby, it was you who kept me safe.

I have relied on you since the day I was born,
    and you have always walked with me.

Hold me close now!
    Trouble is near, and people cannot help.

My strength is gone,
    gone like water spilled on the ground.
All my bones are out of joint;
    my heart is like melted wax.
I am left for dead in the dust.

Always you have been with me when I needed you; 
    my suffering you shared.
Never did you turn away,
    but answered my cries of pain. 

Let me cling to you now in my terror.

O my Creator God, hold me! Wrap me in your warm light, 

    suckle me, let me rest quiet in your arms.

Bring me home.

Suggestions for meditation
Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for Jesus' personal message for you.

If you would prefer a Bible reading I suggest the real Psalm 22.

You can begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word below. 

Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with the word Alone or the word Death. Either of these words can bring great consolation - but if you prefer a more positive word, try Hope. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

I have published early this week and will use this psalm (and each of these words) for my meditations during the week.

You may need a countdown clock. 

At the end thank God, and return to your day.