Sainthood

Divine union, not private perfection, is the goal of all religion (Goal).

What is the source of your spiritual power? It’s radical union with God, not just doing good things or holding a role or function...in the end, the only basis for fruitful Christianity is divine union. Such people change you and change the world. Leon Bloy said it well: “There is only one sadness in life, only one—not to be a saint.”

                                                          Richard Rohr

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today O Sacred One

I want to be a saint

St. Stephen has such a nice ring to it

so Lord

this day consume me,

be present inside me,

roll

roar

blow

it is time for a non-hostile take over

make yourself so much a part of me

that I cannot tell where you start and “I” end

let us be united

for that is what faith is all about

may we be like lovers

yes, like husband and wife

two becoming one

the mystery of incarnation

of faith

and

life

will take care of itself

Sometimes, sometimes...

sometimes

we are just not in that place

of grace

instead we are in a place

where we do not feel

effective

(that sucks)

or valuable

(that is bad)

or valued

(that is worse)

or even liked

(that is the very worst)

we feel alone

and

“slow, low, ugly, puffy, drooped, pooped”

( I borrowed that, but it fits)

and in those moments

we scream a silent scream

because to voice our pain

gets us judged

(So you are depressed again huh?  Why don’t you get help!)

or told all the reason we should not

feel the way we do

(You are fine, fine! God loves you just the way you are!)

and people try to “fix” us

(just breathe, pray, trust – insert advice here ___________  )

but when you can’t get there,

and are told you really should be there,

and you know you should be there,

but you just can’t get there…..

none of that helps

it may all be true

(and the intentions are greatly appreciated and valued)

but it doesn’t help

what helps

is to know

merely

that you are not alone

“I hear you”

“I care”

“Wow, that must be tough”

“I’m sorry”

“I’m with you”

for with someone to be present for you

and walk with you

even in silence

through the places

of ooze and slime and old decay (thanks CS Lewis)

one eventually

finds one’s way

home

Why Does God Love Me?

Why Does God Love Me?

This is the thing, the core thing that I have the most trouble with in my relationship with the Sacred

Here is what I have come to believe…

God does not love me because I am worthy, because I am lovable

Nor does God love me because I am unlovable, unworthy.

When it comes to love God doesn't seem to work in the realm of

"deserving"

at all

God loves because God is love

that is what God does

that is who God IS

Oh, I know, there are consequences to actions

and we can deny love

I get all that

But, we have no grounds for believing God doesn't LOVE us

because we are unworthy

Jesus makes that very clear

So why is it so hard to grab hold of God’s love?

Beatrice Bruteau makes this startling comment....

"sometimes we want to be loveable more than we want to be loved"

Wow!  That is SO me!

I want to be loveable

I want to deserve love, earn love

I want the other person to "have to" love me

I think this gives me power, and control of a sort

if I am wonderful

amazing

beautiful

whatever

then I have the power to make the other person love me

and this gives me, so I think, a security of love

of course they must continue to love me!

how could they not?

I have been this...

done that....

but to just accept love

and to accept that this love

coming to me may just be

may just emerge out of the heart of the  other person

who may be able to love me

because they have accepted love

that comes out of the heart of God...

Honestly, that is difficult

I have trouble going there

It has to be about me

How can there be a love that is

not earned

not deserved?

And yet

that is how God works

I am not there yet

I am not yet ready to let go of my need to be deserving

and just accept

love

when it comes

how about you?