Part Three: Chapter 8 - “Touch and Blessing” pgs 102-113
“Jesus taught us the whole movement of God’s love with bread”. Read the bread image on pg 103-104 and reflect on Jesus’ taking, blessing, breaking, giving of bread.
In light of what we have read, within what part of the “movement” of God’s love do you find yourself? Where do you wish to be? How does our ability to receive mercy {practice #8} make a difference in the movement of God’s love?
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May 27th, 2009 @ 11:54 pm
Dear all
I was not able to get my life into gear for this blog but as soon as I finish “the Return of the Prodical Son” and read”the Homecoming” I hope to review these blog comments again.
I find this community so spiritually refilling.
till then
Yours in Christ.
Judy
May 26th, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
Dear Liz,
I received a needed message for myself in your last paragraph.
Also, as I read your post re “broken”; as a Roman Catholic, I can’t help but think of the words during the consecration of our mass -”He took the bread, broke it…”- and we although broken share our broken selves with others. I definitely will keep the tv off and get more contemplating and reading done tonight.
A side note: Can’t you picture Jesus and Henri strolling in heaven’s garden reading our blogs??? Henri says to Jesus, “if they could each just love themselves the way you do and for the loving people they are” and Jesus looks at him and laughs and says, “be happy that here in heaven you don’t remember all the struggles from your earthly life”.
(Had to share my moment of fantasy with you all!)
May 26th, 2009 @ 11:27 am
As I read and let Henri’s words of “took, blessed, broke, and gave” move within me as God’s Love, I find that too often I neglect to “give” with compassion when “broken” and thus to fall short (”miss the mark”) and fall into the mistake of failing to realize the truth of Henri’s words (p. 104): “We are broken not because we are cursed but because like Jesus, passion moves us to compassion and to be given for others who suffer.” I need to follow through with giving and compassion.
We like others are living imperfectly, and loving imperfectly and with conditions, allowing judgment to stop the flow from passion to compassion.
Where I wish to be is with the Father in receiving and emanating Unconditional Love, choosing to be given and not withholding my giving of self as God calls me to give that self which is God’s gift to me.
As I cultivate the receiving of Mercy (Practice
and come to a way of awareness of each evidence of mercy shown me, little by little I come to accept my belovedness that is the truth of my being and that I do not have to earn; to begin to know that I am innately worthy because God has made me so. I do not need to prove my worthiness, only to seek to listen to God and to let God’s guidance and mercy keep me in God’s way.
May 23rd, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
Hi Sharon,
How beautiful an image of the afgan that was made and blessed resting upon the woman in her home. I am sure she must feel the love that went into it.
As a campus minister, I have received a gift. When I listen to students share with me something of their lives and when I hear their heart cries, sometimes I feel as if I might catch a glimpse of how God sees them. The student before me is chosen and unique. In these moments, I just want to hug them and let them know how beautiful and beloved they are. At times I can do this, but many times it might make them feel a bit uncomfortable. Their vulernability is something so precious to witness and it is like an egg shell, something to be held in tenderness but not crushed!
I don’t know if that makes any sence at all - but the bread image (and your reflection Sharon) brought it to mind.
Kim
May 22nd, 2009 @ 8:37 am
The writing on pages 103-104 about bread, bread being first, God chooses each of us uniquely, Jesus blessing it, just as our Creator confirms each of us as beloved children, bread given for the life of others. I see myself more and more as both sons, the younger son who didn’t realize what his God-given gifts were and spent some time squandering them, the elder who also didn’t realize what his God-given gifts were or maybe mistook what he thought God wanted for another path which only brought him grief. I have a great amount of trouble feeling I’ve been gifted too, maybe even feeling I’ve been chosen. But a group of us are doing these afghans for people where people contribute knitted/crochetted pieces and we sew them together. Now we are making one for a woman who has been very fragile for a long time. She is on a ventilator and a feeding tube and now her daughter is taking care of her at home, round the clock. Last night I asked our Pastor to bless the afghan before I deliver it to her house. There is something in the doing of this handwork and also that our Pastor blesses each afghan that provides comfort, knowing that our friend so close to death has so much been prayed for, but also knowing that our Pastor receives our gifts as they are going out with our love for people. God is interested in these visible tangible things that we make and He somehow transforms our relationship to them and to Him and to others. It’s getting all mixed up in my mind and mysterious and pages 103-104 really helped me to see connections in living life for God.