A Book By Mother Teresa - an inspiring read

I came by this book while riffling through the books on the shelf at the library.  Of course since working on my masters doesn't provide me enough to do (clearly this is said sarcastically), I needed more to read and so I picked up yet one more for my spare time.

This was a wonderful and worthwhile read that will remind you about the wonder in the world.  We may think of Mother Teresa as a saint, but the biography at the back of the book reminds us that she was just a girl who wanted to make a difference.  She was a woman that listened to the yearning in her heart placed by God and had the conviction to follow no matter where it led.

This book does not have to be read from front to back and can get set down and picked up as you are inspired. or have time to devote to it.  I hope that you might pick it up yourself and see how her story might fertilize the yearnings of your heart.

Looking for Places to Listen to Faith

This is just a quick note to let you know if you enjoy thoughtfully, provocative radio broadcasts, especially around issues of faith, I would like to give you two recommendations:

12 Enough - which is a podcast produced periodically by two New England  Protestant ministers.  They are witty and fun to listen to while also forcing you to think about theological questions.  You may agree with them or disagree but you won't go away without having a new thought.

On Being with Krista Tippett is my second recommendation.  This show carries a much broader view of faith and may introduce you to ideas that you hadn't considered before as well as allowing you to hear from and about some of the great theologians of our time.  (I was introduced to this show as a way to listen to the work of Reinhold Neibuhr and haven't stopped listening since.)

Both of these shows also have blogs and other media that you may want to explore as well.  Is there anything that you listen to that you find helpful in your spiritual growth?  Please let us know.

What is Evil?

Today, I used Psalms 7 as my scripture for meditation.  There are many interesting phrases in this scripture, but I was caught in Psalms 7:3 "It would be different Lord, if I were doing evil things."  I think I became transfixed on this phrase because of the work that I am doing in Christian Ethics about oppression.  For class we watched, Romero:



In watching this,  I had to ask who was evil? Was it just the soldiers? Just the government? Or was it also Romero himself when he begrudgingly walked alongside the El Salvadorian people in the beginning as they walked to the polls?  Was it the mother who asked Romero to baptize her son separately?

It is so easy to be sure that we don't lie, cheat, and steal.  It is much harder to separate ourselves from oppressive systems that surround us all.  Perhaps, we don't offer health insurance to our employees.  Perhaps, we don't pay our full share into taxes and therefore put a strain on the support systems for others in need.  Perhaps, we choose not to vote and let the status quo continue.  Perhaps you buy the less expensive items at a store that encourage child labor or not paying a living wage to those in need. What is evil?  What is sin?

This is the mandala that I created as I pondered this question.

  How do you think you may add or assist in the oppression of others?  What steps can you take to not continue this action?

Using Mandalas in your Lectio Divina Practice

I have found mandalas to be helpful in accessing scripture.  The drawing of the mandala helps me to be more open to the scripture's message and helps me to connect on a deeper level with the message and the words.

Lectio Divina is a process to internalize scripture.  There are a couple different ways to do it, but basically it entails reading the passage multiple times.  Between each reading, you are to focus on a piece of the passage that speaks to you and then connect it with something currently in your life.  I have been twisting its use by:

1.  Read a passage.  I have been focusing on the Psalms.

2. Find a section that speaks to me.

3.  Reread the passage.

4.  Begin the drawing of my mandala. (note: my mandalas are not as structured as this.  I begin only with the circle and a center.  And sometimes even the center is optional)

5. Read the passage again.

6. Write a short passage myself about how the scripture, the particular verse, and my drawing relate to me.

In, Go and Do Likewise: Jesus and Ethics by William C. Spohn,  Spohn writes, "The ancient practice of mediation read the text for transformation, not information.  The sacred texts of every tradition have to be read with a listening heart, not at 350 words per minute.  The early monks would hear the scripture read in common and commit phrases to memory so they could continue to be nourished by it in solitude." (pg 137)

I encourage you to try this practice, whether you draw or not.  Lectio Divina is a totally different way to read scripture than I had ever been taught.  While I would not use this as the only way to read scripture it is a usefull tool to deepen your understanding and to become active in your Bible studies.

Mandala - Another to consider

Here is another mandala that I have created:

I want to share with you the power of drawing mandalas.  This mandala was created with the intention of thinking about my upcoming Discernment Meeting with the Central Association of the United Church of Christ.  This meeting is the step toward becoming an ordained minister or a road block depending on its outcome.  Clearly one might bring a lot of tension into such a meeting. So when I went to the mandala workshop held by fellow seminarian, Kelly Beard, I used this meeting as the intent for my drawing.

You cannot clearly see in this drawing, but the drawing began with a lot of chaos and movement.  Eventually, the flower grew out of the middle and the chaos receded.  You will notice if you look carefully that my take away from this was that I was enough.  The flower I felt represented me and my gifts.  To me this was a messages that if I went into the meeting with the talents and skills that God had gifted me with then I was ok.  I was surprised by this result when it first emerged, but even more surprised when it emerged just before I entered the meeting.

On the day of my Discernment Meeting, I was sitting on the deacons' bench waiting to be called in.  I decided to take a minute to pray and center myself.  As I closed my eyes and began to pray to God to give me the words so that I could properly articulate my calling to these people who needed to open the next gate so that I could follow, a picture blossomed in my head.  I saw that flower bloom right before me.  God sent me a picture message reminding me that I was enough.  If I went in just as myself, I would be ok.

I have continued to draw several mandalas as part of my spiritual practice time now and over the next few weeks, I will share some of what I have created.

My Mandala

I got the blessing of attending a mandala making workshop week.  This is the very first mandala that I have ever made.  I hope that you may enjoy it.