Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
—Luke 14.27-28, 33
God, help me to walk away
from all I possess,
to fall in love with you,
and follow you in love.
Let my money and my goods
belong to those who need them more.
My comfort and security,
my power and control,
and all that others think of me,
I'm giving away.
My habits and my ways
of thinking and of doing things,
my mastery, I'm selling at a yard sale,
cheap.
My assumptions and judgments
I leave behind—even my deepest beliefs—
and only follow you, and there alone
discover what I know,
receive what is given to me,
and possess what is mine.
Holy One, Life-Breather, this day
I let go of everything I have
and leave it all to follow you.
And tomorrow all that I've acquired
I'll give away again.
_____________________
Weather Report
Clear,
as a low pressure system
brings relief from the obscuring clouds
of having and doing,
the stickiness of all we cling to,
and we become who we are.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
unfoldinglight.net
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Mountain top experience
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
This weekend I hiked the Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire's White Mountains, including Mt. Lafayette, one of the highest peaks in the eastern US. It was a beautiful Saturday, so of course I was not alone. I was prepared to run into other hikers, and to share the summit with a small crowd. But I was not prepared for how chatty they were up there. It sounded like a bus station. People chattered on an on about their businesses and cars and taxes and—really!— plumbing problems at home.
We stood atop a miraculous thrust of rock into the sky, with a view of the great wide earth in every direction. We saw mountain ranges to the east and west, clouds messing Mt. Washington's hair. We looked down on lush forests. We got a glimpse of the vastness of the earth. And we exulted in the wondrous gift of legs that could carry us up there and take us back down, and hearts and lungs that served us so well. And if we looked—but no one looked—there were little red berries on the eastern side of the summit, and little tiny alpine flowers. No one seemed to be looking at anything. They were just talking and eating and taking pictures (mostly of each other). And talking. I wonder if they even noticed they were having an actual mountain top experience. I had to hike north and find a wind-blasted rock outcropping to find what ought to be natural to mountain tops: silence.
I understand. People are easily frightened by awe, like heights, and so they stay away from the edge. We all do, to some degree. We keep our experience shallow, we distract ourselves with trivia, we numb out. But we miss a lot.
How often are we in a miraculous place and forget to stop in awe? How often does the silence of heaven surround us and we don't dare to listen, or beauty come to us and we don't look it in the eye? How often do we have a mountain top experience and don't even know it? How often is this life beautiful enough, but we are not present?
Pay attention today. You may not be in a dramatic location, nor have to work very hard to get there. But you might encounter something awesome—if only you will give it your attention, your silence, your wonder. Practice noticing in the ordinary moments. Then not only will you be ready for the really spectacular ones, but they'll happen more often.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
unfoldinglight.net
Grace and Peace to you.
This weekend I hiked the Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire's White Mountains, including Mt. Lafayette, one of the highest peaks in the eastern US. It was a beautiful Saturday, so of course I was not alone. I was prepared to run into other hikers, and to share the summit with a small crowd. But I was not prepared for how chatty they were up there. It sounded like a bus station. People chattered on an on about their businesses and cars and taxes and—really!— plumbing problems at home.
We stood atop a miraculous thrust of rock into the sky, with a view of the great wide earth in every direction. We saw mountain ranges to the east and west, clouds messing Mt. Washington's hair. We looked down on lush forests. We got a glimpse of the vastness of the earth. And we exulted in the wondrous gift of legs that could carry us up there and take us back down, and hearts and lungs that served us so well. And if we looked—but no one looked—there were little red berries on the eastern side of the summit, and little tiny alpine flowers. No one seemed to be looking at anything. They were just talking and eating and taking pictures (mostly of each other). And talking. I wonder if they even noticed they were having an actual mountain top experience. I had to hike north and find a wind-blasted rock outcropping to find what ought to be natural to mountain tops: silence.
I understand. People are easily frightened by awe, like heights, and so they stay away from the edge. We all do, to some degree. We keep our experience shallow, we distract ourselves with trivia, we numb out. But we miss a lot.
How often are we in a miraculous place and forget to stop in awe? How often does the silence of heaven surround us and we don't dare to listen, or beauty come to us and we don't look it in the eye? How often do we have a mountain top experience and don't even know it? How often is this life beautiful enough, but we are not present?
Pay attention today. You may not be in a dramatic location, nor have to work very hard to get there. But you might encounter something awesome—if only you will give it your attention, your silence, your wonder. Practice noticing in the ordinary moments. Then not only will you be ready for the really spectacular ones, but they'll happen more often.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
unfoldinglight.net
Friday, August 27, 2010
Psalm 81
Sing a song to the Love of our Lives;
a love song to the One we've seen and known.
Pick up something and make a beat on it,
blow it or strum it so it sings!
Start up the song at a good time, or awkward—
either way it's a party.
For this is God's Way. You've known it
in the time of your worst suffering:
the voice that says, “I've relieved you of your burden.
Beloved, I've set you free.
When you wept in secret, I heard you.
In your weakness I was power in you.
When you were tested,
I was grace. Remember?
So listen to me now.
This is for you.
Why bow down to what doesn't set you free?
Why give in to what you know isn't true?
I am Being itself.
I stand between you and your prison cell.
Open your mouth wide.
I will fill it.
But do you listen to the silence that speaks?—
or do you want to stay in control?
I've let you dash around after your feelings,
leash yourself to your thoughts.
Now try listening to something deeper.
Let yourself embody Love's wisdom.
That takes all the power away
from what would diminish your life.
Whatever is rooted in fear withers,
and your freedom from it is guaranteed.
What I really want is to feed you exquisitely,
to nourish you with the most amazing food.”
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
unfoldinglight.net
a love song to the One we've seen and known.
Pick up something and make a beat on it,
blow it or strum it so it sings!
Start up the song at a good time, or awkward—
either way it's a party.
For this is God's Way. You've known it
in the time of your worst suffering:
the voice that says, “I've relieved you of your burden.
Beloved, I've set you free.
When you wept in secret, I heard you.
In your weakness I was power in you.
When you were tested,
I was grace. Remember?
So listen to me now.
This is for you.
Why bow down to what doesn't set you free?
Why give in to what you know isn't true?
I am Being itself.
I stand between you and your prison cell.
Open your mouth wide.
I will fill it.
But do you listen to the silence that speaks?—
or do you want to stay in control?
I've let you dash around after your feelings,
leash yourself to your thoughts.
Now try listening to something deeper.
Let yourself embody Love's wisdom.
That takes all the power away
from what would diminish your life.
Whatever is rooted in fear withers,
and your freedom from it is guaranteed.
What I really want is to feed you exquisitely,
to nourish you with the most amazing food.”
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
unfoldinglight.net
Thursday, August 26, 2010
A prayer for presence
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Holy One,
Intimate Presence,
Perfect Love,
you are with me now
in my waking, in my awareness,
in my breath.
You are present in this day,
and will be present in all things,
each moment, each occurrence.
I do not ask that you shield me
but that you be with me,
and that I be present to you.
You will be in the secret beauties,
in the puzzles and frustrations,
in the empty boring passages.
You will be in light and shadow,
pleasure and pain, answer and
question, invitation and rebuff.
You will be in my safety and in my risk,
in my triumphs and defeats,
in my breath and in my flesh.
Your Holy Presence will be in strangers,
in voices and silences,
clarity and mystery.
You will be looking gently upon me
with blessing, deep into my eyes,
and looking out through my eyes.
I pray that I may be mindful of your presence,
and listen for your voice,
and act in harmony with your grace.
I pray as I live, in the power of your Spirit,
in the mystery of your creating,
and in the company of your Christ. Amen.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_____________________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
Holy One,
Intimate Presence,
Perfect Love,
you are with me now
in my waking, in my awareness,
in my breath.
You are present in this day,
and will be present in all things,
each moment, each occurrence.
I do not ask that you shield me
but that you be with me,
and that I be present to you.
You will be in the secret beauties,
in the puzzles and frustrations,
in the empty boring passages.
You will be in light and shadow,
pleasure and pain, answer and
question, invitation and rebuff.
You will be in my safety and in my risk,
in my triumphs and defeats,
in my breath and in my flesh.
Your Holy Presence will be in strangers,
in voices and silences,
clarity and mystery.
You will be looking gently upon me
with blessing, deep into my eyes,
and looking out through my eyes.
I pray that I may be mindful of your presence,
and listen for your voice,
and act in harmony with your grace.
I pray as I live, in the power of your Spirit,
in the mystery of your creating,
and in the company of your Christ. Amen.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_____________________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
A place at the banquet
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher.” … When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
— from Luke 14. 10-14
Forget false modesty,
or a clever set-up for a public compliment:
this is about losing yourself.
You can go through life asking what's in it for you—
seeking thanks, payback, recognition—
and be disappointed—in this ungrateful world,
and, face it— in yourself.
Or you can forget yourself,
and look for ways to give, unrewarded,
because giving is wondrous,
and be constantly surprised.
Find the joy in unreturnable favors,
thankless jobs, unrewarded gifts, wasted blessings.
Stop trying to manage your return
like an anxious shopkeeper,
and give everything away.
Then everything becomes a gift.
Once it becomes a joy to you to see the needy receive,
all of life is an invitation to a banquet.
Always, the head table is in the servant's quarters.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher.” … When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
— from Luke 14. 10-14
Forget false modesty,
or a clever set-up for a public compliment:
this is about losing yourself.
You can go through life asking what's in it for you—
seeking thanks, payback, recognition—
and be disappointed—in this ungrateful world,
and, face it— in yourself.
Or you can forget yourself,
and look for ways to give, unrewarded,
because giving is wondrous,
and be constantly surprised.
Find the joy in unreturnable favors,
thankless jobs, unrewarded gifts, wasted blessings.
Stop trying to manage your return
like an anxious shopkeeper,
and give everything away.
Then everything becomes a gift.
Once it becomes a joy to you to see the needy receive,
all of life is an invitation to a banquet.
Always, the head table is in the servant's quarters.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
God's passionate devotion
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Thus says the Lord: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? They did not say, "Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt?” … My people have changed their glory for something that does not profit.... My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
—Jeremiah 2. 5-6, 11, 13-14
The God of the Old Testament is often portrayed as vindictive, judgmental, and often in a foul mood. It's said that the New Testament God is the loving who cares for us, while the Old Testament version is just mad that we broke the rules. But God is no more angry at us than we are at a child who runs into a busy street. It's not the rules, but our lives, that God is so passionate about.
God only loves us, and is anguished that we endanger ourselves. God gives us life and sets us free, and ardently calls us to turn away from attachments that enslave us and diminish us. God wants clear, flowing, life-giving water for us, not brackish tank water. God wants freedom for us, not attachment and addiction. What appears as God's anger is really God's devoted passion for us to change in order to be fully alive and fully free.
Be mindful of the One who is your life, your breath, your energy, and your freedom. Recently, how have you sought “life” in accomplishment, in security, in what other people think of you? And how have you sought life in the Holy One? How have you given yourself over to things that enslave you? How might God be wanting to set you free?
God is the fountain of life within you. Abandon the leaky pits you dig that hold fetid water, and turn to the Life-Giving One. God is your freedom. Trust that God desires that you be fully alive and free. Let go of your attachments, and receive from the Beloved life that is undiminished.
When it seems like God is shouting at you, don't worry that God is mad at you. It might be that you've run out into the street, and God really really wants you to be OK. Turn around and listen.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
Thus says the Lord: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? They did not say, "Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt?” … My people have changed their glory for something that does not profit.... My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
—Jeremiah 2. 5-6, 11, 13-14
The God of the Old Testament is often portrayed as vindictive, judgmental, and often in a foul mood. It's said that the New Testament God is the loving who cares for us, while the Old Testament version is just mad that we broke the rules. But God is no more angry at us than we are at a child who runs into a busy street. It's not the rules, but our lives, that God is so passionate about.
God only loves us, and is anguished that we endanger ourselves. God gives us life and sets us free, and ardently calls us to turn away from attachments that enslave us and diminish us. God wants clear, flowing, life-giving water for us, not brackish tank water. God wants freedom for us, not attachment and addiction. What appears as God's anger is really God's devoted passion for us to change in order to be fully alive and fully free.
Be mindful of the One who is your life, your breath, your energy, and your freedom. Recently, how have you sought “life” in accomplishment, in security, in what other people think of you? And how have you sought life in the Holy One? How have you given yourself over to things that enslave you? How might God be wanting to set you free?
God is the fountain of life within you. Abandon the leaky pits you dig that hold fetid water, and turn to the Life-Giving One. God is your freedom. Trust that God desires that you be fully alive and free. Let go of your attachments, and receive from the Beloved life that is undiminished.
When it seems like God is shouting at you, don't worry that God is mad at you. It might be that you've run out into the street, and God really really wants you to be OK. Turn around and listen.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Monday, August 23, 2010
Yard sale
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
We had a big yard sale. Some people were happy to find an item they were looking for, some enjoyed bargaining, some just wanted to feel like they'd made a steal. Some people haggled over every little dime (generally, more well-dressed folks). (I can just imagine their prayer lives.) We let go of a lot of things for pretty cheap. After all, the reason we did this was not to make money, but to get rid of stuff. Toward the end we gave a lot away. Man, it feels great.
What is it that makes your life rich? Probably what you give away, not what you hang onto. More likely things like faith, hope and love. Things like relationships, awareness, attitudes, possibilities. Things like joy, generosity, courage, gratitude. In fact, most of what enriches our lives are the kinds of things that are renewed the more we give them away—like forgiveness, attentiveness, trust, blessing. It's sharing, not possessing, that enriches our lives. It's true of our talents and abilities. It's often true even of our possessions. The more we let go of, the more ready we are to receive what is given to us.
Do you want your life to be about getting or giving? Why not let go of everything? Let your life be a yard sale. When life haggles with you, let things go. Let go of everything. Let it go. Trust that no matter what you give away, you will thrive. “Be content with what you have; for God has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you'” (Heb. 13.5).
Live today as if you know that it is not what you have but what you give that makes your life rich.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
We had a big yard sale. Some people were happy to find an item they were looking for, some enjoyed bargaining, some just wanted to feel like they'd made a steal. Some people haggled over every little dime (generally, more well-dressed folks). (I can just imagine their prayer lives.) We let go of a lot of things for pretty cheap. After all, the reason we did this was not to make money, but to get rid of stuff. Toward the end we gave a lot away. Man, it feels great.
What is it that makes your life rich? Probably what you give away, not what you hang onto. More likely things like faith, hope and love. Things like relationships, awareness, attitudes, possibilities. Things like joy, generosity, courage, gratitude. In fact, most of what enriches our lives are the kinds of things that are renewed the more we give them away—like forgiveness, attentiveness, trust, blessing. It's sharing, not possessing, that enriches our lives. It's true of our talents and abilities. It's often true even of our possessions. The more we let go of, the more ready we are to receive what is given to us.
Do you want your life to be about getting or giving? Why not let go of everything? Let your life be a yard sale. When life haggles with you, let things go. Let go of everything. Let it go. Trust that no matter what you give away, you will thrive. “Be content with what you have; for God has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you'” (Heb. 13.5).
Live today as if you know that it is not what you have but what you give that makes your life rich.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Friday, August 20, 2010
Open your hands
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
The sun spills up over the rim of the world
and pours out between the trees,
floods the hillside and soon the bottom land.
Colors warm and ripen,
light pools in open places,
and your eyes awaken.
See? It's that easy.
Open your hands.
____________________
Weather Report
All will be given,
increasing through the day,
with patches of abundance and generosity.
Fifty percent chance of receptiveness.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
The sun spills up over the rim of the world
and pours out between the trees,
floods the hillside and soon the bottom land.
Colors warm and ripen,
light pools in open places,
and your eyes awaken.
See? It's that easy.
Open your hands.
____________________
Weather Report
All will be given,
increasing through the day,
with patches of abundance and generosity.
Fifty percent chance of receptiveness.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Daughter of Abraham
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
A woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
— Luke 13.10-17
Take a moment to be with yourself. Breathe gently. Be mindful of God's presence.
In stillness, ponder: What is bent over in you? What is unable to stand tall? What unseen gifts, what unacknowledged beauty, what strength waits to be released? What part of you is put down... left out... repressed... in exile? In what ways have you become accustomed to looking down?... being unable?... expecting nothing?...
Imagine Jesus looking at you... seeing you, truly seeing you... Imagine him calling your name. He beckons you to come to him. To leave your accustomed place, your place of hiding, to leave the familiar comfort of your despair....
Imagine him laying his hands on you, his power flowing through you, light from him filling you. Imagine that bent over part of you rising, straightening, standing tall.
You know that there will be criticism, misunderstanding, resentment— but he protects you from it all. He defends your wellness, your liberation, your worthiness. He calls you “Daughter of Abraham,” a title both honorific and endearing, and a sign of your inclusion in a holy community.
Your blessing may not unfold as suddenly as this woman's, or as clearly. But blessing is yours. There is something in you—perhaps not what you expect— that Christ desires to raise up. Let it happen.
And praise God.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
A woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
— Luke 13.10-17
Take a moment to be with yourself. Breathe gently. Be mindful of God's presence.
In stillness, ponder: What is bent over in you? What is unable to stand tall? What unseen gifts, what unacknowledged beauty, what strength waits to be released? What part of you is put down... left out... repressed... in exile? In what ways have you become accustomed to looking down?... being unable?... expecting nothing?...
Imagine Jesus looking at you... seeing you, truly seeing you... Imagine him calling your name. He beckons you to come to him. To leave your accustomed place, your place of hiding, to leave the familiar comfort of your despair....
Imagine him laying his hands on you, his power flowing through you, light from him filling you. Imagine that bent over part of you rising, straightening, standing tall.
You know that there will be criticism, misunderstanding, resentment— but he protects you from it all. He defends your wellness, your liberation, your worthiness. He calls you “Daughter of Abraham,” a title both honorific and endearing, and a sign of your inclusion in a holy community.
Your blessing may not unfold as suddenly as this woman's, or as clearly. But blessing is yours. There is something in you—perhaps not what you expect— that Christ desires to raise up. Let it happen.
And praise God.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thou hast loosed my bonds
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
At dawn the night
loses all its grip;
neither the room nor the street
even remembers
how dark you were, how blind.
Come into a clearing,
light poured into it,
pressed down, spilling over.
Feel a gate open inside you.
Something like scales fell from his eyes
You were worried about
all the wrong things,
what you would owe,
what you would look like,
which lane to shoot.
The best dangers passed by you
unnoticed.
We crossed on dry ground
Come back to those
who knew you at your worst
and see if they don’t still
love you.
Once we broke all the dishes,
we tasted the food.
Behold, I am doing…
You can’t imagine how deeply
you hurt her, how deeply
she forgave you without
your knowing.
Thou hast loosed my bonds
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
At dawn the night
loses all its grip;
neither the room nor the street
even remembers
how dark you were, how blind.
Come into a clearing,
light poured into it,
pressed down, spilling over.
Feel a gate open inside you.
Something like scales fell from his eyes
You were worried about
all the wrong things,
what you would owe,
what you would look like,
which lane to shoot.
The best dangers passed by you
unnoticed.
We crossed on dry ground
Come back to those
who knew you at your worst
and see if they don’t still
love you.
Once we broke all the dishes,
we tasted the food.
Behold, I am doing…
You can’t imagine how deeply
you hurt her, how deeply
she forgave you without
your knowing.
Thou hast loosed my bonds
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Two ways
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." The LORD answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
— Luke 13.10-17
There are two religions in the world. They are mutually exclusive. Everybody from all traditions, all practices, all religions and all non-religions—Presbyterians and Buddhists, Mormons and atheists, Jews and crystal-worshipers, all choose one or the other. One is the religion of Being Right. You follow rules, believe certain things, and behave certain ways in order to get some kind of assurance of belonging and safety. If you don't get it right—believe the wrong stuff, or say the wrong incantation, or live the wrong way—you lose. There are ways to redeem yourself, but you have to get them right, too.
The other religion is the religion of Being in Love. You love the gift of this life and the One who gives it, and so you live in love. You give and receive, you serve people, you set people free, you forgive and trust that you are forgiven— not in order to get something right, but because love and joy well up and overflow in you.
If you practice the Religion Being Right, sooner or later you hurt someone in order to Be Right. If you practice the Religion of Being in Love, sooner or later you break a rule in order to love someone. We are always choosing one or the other. Out of fear, we chose being Right. But in love we choose love.
All the power in the world is in love. The “power” of those who are right, who coerce and control and manipulate, is an illusion. It is certainly destructive (the ruler has the power to really hurt this poor woman) but it does not have the only real power, the power to give life. (The ruler couldn't have healed her if he tried for all six days in a row.) That comes from love alone.
Each moment today, you are choosing between love and control, between following rules and being set free, between controlling and serving, between between going along with what you've always thought and opening yourself to something new. Jesus doesn't choose for you, but he sets you free to choose. I can't tell you which to choose. But I can tell you the joy of love.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." The LORD answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
— Luke 13.10-17
There are two religions in the world. They are mutually exclusive. Everybody from all traditions, all practices, all religions and all non-religions—Presbyterians and Buddhists, Mormons and atheists, Jews and crystal-worshipers, all choose one or the other. One is the religion of Being Right. You follow rules, believe certain things, and behave certain ways in order to get some kind of assurance of belonging and safety. If you don't get it right—believe the wrong stuff, or say the wrong incantation, or live the wrong way—you lose. There are ways to redeem yourself, but you have to get them right, too.
The other religion is the religion of Being in Love. You love the gift of this life and the One who gives it, and so you live in love. You give and receive, you serve people, you set people free, you forgive and trust that you are forgiven— not in order to get something right, but because love and joy well up and overflow in you.
If you practice the Religion Being Right, sooner or later you hurt someone in order to Be Right. If you practice the Religion of Being in Love, sooner or later you break a rule in order to love someone. We are always choosing one or the other. Out of fear, we chose being Right. But in love we choose love.
All the power in the world is in love. The “power” of those who are right, who coerce and control and manipulate, is an illusion. It is certainly destructive (the ruler has the power to really hurt this poor woman) but it does not have the only real power, the power to give life. (The ruler couldn't have healed her if he tried for all six days in a row.) That comes from love alone.
Each moment today, you are choosing between love and control, between following rules and being set free, between controlling and serving, between between going along with what you've always thought and opening yourself to something new. Jesus doesn't choose for you, but he sets you free to choose. I can't tell you which to choose. But I can tell you the joy of love.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
What do you pay attention to?
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to pay attention to the present moment?”
—Luke 12. 54-56
In this 500-channel, multi-sensory, hyperactive world, what do you give your attention to? Do you follow your favorite team? Watch the weather? Track the stock market? Keep tabs on movie stars? Or are these things you ignore for other matters?
Do you fasten your attention on fear and anxiety, or do you keep your eyes peeled for grace? Is your radar tuned to people's judgments, or do you attend to the love of God within you? Do you fill your consciousness with past mistakes, fears of the future, things you regret or dread or the way you wish things were—especially the way you wish things were— or do you pay attention to the present moment?
What do you see? What is true in you and around you right now? What is happening this moment? How is your breathing? Start there. Stay there. Don't distract yourself with stuff you don't need to fret about. Pay attention to the present moment, without analyzing, assuming, judging or wishing. It's not that you shouldn't hope, or treasure a vision for yourself and the world. It's just that you begin with the present moment, without judgment or preconception. Rather than trying to manipulate your reality into what you want, be available to the grace that is hidden in what is. Simply be present. You'll be surprised how lovely it is.
____________________
Weather Report
This, not something else,
as the jet stream of eternity
unfolds each moment,
clearing as the day passes.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to pay attention to the present moment?”
—Luke 12. 54-56
In this 500-channel, multi-sensory, hyperactive world, what do you give your attention to? Do you follow your favorite team? Watch the weather? Track the stock market? Keep tabs on movie stars? Or are these things you ignore for other matters?
Do you fasten your attention on fear and anxiety, or do you keep your eyes peeled for grace? Is your radar tuned to people's judgments, or do you attend to the love of God within you? Do you fill your consciousness with past mistakes, fears of the future, things you regret or dread or the way you wish things were—especially the way you wish things were— or do you pay attention to the present moment?
What do you see? What is true in you and around you right now? What is happening this moment? How is your breathing? Start there. Stay there. Don't distract yourself with stuff you don't need to fret about. Pay attention to the present moment, without analyzing, assuming, judging or wishing. It's not that you shouldn't hope, or treasure a vision for yourself and the world. It's just that you begin with the present moment, without judgment or preconception. Rather than trying to manipulate your reality into what you want, be available to the grace that is hidden in what is. Simply be present. You'll be surprised how lovely it is.
____________________
Weather Report
This, not something else,
as the jet stream of eternity
unfolds each moment,
clearing as the day passes.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Friday, August 13, 2010
Pay attention to the present moment
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to pay attention to the present moment?
—Luke 12.56
Most versions translate the last phrase as “interpret the present time,” but that sounds too much like understanding mysterious signs, like reading chicken entrails. Luke’s Greek verb means something closer to “check out,” or even “confirm,” and his word for time is kairos: the decisive instant, the present moment. Jesus’ saying is not about predicting the future or even analyzing current events; it’s about being present. It’s not about assenting to doctrines or end-of-the-world scenarios; it’s about paying attention.
It’s also about paying attention to what we pay attention to. We watch the weather, or the stock market, or how well our team is doing– but do we pay attention to what is going on right now, in this moment, in ourselves, in our souls, in those around us, and in the world? Do we shed our assumptions, our dogmas and our axes to grind and just pay attention?
These words follow Jesus’ teaching about how our self-differentiation will evoke other people’s anxiety, and hence their opposition. The antidote to this conflict is not to fight back, nor to break off relationships, but to be even more mindful of what is, to pay attention to the nugget at the heart of things (and of ourselves) that is True.
There is a garden deep in our heart, a place where we are simply who we are, where we are most authentically ourselves, where we are least influenced by other people’s opinions and fears and yet most freely self-reflective and open. It is a garden where the person God creates us to be grows like a fruit-bearing vine, free of the weeds of other people’s anxious projections onto us. It is in this place of Truth where Christ meets us, and invites us, by his own steady presence, to remain.
This true self is not something we can create; it is a gift. To pay attention to the present moment and to attend to What Is in us and to choose to be our God-given selves in this deeply rooted way is an interior experience of the Realm of Grace, the “Kingdom of God.” The more we practice this presence, the more fully we can resist the world’s anxieties and its fear-based divisions, and proclaim the Realm of God. When we are faithful to our true selves in God, we participate in the healing of the world.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to pay attention to the present moment?
—Luke 12.56
Most versions translate the last phrase as “interpret the present time,” but that sounds too much like understanding mysterious signs, like reading chicken entrails. Luke’s Greek verb means something closer to “check out,” or even “confirm,” and his word for time is kairos: the decisive instant, the present moment. Jesus’ saying is not about predicting the future or even analyzing current events; it’s about being present. It’s not about assenting to doctrines or end-of-the-world scenarios; it’s about paying attention.
It’s also about paying attention to what we pay attention to. We watch the weather, or the stock market, or how well our team is doing– but do we pay attention to what is going on right now, in this moment, in ourselves, in our souls, in those around us, and in the world? Do we shed our assumptions, our dogmas and our axes to grind and just pay attention?
These words follow Jesus’ teaching about how our self-differentiation will evoke other people’s anxiety, and hence their opposition. The antidote to this conflict is not to fight back, nor to break off relationships, but to be even more mindful of what is, to pay attention to the nugget at the heart of things (and of ourselves) that is True.
There is a garden deep in our heart, a place where we are simply who we are, where we are most authentically ourselves, where we are least influenced by other people’s opinions and fears and yet most freely self-reflective and open. It is a garden where the person God creates us to be grows like a fruit-bearing vine, free of the weeds of other people’s anxious projections onto us. It is in this place of Truth where Christ meets us, and invites us, by his own steady presence, to remain.
This true self is not something we can create; it is a gift. To pay attention to the present moment and to attend to What Is in us and to choose to be our God-given selves in this deeply rooted way is an interior experience of the Realm of Grace, the “Kingdom of God.” The more we practice this presence, the more fully we can resist the world’s anxieties and its fear-based divisions, and proclaim the Realm of God. When we are faithful to our true selves in God, we participate in the healing of the world.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Division
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!
— Luke 12.51
Humans are intensely social creatures. We instinctively want to fit in, and we want others to fit in as well. We hate to “ruffle feathers,” “rock the boat,” or “upset the apple cart.” And we don't like others doing it. So whenever we self-differentiate—when we express our own views, feelings, values or choices without expecting others to approve—inevitably others will oppose us, and (mostly unconsciously) try to get us to go along with what they want or expect of us. It's hard to resist—not to “fight back,” nor to be insensitive to others or closed off to self-examination—but simply to hold our ground and remain authentic.
Jesus, of course, was a master at being himself without cutting himself off, despite heavy pressure to fit in. He invites his followers to do the same, and warns us that it will not bring peace, but division. People will oppose us. Oh, well. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil things against you on my account” (Mt. 5.12).
But before we face other people's opposition, we face our own “division” within, between our fear and our actions: dividing what we actually choose to do from all our other options. Ultimately our faith is not our feelings but our actions, not our beliefs but our choices. Though we may feel fear, we act from another center, from love. It's easy to drift along and just do what everybody else does. But Jesus invites us to make clear, intentional choices—even though we know it will make waves. And knowing how hard it can be, Jesus also offers us his strength and presence to help us stay authentic when the world wants us to cave in. Maybe this is part of that “fire” Jesus will baptize us with, the fire he says he brings to earth, the baptism he longs to complete.
Today, pray for courage to see clearly, to choose intentionally, and to stay steady—calmly, without anger, fear or defensiveness, and without cutting yourself off. When you remain devoted to your true self and to divine grace, Christ stays with you. Despite all outward divisions between you and others, you are one with the Crucified and Risen One.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!
— Luke 12.51
Humans are intensely social creatures. We instinctively want to fit in, and we want others to fit in as well. We hate to “ruffle feathers,” “rock the boat,” or “upset the apple cart.” And we don't like others doing it. So whenever we self-differentiate—when we express our own views, feelings, values or choices without expecting others to approve—inevitably others will oppose us, and (mostly unconsciously) try to get us to go along with what they want or expect of us. It's hard to resist—not to “fight back,” nor to be insensitive to others or closed off to self-examination—but simply to hold our ground and remain authentic.
Jesus, of course, was a master at being himself without cutting himself off, despite heavy pressure to fit in. He invites his followers to do the same, and warns us that it will not bring peace, but division. People will oppose us. Oh, well. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil things against you on my account” (Mt. 5.12).
But before we face other people's opposition, we face our own “division” within, between our fear and our actions: dividing what we actually choose to do from all our other options. Ultimately our faith is not our feelings but our actions, not our beliefs but our choices. Though we may feel fear, we act from another center, from love. It's easy to drift along and just do what everybody else does. But Jesus invites us to make clear, intentional choices—even though we know it will make waves. And knowing how hard it can be, Jesus also offers us his strength and presence to help us stay authentic when the world wants us to cave in. Maybe this is part of that “fire” Jesus will baptize us with, the fire he says he brings to earth, the baptism he longs to complete.
Today, pray for courage to see clearly, to choose intentionally, and to stay steady—calmly, without anger, fear or defensiveness, and without cutting yourself off. When you remain devoted to your true self and to divine grace, Christ stays with you. Despite all outward divisions between you and others, you are one with the Crucified and Risen One.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Attention
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
The smallest thing—
a splurge of purple on a blooming branch,
a child's untranslated cry,
the shuffle of a bird in flight
through the ribs of a parking garage,
the weight of your body,
or an empty space you stare into—
any small thing might be a burning bush,
a divine murmur, an open door
to stumble through, a barbed lure
cast slyly from heaven, an offer
to behold what you would overlook
in the thundering cataract of the senses,
an invitation to fall
into the gaze of the One who looks out
from you into this world.
The flame of a candle, or an unlit candle,
or a place where a candle could have been once
holds the Word on the tip of its tongue.
All you have to do is listen.
When you see the glint, hear the bell,
or enter into the shadow,
make space, be still, and ponder.
So much in the world within
awaits your attention
before flooding into this one.
Open the window.
Dodge the language, shed the words,
and stay in the gaze of the bloom or the branch,
where you slip through the eye of the moment
into eternity, through the silence
into what the silence is telling you.
Enter the temple.
Even as you read this a fly sits in the windowsill,
hands folded in prayer.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
The smallest thing—
a splurge of purple on a blooming branch,
a child's untranslated cry,
the shuffle of a bird in flight
through the ribs of a parking garage,
the weight of your body,
or an empty space you stare into—
any small thing might be a burning bush,
a divine murmur, an open door
to stumble through, a barbed lure
cast slyly from heaven, an offer
to behold what you would overlook
in the thundering cataract of the senses,
an invitation to fall
into the gaze of the One who looks out
from you into this world.
The flame of a candle, or an unlit candle,
or a place where a candle could have been once
holds the Word on the tip of its tongue.
All you have to do is listen.
When you see the glint, hear the bell,
or enter into the shadow,
make space, be still, and ponder.
So much in the world within
awaits your attention
before flooding into this one.
Open the window.
Dodge the language, shed the words,
and stay in the gaze of the bloom or the branch,
where you slip through the eye of the moment
into eternity, through the silence
into what the silence is telling you.
Enter the temple.
Even as you read this a fly sits in the windowsill,
hands folded in prayer.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Cherish
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
The ground that you stand on
holds you so tenderly.
The air that you breathe
enters your temple so reverently.
The sunlight that falls upon you
has come far to embrace you.
The birds that sing
want you to know something.
The universe cherishes you
and the Spirit who creates it
cherishes you.
The trees that surround you
even in winter
raise their hands in praise.
God does not need vaporous angels
to convey blessing or utter delight to you.
Every step you take, the ground
answers up to your feet,
“Yes.” “Yes.” “Yes.”
Even your grave embraces you,
eyes shut, holding you close.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
The ground that you stand on
holds you so tenderly.
The air that you breathe
enters your temple so reverently.
The sunlight that falls upon you
has come far to embrace you.
The birds that sing
want you to know something.
The universe cherishes you
and the Spirit who creates it
cherishes you.
The trees that surround you
even in winter
raise their hands in praise.
God does not need vaporous angels
to convey blessing or utter delight to you.
Every step you take, the ground
answers up to your feet,
“Yes.” “Yes.” “Yes.”
Even your grave embraces you,
eyes shut, holding you close.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Monday, August 9, 2010
Life force
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
I could feel it this morning out in the woods, even in late summer when life has begun to turn its head. I could feel the life force in things, drawing trees up out of earth, turning leaves toward the sun, flinging grasses up out of the meadow, throwing sparks all around, grasses that reached for my ankles, my thighs, chest. Trees billowed up out of the meadow toward the morning light. I could hear it in the forest, birds murmuring, yelling at each other, making their announcements, and in the meadow, in the clicking, buzzing, whining of unseen insects. I could see it on the path, in little turds of various critters happily digesting and going on their ways. All the living things offered shade, shelter, fruit, favors and praise to each other. The elder oaks and the little bugs all did their part.
Life is happening, throbbing in every living creature. It imposes no judgment, no demands, no conditions. It just fills and lifts and motivates and empowers. It makes things blossom and sing and grow and reach toward the light and bear all kinds of fruit. It makes things diverse and beautiful. It is never disappointed in living beings, but only delights. It never punishes, only gives gifts. Even in the dying, the falling and rotting and becoming something new, there is life-giving transformation. In all things, each in its own way and fashion, there is beauty, and some kind of joy.
What if God is like this, and has nothing of the stern laws and demands and the aloof character of the gods carved on the pediments of our great buildings? What if God's laws are life, beauty, delight, growth and giving-and-receiving? What if God is not far above us but within us? What if righteousness is less like moral superiority more like organic symbiosis? What if we are living beings, and there is a life force in us yearning for light, pulsing with beauty and gifts to give, urging us to grow, to love, to offer ourselves in praise? What if we are alive, and God is that life in us? How then would you live this day?
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
I could feel it this morning out in the woods, even in late summer when life has begun to turn its head. I could feel the life force in things, drawing trees up out of earth, turning leaves toward the sun, flinging grasses up out of the meadow, throwing sparks all around, grasses that reached for my ankles, my thighs, chest. Trees billowed up out of the meadow toward the morning light. I could hear it in the forest, birds murmuring, yelling at each other, making their announcements, and in the meadow, in the clicking, buzzing, whining of unseen insects. I could see it on the path, in little turds of various critters happily digesting and going on their ways. All the living things offered shade, shelter, fruit, favors and praise to each other. The elder oaks and the little bugs all did their part.
Life is happening, throbbing in every living creature. It imposes no judgment, no demands, no conditions. It just fills and lifts and motivates and empowers. It makes things blossom and sing and grow and reach toward the light and bear all kinds of fruit. It makes things diverse and beautiful. It is never disappointed in living beings, but only delights. It never punishes, only gives gifts. Even in the dying, the falling and rotting and becoming something new, there is life-giving transformation. In all things, each in its own way and fashion, there is beauty, and some kind of joy.
What if God is like this, and has nothing of the stern laws and demands and the aloof character of the gods carved on the pediments of our great buildings? What if God's laws are life, beauty, delight, growth and giving-and-receiving? What if God is not far above us but within us? What if righteousness is less like moral superiority more like organic symbiosis? What if we are living beings, and there is a life force in us yearning for light, pulsing with beauty and gifts to give, urging us to grow, to love, to offer ourselves in praise? What if we are alive, and God is that life in us? How then would you live this day?
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Friday, August 6, 2010
The world's sadness
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Sixty-five years ago today—Monday morning, August 6, 1945—the US dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima, killing some 150,000 people. There are things to be said on such a day about peace and nonviolence, about the nature of war, about our capacity for evil, injustice and self-deception, about our complicity in benefiting from others' suffering, about trading in our concepts of power rooted in violence and destruction for a vision of power rooted in being co-creators with God....
But sometimes statements are not what we need. Sometimes we just need a moment to open ourselves to the deep sadness of the world. If today isn't the day for you—it's your birthday, or you planned a picnic— you can remember Nagasaki on the 9th. Or another. Any day will do; there are plenty more. History drips with the blood of slaughter, oppression, cruelty and suffering. To live fully rooted in this world we have to let into our hearts the deep sadness that we all bear, hidden in our consciousness, our cultures, our bodies. We don't need to wallow in it. We just have to stop protecting ourselves from seeing it, feeling it, knowing it.
When we connect with the deep sadness of the world we connect with all humanity, and all creation—and the life that endures. When we open ourselves to the world's sadness we open ourselves to compassion. When we touch the world's suffering we stand elbow to elbow with God. We connect with the grace that hasn't given up on us, the hope that rises in us, the One who lives within us, even in our anguish. We behold the forgiveness that transforms, the healing that revives, the mystery that creates us anew. The joy of those who have stood in the ashes and wept with those who weep is honest and strong.
And even the unmarked graves, the mass graves, the innumerable tombs are all empty.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
Sixty-five years ago today—Monday morning, August 6, 1945—the US dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima, killing some 150,000 people. There are things to be said on such a day about peace and nonviolence, about the nature of war, about our capacity for evil, injustice and self-deception, about our complicity in benefiting from others' suffering, about trading in our concepts of power rooted in violence and destruction for a vision of power rooted in being co-creators with God....
But sometimes statements are not what we need. Sometimes we just need a moment to open ourselves to the deep sadness of the world. If today isn't the day for you—it's your birthday, or you planned a picnic— you can remember Nagasaki on the 9th. Or another. Any day will do; there are plenty more. History drips with the blood of slaughter, oppression, cruelty and suffering. To live fully rooted in this world we have to let into our hearts the deep sadness that we all bear, hidden in our consciousness, our cultures, our bodies. We don't need to wallow in it. We just have to stop protecting ourselves from seeing it, feeling it, knowing it.
When we connect with the deep sadness of the world we connect with all humanity, and all creation—and the life that endures. When we open ourselves to the world's sadness we open ourselves to compassion. When we touch the world's suffering we stand elbow to elbow with God. We connect with the grace that hasn't given up on us, the hope that rises in us, the One who lives within us, even in our anguish. We behold the forgiveness that transforms, the healing that revives, the mystery that creates us anew. The joy of those who have stood in the ashes and wept with those who weep is honest and strong.
And even the unmarked graves, the mass graves, the innumerable tombs are all empty.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Raven
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
I sit and watch the desert sky
until I belong to this earth.
After a long time a bird passes—
just passing:
a million year old raven circling
on ancient thermals,
rising forever among these
ageless canyons.
He circles eternally.
I am merely a passing shadow,
far below. I will soon
vanish
and he will circle beyond the time
when my language is forgotten.
After a long time I stop
wondering
which of us is the one who is
merely passing through,
until we are both eternally here,
in this moment.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Seve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
I sit and watch the desert sky
until I belong to this earth.
After a long time a bird passes—
just passing:
a million year old raven circling
on ancient thermals,
rising forever among these
ageless canyons.
He circles eternally.
I am merely a passing shadow,
far below. I will soon
vanish
and he will circle beyond the time
when my language is forgotten.
After a long time I stop
wondering
which of us is the one who is
merely passing through,
until we are both eternally here,
in this moment.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Seve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Communion
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
He lies in bed beside her,
her life alongside his,
hears the river of her breathing,
feels the gravity of her flesh,
imagines her in the dark,
not doing anything, just lying there
half asleep, just being, and feels
an ardor sweetly rising in him,
not a craving but an inclination,
desire mingled with delight,
not for anything she could do
but simply by her being there,
and before he turns to touch her
he hesitates, waits in the hovering dark,
and savors the arousal of his fondness,
her effortless effect upon him,
her praise alive in him,
purely granted, not achieved,
and he thinks,
“So this is how God feels,
watching us in our sleep
and in our waking,”
and relishing his vivid gratitude
he reaches for her softly.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
He lies in bed beside her,
her life alongside his,
hears the river of her breathing,
feels the gravity of her flesh,
imagines her in the dark,
not doing anything, just lying there
half asleep, just being, and feels
an ardor sweetly rising in him,
not a craving but an inclination,
desire mingled with delight,
not for anything she could do
but simply by her being there,
and before he turns to touch her
he hesitates, waits in the hovering dark,
and savors the arousal of his fondness,
her effortless effect upon him,
her praise alive in him,
purely granted, not achieved,
and he thinks,
“So this is how God feels,
watching us in our sleep
and in our waking,”
and relishing his vivid gratitude
he reaches for her softly.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
What your soul needs
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
When I go to a quilt shop with Beth, while she hunts for fabrics I just look for pretty stuff. And I always go the the solids, bolts of pure color, and look for the particular color that my eyes need that day. I don't know what it means, but there are days when my eyes really want to see green, or a yellowish orange, or deep blue. I don't “figure it out.” I just look until my eyes rest with a certain color. They know what they need.
The same is true of our souls. We each have areas in which we can tell when our plants need watering or our pianos need tuning, or what's needed to make the salad taste right. How often do we attend to what our souls need? At any particular time we may need rest or challenge, solitude, community, answers, questions, clarity, mystery, healing, forgiveness, light, darkness, courage, color, beauty, comfort, tension, words, silence... What a gift we can give ourselves by paying attention to what our souls need, and doing our best to give them that.
What does you soul need today— right now? Don't try to figure it out. Your body will probably give you some hints. It's not merely a matter of “doing what feels right.” (Our feelings will often gladly lead us astray.) It's a matter of being still and listening to your soul until it tells you, until it comes to rest on a certain color.
You may not be able to go right out and get it. But you can be open; you can seek. (Seek, and you will find...) You may not be able to discern easily between what your soul needs and other appetites and desires. But you can ask. You can wonder. (Ask, and it will be answered...) There may be no clarity, no reply from your soul. But you can let the question simply be a part of your prayer, part of your awareness during the day. Be open to what your soul craves, and be open to honoring that as you can. And trust that “It is God's good pleasure to give you the whole Realm” (Lk. 12.32).
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
When I go to a quilt shop with Beth, while she hunts for fabrics I just look for pretty stuff. And I always go the the solids, bolts of pure color, and look for the particular color that my eyes need that day. I don't know what it means, but there are days when my eyes really want to see green, or a yellowish orange, or deep blue. I don't “figure it out.” I just look until my eyes rest with a certain color. They know what they need.
The same is true of our souls. We each have areas in which we can tell when our plants need watering or our pianos need tuning, or what's needed to make the salad taste right. How often do we attend to what our souls need? At any particular time we may need rest or challenge, solitude, community, answers, questions, clarity, mystery, healing, forgiveness, light, darkness, courage, color, beauty, comfort, tension, words, silence... What a gift we can give ourselves by paying attention to what our souls need, and doing our best to give them that.
What does you soul need today— right now? Don't try to figure it out. Your body will probably give you some hints. It's not merely a matter of “doing what feels right.” (Our feelings will often gladly lead us astray.) It's a matter of being still and listening to your soul until it tells you, until it comes to rest on a certain color.
You may not be able to go right out and get it. But you can be open; you can seek. (Seek, and you will find...) You may not be able to discern easily between what your soul needs and other appetites and desires. But you can ask. You can wonder. (Ask, and it will be answered...) There may be no clarity, no reply from your soul. But you can let the question simply be a part of your prayer, part of your awareness during the day. Be open to what your soul craves, and be open to honoring that as you can. And trust that “It is God's good pleasure to give you the whole Realm” (Lk. 12.32).
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
Didn't you know
Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
I say to you what the birds said to me
when I arrived after a long journey
and inquired about those I loved.
What the birds said,
threading their distances,
I say to you:
Didn't you know
that you were borne all along,
that those who travel and those who wait
are carried alike?
Didn't you know
that blessing flies with us perfectly,
like birds in a flock,
so you can't tell who turns first,
who leads—us or the blessing—
whether we rest or leap from air to air?
What the moon said,
knitting her shawls of light and of darkness,
I say to you:
Couldn't you tell that Love
follows us like a shadow,
and in all our desolations and consolations
bears us in her hand?
Couldn't you tell
that the unseen are with us always,
that the orbit of love cannot be broken?
What the earth said,
that carried me there and carried me home,
I say to you:
It is too much to remember for a lifetime,
so remember just for this day
that the farthest paths and the wide horizon,
and those who travel them,
are nested in the hand of God,
that you can't leave the One who wants you,
that even the lone bird
at the edge of the farthest sea
is at home.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
Grace and Peace to you.
I say to you what the birds said to me
when I arrived after a long journey
and inquired about those I loved.
What the birds said,
threading their distances,
I say to you:
Didn't you know
that you were borne all along,
that those who travel and those who wait
are carried alike?
Didn't you know
that blessing flies with us perfectly,
like birds in a flock,
so you can't tell who turns first,
who leads—us or the blessing—
whether we rest or leap from air to air?
What the moon said,
knitting her shawls of light and of darkness,
I say to you:
Couldn't you tell that Love
follows us like a shadow,
and in all our desolations and consolations
bears us in her hand?
Couldn't you tell
that the unseen are with us always,
that the orbit of love cannot be broken?
What the earth said,
that carried me there and carried me home,
I say to you:
It is too much to remember for a lifetime,
so remember just for this day
that the farthest paths and the wide horizon,
and those who travel them,
are nested in the hand of God,
that you can't leave the One who wants you,
that even the lone bird
at the edge of the farthest sea
is at home.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
_______________________________
Copyright © Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com
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