It has been the practice and tradition of monastics and spiritual seekers around the world for thousands of years to greet each new day with early morning prayer. Often before the sun breaks the eastern horizon the seeker rises from bed and performs a special prayer rite in a special place. (Beating the sun out of bed is, of course, a bit easier to do in winter months.)
While each prayer offering during the course of the day is important in its own way, early morning prayer has special significance. It has long been known that each person has spiritual connections with every other person and with the earth itself. As such, there is a collective influence on the day ahead.
The purpose of early morning prayer is to bring the seeker into the presence of the oncoming day with an open heart and an open mind. If we can arrive at this point we can influence the coming day greatly. There is a incredible amount of power flowing through the present moment. As a seeker, our only purpose is to be truly in the present moment where the power resides – not burdened with reliving the events of yesterday, or worried about what’s supposed to happen today or tomorrow. These are things not in reality and will interfere with the possibilities of the present.
But we are human, and it is not always easy to clear our minds and recapture the present moment. Thus, the prayer routine allows for this. Each morning liturgy should be designed to allow the memories and worries in our heads to flow as they will through our minds for a while. Resisting them usually doesn’t work. Let them flow and allow them to dissipate on their own. Reminding ourselves that these things can be dealt with later often helps. So, part of the morning service is some quiet time, some meditative time, to allow the mind to settle. Some people will even use physical exercise to “clear the head.”
Then return to silence and begin to get a feel for the coming day. Really, our only purpose is just to be present. We needn’t try to change anything, as the ideal situation will be for us to be a conduit through which God can do His work this day. We will become His hands, His eyes, His voice and His heart regardless of where the day takes us.
Our awareness of the day and our place in it creates a great deal of influence. Today we will function as one part of a vast system of things happening. We are an important piece of what will transpire this day, even though we may not think so. Even a smile to someone else will be critical to make this day turn out the way it should. Our presence can settle this day, just as sitting next to a friend who is ill, or a child who is taking a nap. Our presence in the moment adds an assurance to the day that calms it down.
Activities of early morning prayer can vary, depending on our temperament and interests. Morning prayer can include singing, reading, praying, writing poetry, or just watching the sunrise. If it works the way it should, we end up feeling renewed, that this day will be unique. We should be feeling peaceful, and part of the overall scope of nature. We should feel welcoming to new things and the creativity that exists in the day ahead. We should feel part of God’s family, an important piece in the entire scope of His creation, no less or more important than the other people we meet today – just brothers and sisters of His family.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
New Year's Resolutions
Greetings!
This is the time of year that many of us think about the year just past and the commitment to specific resolutions to do better at this or that in the coming year. I have a few ideas for you to consider with regards to your spiritual journey for the year ahead. These have been paraphrased from some of my latest readings:
1) Do not know where you are going. Other than knowing our ultimate goal is to be the person God meant us to be, remember that spiritual growth is spontaneous, and is largely a matter of what comes to us each and every moment. It’s not something we can plan for, but we must simply stay in a state of awareness to see what is presented to us. This means using ego awareness, present moment awareness, and practicing the presence of God. Spiritual growth doesn’t happen according to our plan, it happens according to God’s.
2) Do not struggle to get there. Does it help for a two-year old to struggle to become three? Does it help for a tree to struggle to grow leaves? Spiritual growth unfolds in a natural manner. It cannot be forced. Take life as it comes. Sufficient unto this day are the challenges thereof.
3) Spiritual formation is not a self-improvement project. Self-improvement projects are generally related to specific goals – to be better organized, to lose weight, etc. While spiritual awareness may certainly help these goals a great deal, it is best to get specific help to address specific issues. This may need to be a part of your spiritual journey.
4) Do not set a time table for spiritual progress. While some people are motivated by specific time tables and deadlines, that doesn’t work in spiritual development. Yes, discipline is involved, and we need to keep doing our footwork (prayers, study and service), but again, we are on God’s time table, not ours.
5) Do not wait for a miracle. Watching and waiting for a miracle to happen to you implies that you are separate from God – you are here and He is over there, and you are waiting for Him to do something for you. Remember that He is in you, and you in Him. You already ARE a miracle. Life is a miracle. 2010 is a miracle.
Know that you are loved by Our Father,
Blessings!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
This is the time of year that many of us think about the year just past and the commitment to specific resolutions to do better at this or that in the coming year. I have a few ideas for you to consider with regards to your spiritual journey for the year ahead. These have been paraphrased from some of my latest readings:
1) Do not know where you are going. Other than knowing our ultimate goal is to be the person God meant us to be, remember that spiritual growth is spontaneous, and is largely a matter of what comes to us each and every moment. It’s not something we can plan for, but we must simply stay in a state of awareness to see what is presented to us. This means using ego awareness, present moment awareness, and practicing the presence of God. Spiritual growth doesn’t happen according to our plan, it happens according to God’s.
2) Do not struggle to get there. Does it help for a two-year old to struggle to become three? Does it help for a tree to struggle to grow leaves? Spiritual growth unfolds in a natural manner. It cannot be forced. Take life as it comes. Sufficient unto this day are the challenges thereof.
3) Spiritual formation is not a self-improvement project. Self-improvement projects are generally related to specific goals – to be better organized, to lose weight, etc. While spiritual awareness may certainly help these goals a great deal, it is best to get specific help to address specific issues. This may need to be a part of your spiritual journey.
4) Do not set a time table for spiritual progress. While some people are motivated by specific time tables and deadlines, that doesn’t work in spiritual development. Yes, discipline is involved, and we need to keep doing our footwork (prayers, study and service), but again, we are on God’s time table, not ours.
5) Do not wait for a miracle. Watching and waiting for a miracle to happen to you implies that you are separate from God – you are here and He is over there, and you are waiting for Him to do something for you. Remember that He is in you, and you in Him. You already ARE a miracle. Life is a miracle. 2010 is a miracle.
Know that you are loved by Our Father,
Blessings!
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Magnificat is Magnificent
The readings for this fourth Sunday in Advent include the Magnificat, so named for the Latin translation of the first word of Mary’s canticle. We use this prayer in our daily Vespers/Evensong, and it is something to be savored, word by word, like each bite of a fine meal.
A large part of this canticle reflects what is to come with the ministry of Jesus, which, of course, reflects the standards and plans of Our Father. We see signs of spiritual awakening coming as Mary mentions the scattering of the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. This reflects some of the “inside-out” change coming for those who encounter the Christ. Dissolving of the false self to let the true self emerge. We also see a reversal in power – those on earthly thrones no longer have the grasp over us as does The One who sits on the highest throne, even though the earthly kings may still “rule.” We have a more important King to follow now.
The lowly are lifted up, not so much according to the standards of man’s world, but very much so in the eyes of The One that matters. We learn that we are all equally important to God Our Father; no one is higher than another. We are all members of the same family, even though we have different skills, abilities, preferences and appearances.
The hungry, both spiritually and physically, are filled with good things. And the rich, even though they may have an abundance of material things, are truly empty inside and quite poor if they live without God – they are sent away empty.
Above all, He wishes us to remember His love and mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors. A promise of love, compassion and mercy that will last forever.
The coming of Christ brings a new world order; a new way of thinking; a new way of living; a new way of being. What greater gift this Christmas?
Blessings to all,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
A large part of this canticle reflects what is to come with the ministry of Jesus, which, of course, reflects the standards and plans of Our Father. We see signs of spiritual awakening coming as Mary mentions the scattering of the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. This reflects some of the “inside-out” change coming for those who encounter the Christ. Dissolving of the false self to let the true self emerge. We also see a reversal in power – those on earthly thrones no longer have the grasp over us as does The One who sits on the highest throne, even though the earthly kings may still “rule.” We have a more important King to follow now.
The lowly are lifted up, not so much according to the standards of man’s world, but very much so in the eyes of The One that matters. We learn that we are all equally important to God Our Father; no one is higher than another. We are all members of the same family, even though we have different skills, abilities, preferences and appearances.
The hungry, both spiritually and physically, are filled with good things. And the rich, even though they may have an abundance of material things, are truly empty inside and quite poor if they live without God – they are sent away empty.
Above all, He wishes us to remember His love and mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors. A promise of love, compassion and mercy that will last forever.
The coming of Christ brings a new world order; a new way of thinking; a new way of living; a new way of being. What greater gift this Christmas?
Blessings to all,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Monday, December 14, 2009
Of Roots and Fruits
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community!
God’s joy for us is hard to capture in words. But He does so love the world that He came to us in the flesh to teach, heal, redeem and offer salvation. In fact, it is my belief that Luke 3:6 reflects this love very well: “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” There is much support for the idea that He will one day bring home ALL His children – whoever they are.
This seems to fly in the face of teachings that at some point people will be divided into “saved” and “condemned.” Even the readings for this past Sunday (Luke 3:7-18) seem to suggest this, especially as we read starting in verse 17, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So, which is it? Will all of His children be somehow brought back into His grace in some way, or will some be saved (wheat) and others eternally damned (chaff)?
The loving, compassionate, merciful God I have come to know personally is also more clever than we are. If He was able to design and build this entire universe, then He should also be able to figure out a way to bring us all home.
Let’s look closer at verse 17 again. It is important to note that wheat and chaff come from the SAME plant. They are not two separate plants, one good and one bad. They are two parts of the same plant; part good and part not-so-good. Isn’t that like each of us? I know that part of me is good (the true, soul-part that God gave me through His breath of life), and part of me is not-so-good (the dysfunctional ego part).
Perhaps the true message we should consider is that at some point God will put us through a threshing experience to remove the chaff from our souls. Perhaps He wants to recover the part that He made, bring it back home to His arms. The wheat part of us will return to Him, having been made better by our earthly experience, and the chaff part will be removed and destroyed. This process may not be totally pain-free as the realizations of the love opportunities we may have missed in our earthly life come to light. Perhaps it will be a mixture of sorrow and joy. Perhaps for some it will take quite a bit of time.
Perhaps what we do now to reduce the hold our chaff has on our souls may lighten the threshing experience later. That is why we need to learn more about God’s love and joy for all His children, and that we are, in fact, all His children and He is Our Father.
Please reflect on this and let me know your thoughts,
Your Chaffy Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Guardian
God’s joy for us is hard to capture in words. But He does so love the world that He came to us in the flesh to teach, heal, redeem and offer salvation. In fact, it is my belief that Luke 3:6 reflects this love very well: “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” There is much support for the idea that He will one day bring home ALL His children – whoever they are.
This seems to fly in the face of teachings that at some point people will be divided into “saved” and “condemned.” Even the readings for this past Sunday (Luke 3:7-18) seem to suggest this, especially as we read starting in verse 17, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So, which is it? Will all of His children be somehow brought back into His grace in some way, or will some be saved (wheat) and others eternally damned (chaff)?
The loving, compassionate, merciful God I have come to know personally is also more clever than we are. If He was able to design and build this entire universe, then He should also be able to figure out a way to bring us all home.
Let’s look closer at verse 17 again. It is important to note that wheat and chaff come from the SAME plant. They are not two separate plants, one good and one bad. They are two parts of the same plant; part good and part not-so-good. Isn’t that like each of us? I know that part of me is good (the true, soul-part that God gave me through His breath of life), and part of me is not-so-good (the dysfunctional ego part).
Perhaps the true message we should consider is that at some point God will put us through a threshing experience to remove the chaff from our souls. Perhaps He wants to recover the part that He made, bring it back home to His arms. The wheat part of us will return to Him, having been made better by our earthly experience, and the chaff part will be removed and destroyed. This process may not be totally pain-free as the realizations of the love opportunities we may have missed in our earthly life come to light. Perhaps it will be a mixture of sorrow and joy. Perhaps for some it will take quite a bit of time.
Perhaps what we do now to reduce the hold our chaff has on our souls may lighten the threshing experience later. That is why we need to learn more about God’s love and joy for all His children, and that we are, in fact, all His children and He is Our Father.
Please reflect on this and let me know your thoughts,
Your Chaffy Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Guardian
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Widow of Zarephath
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community!
Tomorrow’s reading in I Kings 17 (v.8-16) was, to me, more a story about the widow than it was Elijah. This woman had almost nothing but was asked to feed Elijah, a prophet of God. We read in verse 9 that God had already commanded her to get ready for the impending visit by Elijah, and be prepared to feed him. I can almost hear her thinking, “What? What am I supposed to feed him? My sandals?”
When Elijah arrived and asked for water, the widow didn’t respond, but went to get water. Again, her thinking may have been, “Well, OK. This I can handle, if it’s just water.” But as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Oh, by the way, bring me some bread to eat, too.” Well, this pushed her over the top. “What? You want bread? I’ll tell you what I have – a handful of nothing and a little oil to mix it with. We’re going to eat that and then starve to death. That’s what I got for you.”
But the power of God would overcome. When the time came to do His command, the resources were there. The widow had been reaching into the imagined future of scarcity and bringing it into the present moment, thwarting the possibilities. God was not expecting anything beyond the basics, beyond what is needed for life. He was not looking for the widow to produce a fancy car, or exceptional performance or notable achievements. He was asking her to share the basics that He would provide.
This was a story of helping the widow to grow. It was a time of refinement for her, of shaping by God. And what’s also interesting about this story is that it took place in a little village named Zarephath. The Hebrew root for this word is Zareph, which means to smelt, refine, or test. Zarephath was a smelting place, a place of refinement.
I am guilty of worrying too much about the future and losing focus on the present moment. Yes, we have to plan for the future, but let’s not forget the God-factor. If He’s asking us to do something, He’ll also provide the resources to do it at the time when it has to be done.
Please reflect on this in the coming week and let me know what comes to your heart.
Your time-traveling brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Tomorrow’s reading in I Kings 17 (v.8-16) was, to me, more a story about the widow than it was Elijah. This woman had almost nothing but was asked to feed Elijah, a prophet of God. We read in verse 9 that God had already commanded her to get ready for the impending visit by Elijah, and be prepared to feed him. I can almost hear her thinking, “What? What am I supposed to feed him? My sandals?”
When Elijah arrived and asked for water, the widow didn’t respond, but went to get water. Again, her thinking may have been, “Well, OK. This I can handle, if it’s just water.” But as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Oh, by the way, bring me some bread to eat, too.” Well, this pushed her over the top. “What? You want bread? I’ll tell you what I have – a handful of nothing and a little oil to mix it with. We’re going to eat that and then starve to death. That’s what I got for you.”
But the power of God would overcome. When the time came to do His command, the resources were there. The widow had been reaching into the imagined future of scarcity and bringing it into the present moment, thwarting the possibilities. God was not expecting anything beyond the basics, beyond what is needed for life. He was not looking for the widow to produce a fancy car, or exceptional performance or notable achievements. He was asking her to share the basics that He would provide.
This was a story of helping the widow to grow. It was a time of refinement for her, of shaping by God. And what’s also interesting about this story is that it took place in a little village named Zarephath. The Hebrew root for this word is Zareph, which means to smelt, refine, or test. Zarephath was a smelting place, a place of refinement.
I am guilty of worrying too much about the future and losing focus on the present moment. Yes, we have to plan for the future, but let’s not forget the God-factor. If He’s asking us to do something, He’ll also provide the resources to do it at the time when it has to be done.
Please reflect on this in the coming week and let me know what comes to your heart.
Your time-traveling brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Blind Bartimaeus
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community,
Sunday’s gospel reading in Mark (10:46-52), the Healing of Bartimaeus, is a further demonstration of Jesus’ character and love for others. What struck me more than the actual healing of Bartimaeus was the fact that Jesus stopped to pay attention to this man in the first place. Jesus was nearing the end of his earthly ministry and there were large crowds around him. Things were reaching a fevered pitch as Jesus moved toward Jerusalem. A lone, blind beggar began to call out to Jesus for mercy. The crowds kept moving and sternly told the beggar to keep still. Busyness of our life and our causes has an inertia that revolts against our attention to the present moment and the needs each one presents to us.
The lone figure took a leap of hope against the moving crowd. The crowd said “Keep still,” but Christ said, “Come. You count.” The art of stopping for a lone individual in need of help is a high art. “Come. You count.”
Profit or people? What really counts? Perhaps there is a lesson for today’s social issues and our brothers and sisters around the world. Famine, economic parity, health care reform…
Your often too busy Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Sunday’s gospel reading in Mark (10:46-52), the Healing of Bartimaeus, is a further demonstration of Jesus’ character and love for others. What struck me more than the actual healing of Bartimaeus was the fact that Jesus stopped to pay attention to this man in the first place. Jesus was nearing the end of his earthly ministry and there were large crowds around him. Things were reaching a fevered pitch as Jesus moved toward Jerusalem. A lone, blind beggar began to call out to Jesus for mercy. The crowds kept moving and sternly told the beggar to keep still. Busyness of our life and our causes has an inertia that revolts against our attention to the present moment and the needs each one presents to us.
The lone figure took a leap of hope against the moving crowd. The crowd said “Keep still,” but Christ said, “Come. You count.” The art of stopping for a lone individual in need of help is a high art. “Come. You count.”
Profit or people? What really counts? Perhaps there is a lesson for today’s social issues and our brothers and sisters around the world. Famine, economic parity, health care reform…
Your often too busy Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thoughts on the Jesus Prayer
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community,
I pray that this note finds you all well!
The Jesus Prayer has been used for centuries to help unite people with their creator. It is very old, and may go back to the early centuries of Christianity: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Although today it is perhaps used more in the Eastern Church than the Western, it’s gaining in popularity here, too, as people look for ways to reconnect with God.
I have to admit I don’t use it much, and until this morning I really wasn’t sure why.
My meditations on this day included some writings of Nicholas Herman, otherwise known as Brother Lawrence of the 17th century. He, too, was very interested in reconnecting with God, and focused on practicing the Presence of God. One of the suggestions in his Spiritual Maxims included a series of short prayers that could be offered up to God frequently during the course of a day, similar to the Jesus Prayer. Some suggestions he had to offer:
“Lord, make my heart just like Yours.”
“O God of Love, I love You with all my heart.”
“My God, I am wholly yours.”
As I read these prayers, it struck me that the intent was the same, but the approach was quite different. Br. Lawrence’s approach works better for me as it focuses on the good side of me and not the bad. Yes, there are parts of me that are sinful, but there are also parts of me that are holy – the image of God in me, for example. So, which part is stronger? Does the sinful part totally taint the entire being, or does the holy part overcome the sinful? Thinking of myself as a sinner may be helpful to a point, but it can go too far. How about thinking of myself as a child of God that screws up once in a while? The goal is the same – union with God; but the positive approach works better for me. How about you?
This week try writing your own Jesus Prayer. See what you come up with.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, may all our hearts become one.”
Your Part Holy-Part Sinful Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
I pray that this note finds you all well!
The Jesus Prayer has been used for centuries to help unite people with their creator. It is very old, and may go back to the early centuries of Christianity: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Although today it is perhaps used more in the Eastern Church than the Western, it’s gaining in popularity here, too, as people look for ways to reconnect with God.
I have to admit I don’t use it much, and until this morning I really wasn’t sure why.
My meditations on this day included some writings of Nicholas Herman, otherwise known as Brother Lawrence of the 17th century. He, too, was very interested in reconnecting with God, and focused on practicing the Presence of God. One of the suggestions in his Spiritual Maxims included a series of short prayers that could be offered up to God frequently during the course of a day, similar to the Jesus Prayer. Some suggestions he had to offer:
“Lord, make my heart just like Yours.”
“O God of Love, I love You with all my heart.”
“My God, I am wholly yours.”
As I read these prayers, it struck me that the intent was the same, but the approach was quite different. Br. Lawrence’s approach works better for me as it focuses on the good side of me and not the bad. Yes, there are parts of me that are sinful, but there are also parts of me that are holy – the image of God in me, for example. So, which part is stronger? Does the sinful part totally taint the entire being, or does the holy part overcome the sinful? Thinking of myself as a sinner may be helpful to a point, but it can go too far. How about thinking of myself as a child of God that screws up once in a while? The goal is the same – union with God; but the positive approach works better for me. How about you?
This week try writing your own Jesus Prayer. See what you come up with.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, may all our hearts become one.”
Your Part Holy-Part Sinful Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
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