What could be more comforting
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Category Archives: Spirituality
Time to rest
James Tissot (1836-1902)
Jésus engage les apôtres à se reposer (Jesus Commands the Apostles to Rest)
between 1886 and 1894
opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper
Brooklyn Musuem
[Jesus said,] “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
I know some days I am heavy with pain, fatigue, and discouragement. I know others carry heavy responsibilities, grief, and stress. I know the world is heavy with violence, racism, and injustice.
I don’t know how to heal the heaviness. But Jesus does. I will practice turning my attention to Jesus. I will trust him with my burdens, the burdens of others, and the world’s burdens. I will rest from my tendency to do-it-myself and let Jesus help me through the day.
One
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. 2 Corinthians 13:13
Place yourself where Wisdom, Love, and Life meet. Quiet your heart in the presence of Infinite Mercy, Endless Compassion, and Boundless Creativity. Rest in Unity, Community, and Wholeness.
Silent.
Listening.
Open.
Lightness of Spirit
El Greco (1541-1614)
Pentecostés
Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm
Madrid, Museo del Prado
via Wikimedia Commons
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22
The breath of God, the Spirit of God has entered us through the breath of Jesus, the breath of peace, the breath of forgiveness, the breath of love.
The Spirit enlightens our minds to make the choice to offer peace, forgiveness, and love even when we would rather stay in our anger, resentment, and fear. The Spirit lightens our burdens of illness, grief, and woundedness by nudging us to put our attention on the Lord, on the saving grace of God’s presence and companionship and tender care. The Spirit is our dancing partner, the One who adds joy to the mundane and adventure to the ordinary, the One who directs our creativity and makes each day a new piece of artwork.
Words in action
Christ, ca.1648
Rembrandt (1606-1669)
oil on oak panel
via Wikimedia Commons
[Jesus said,] “Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them.” John 17:7
Peace, forgiveness, compassion, service, prayer, humility, love… these are words Jesus has given us. How have I passed these words on today?
Entwined with God
A Ruby kindles in the vine, 1905, 1912
Adelaide Hanscom, 1875-1931
via Wikimedia Commons
[Jesus said to his disciples:] “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.” John 14:20
Jesus, the vine that gives us life, is in us and we are in him. We are forever entwined with God, with God’s love and grace and goodness and compassion. We breathe with God, live with God, move with God, love with God.
We are the visible fruit of God’s healing and peace in the world. We are the trusted servants of God, trusted to forgive, show mercy, and practice non-violence. We are trusted to build up those who are broken, fragile, discouraged, poor, homeless, and suffering. We are trusted to bring the hope of the Resurrection and God’s eternal love to all those we encounter.
Untroubled hearts
Hermano León
Domingo V de Pascua
[Jesus said to his disciples:] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” John 14:1
With all the natural disasters, wars, abuse, cruelty, greed, illness, poverty, and loneliness in the world, sometimes my heart is troubled.
Yet if I have faith in in the pure, unconditional love and goodness of God, then I need to invite Jesus, the Compassion of God, to be my companion. I need to have faith that his example will show me the Way through the messy human condition. I need to have faith in the Truth of God’s mercy and forgiveness. I need to have faith in the gift of LIfe eternal.
Honest doubts
JESUS MAFA. Jesus appears to Thomas, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” John 20:24
I wonder how convincing the other disciples were about their encounter with Jesus. Thomas may have had good reason to doubt them.
And I wonder how convincing I am as a witness for Jesus. Do I embody the compassion and unconditional love and non-judgment of Jesus? Do I embody the mercy and forgiveness and non-violence of Jesus? Do I embody the service and healing and humility of Jesus?
Honest doubt nudges me to deepen my commitment to practice the God-qualities that comfort and encourage others, and that bring peace to my corner of the world.
Jesus asks
Mario Sironi, 1885 – 1961
Christ and the Samaritan Woman, 1947 – 48
Oil on Panel, 56 x 70 cm
Collezione d`Arte Religiosa Moderna, Vatican Museums, Vatican City
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” John 4:7
Jesus wants a drink of
My attention.
My thoughts.
My heart.
My strengths.
My weaknesses.
My talents.
My willingness.
My gratitude.
Jesus is not ashamed or afraid to ask. He trusts me.
In Proportion
Lecture Diagram 10: Proportion and Design of Part of Raphael’s ‘Transfiguration’. Part of the Turner Bequest to the Tate (1856).
By Joseph Mallord William Turner [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
and his clothes became white as light. Matthew 17:1-2
The spiritual mountain treks Jesus leads me on are always in proportion to my trust in God’s movement, my faith in the Spirit’s guidance, and my willingness to be transformed into a more exact icon of God’s love and goodness.
The mountain is usually high; I am almost always breathless, sometimes whiney, often overwhelmed. And God’s silent voice revealing the glory of Jesus is my reward.
Mary Ann McSweeny 