Maleficient

Maleficient.  The perfect example of both good and evil existing together as one.  The good and evil manifest themselves in the context of the physical (land of humans) and spiritual (land of the Moors) not being united.  The disconnect between the physical and spiritual worlds comes about because true love is not fulfilled.  But when true love reigns - when Maleficient kisses Aurora on the head - the curse is lifted, and the two worlds can unite.

When we allow God's agape love to rule our lives, we can unite the spiritual and the physical, and live as one with the universe. It takes a lot of courage, though. As we saw when Stefan left Maleficient, failure to love and/or have that love returned can turn hearts cold. Yet if we are open to the spirit, we can allow God's grace and mercy to warm our hearts.

If we find and name our inner Maleficient, we can identify what we should seek to warm our hearts.  Having a one-track mind for a very long time, keeping blinders on to other parts of life, can form dark spots in our line of vision. But once we realize we aren't getting the whole picture, we can begin to let light shine on the dark spots.

Shutting myself off from the culture and media that was prevalent in my life growing up, while allowing for new experiences, also created dark spots in my view and interpretation of the world.  The way I was introduced to the Franciscans was only a partial introduction to the Franciscan family. Much was left in the blind spots. My ideas about how to learn about culture only provided a segment of the various ways to understand tradition. And my education and experience working in nutrition, public health, and social justice is only one component of JPIC work. We can never get the whole picture at the same time, but we must always seek to illuminate the blind spots.

If we continually integrate and synthesize our growing awareness of and understanding of St. Francis, culture, and public health / JPIC work in with our outer and our inner reality, we can grow in faith and spirituality, awake the Sleeping Beauty inside each of us, and live in paradise... or in heaven on earth.

From Franciscan charismatic revival to animating peace, the OFS way

We are fully three dimensional beings. I know this better than I know myself. I may have the attention of a rabbit, but that is only because I know the possibilities and potential in life are endless. We are one with the universe, which recreates itself every day. It's fascinating to think about.

I learned the divine spirit that's present in relationships through my experiences at CYFM, 10-15 years ago. Fr. Jim who Leah Kozak introduced me to the other day reminded me that my experience there was part of the charismatic revival of the Capuchins.  I knew there was something distinct about the unique way I was introduced to my faith as a teen, and I have cherished these moments inside ever since then. I've consciously and unconsciously let the Franciscan charism become part of my DNA, my way of operating in the world and interacting with others.

I've learned in life the sciences of nutrition, of food justice, of public health and social justice. I am aware of the interactions and connections between these disciplines, and that all are necessary in the elimination of health disparities. Necessary, but not sufficient. There are other sciences which I have not yet mastered but which I'm sure are equally as important - such as the disciplines of nonviolent communication and peacemaking...and the discipline of spirituality. The last one should be the simplest...yet if simple was easy more people would live that way. The discipline of spirituality may be one of the hardest things humans were ever asked to do, but we must remember nothing worthwhile ever came easily.

I have always ever pursued something new because it made sense in the context of where I had been and where I wanted to go at the time. I am at the point where I feel the limitations in my contributions to effectively contribute to the disciplines I've been exposed to so far...partially because I already know much about them and how they work, partially because I know there is so much else out there that is important that I haven't yet mastered, but largely also because I know much that these disciplines seek to accomplish won't be fulfilled until more people infuse spirituality into their work and pursue faith-rooted organizing. 

It therefore brought me peace when I came across Carolyn Townes OFS's blog, "Animate Peace," yesterday, and I saw all various ways she is working to infuse Catholic Social Teaching and Franciscan spirituality in with JPIC (Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation) work.  I can only wonder how profound it would be to introduce social workers and public health professionals to the concept of Franciscan JPIC work. The more we can move people from a place of spirituality, the more effective our work will be, and we will transform hearts in the process. I also feel it's my obligation to bring these spiritual efforts into the secular world of work, because I have spent just as much if not more of my life nurturing my secular professional work as I have nurturing my spiritual life. The two cannot live separately any longer. They must become one, as we are one with the universe. 

May I learn to simplify so much so that I can be one who animates peace.

Pace e bene.

Spiritual lessons from The Polar Express

Faith is the evidence of things unseen

People tell me that You're just a dream

But they don't know You the way that I do

You're the one I live to pursue

-dc Talk

I watched The Polar Express last night – the boy hesitated to board the train at the beginning, but eventually jumped on. The conductor was all the moreso welcoming, he did not scold him for not getting on the first time before the train started moving.  The conductor was even more forgiving when he found out the boy pulled the emergency break for Billy who also hesitated to get onto the train, so that he would be able to board. When God sees our willingness to follow His will, He will go to all lengths to welcome us with open arms, the same way the father in the biblical story of the Prodigal son welcomed his son home after a long absence.

The young African American girl sees something special in the boy and befriends him. She watches his back, and he watches hers.  They both care for Billy who is sitting in a separate car all by himself.  The girl is more compassionate and makes Billy feel loved.  The boy stands by, understanding her compassion and wishing he had more himself.  The entire time he is always seeking answers, always looking for the truth.  When he loses the girl’s ticket, it comes back to him, because he never gives up looking for it.  God is forgiving like that. And when I say God is forgiving – I understand this to mean that the higher powers which keep the world alive and perfectly balanced within the universe will always bring the universe back to equilibrium whenever possible. We only have to be willing to acknowledge this and submit to this will.  Jesus gave us ways of relating to this all-powerful divine presence through the Word. He told us how to pray.  He told us to pray like this:

Our Father, Who art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name;

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

When we do so and we have faith, everything will be okay. We must BELIEVE.  In the same way the lesson learned by the boy in The Polar Express was that he must BELIEVE, we must have faith. We must have faith that God knows us better than we know ourselves and will show us what we need to see in due time if we seek to follow His will and accept His grace along the way.  If we keep seeking the truth, the truth will come to us.  Namaste. 

Partners

Finally. Theology that makes sense for today's world.
I don't know the origin of this yet (got it from a Secular Franciscan in Long Island), but it's definitely worth reading.

Partners

Before there was anything, there was God, a few angels, and a huge swirling glob of rocks and water with no place to go. The angels asked God, "Why don't you clean up this mess?"
So God collected rocks from the huge swirling glob and put them together in clumps and said, "Some of these clumps of rocks will be planets, and some will be stars, and some of these rocks will be...just rocks."
Then God collected water from the huge swirling glob and put it together in pools of water and said, "Some of these pools of water will be oceans, and some will become clouds, and some of this water will be...just water."
Then the angels said, "Well God, it's neater now, but is it finished?" And God answered...
"NOPE!"
On some of the rocks God placed growing things, and creeping things, and things that only God knows what they are, and when God had done all this, the angels asked God, "Is the world finished now?" And God answered:
"NOPE!"
God made a man and a woman from some of the water and dust and said to them, "I am tired now. Please finish up the world for me...really it's almost done." But the man and woman said, "We can't finish the world alone!  You have the plans and we are too little."  God answered them,
You are big enough.  But I agree to this. If you keep trying to finish the world, I will be your partner."
The man and the woman asked, "What's a partner?" and God answered, "A partner is someone you work with on a big ting that neither of you can do alone. If  you have a partner, it means that you can never give up, because your partner is depending on you. On the days you think I am not doing enough and on the days I think you are not doing enough, even on those days we are still partners and we must not stop trying to finish the world.  That's the deal." And they all agreed to that deal.
Then the angels asked God, "Is the world finished yet?" and God answered, "I don't know. Go ask my partners."

The Whole Point

I've discovered Franciscan spirituality over the last few months and it has changed my world upside down. This spirituality completely validates all previous thoughts I have ever had about religion.  See this excerpt from a Richard Rohr meditation:

Christ is the code word for all of creation, all of humanity, what God has “anointed” (Christened) with love. The New Testament says that we are the “firstfruits” or “adopted” sons and daughters of the one who first fully carried this awesome truth. Jesus is the symbolic firstborn Son (who fully accepts and believes what his Jewish scriptures told him), and we all share in his same inheritance. That is the whole point! To use the language of the Pauline school in the letter to the Ephesians: “Before the world began, we were chosen in Christ to live through love in his presence” (1:4-6).

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Richard-Rohr-s-Daily-Meditations--The-Whole-Point----Ecumenism----June-30--2013.html?soid=1103098668616&aid=dYvXpnCSppA

Faith-shaping life experiences

My faith is pulled from a number of sources that have defined my life experiences and spiritual beliefs.  The Capuchin Franciscans helped me develop an appreciation for Jesus and for following the environmental stewardship practiced by St. Francis.  InterVarsity Christian Fellowship helped me better identify with the wider Christian community than just Catholics.  Shane Claiborne's teachings helped me conceptualize what it means to follow Jesus in today's world.  NY Faith & Justice, Sojourners, and Red-Letter Christians helped bring further contextualization to faith-rooted social justice. Trinity Grace Church has given me an opportunity to feel unified under not having to identify with a particular denomination of Christianity. I can also identify pretty easily with the views expressed by Unitarian Universalist Christians.

New perspectives

I went on the "College & Young Adult" retreat at CYFM this past weekend and came away with more than I could have imagined. Spending a weekend with college student & young adult Catholics and being provided with an open space to dialogue, listen and learn about the struggles with the church and our faith that Catholics of this age face, has sparked a glimmer of hope in me. I'll never forget the excitement on Ananda's face when I proposed my question for the "Open Space" discussion, about the church's role in seeking social justice vs. just providing charity. It's so inspiring to see others who care about the same issues I care about, from the same perspective of having being molded through the CYFM, Franciscan tradition.

This weekend helped me discern my identity a little bit more in a lot of ways. For one, it's strengthened my belief that I am first and foremost a lay Franciscan Catholic, if you will. This weekend has taught me that Catholics have plenty to teach the world about social justice, and that I shouldn't abandon the task of continuing to learn and share with the world about Catholic social justice teachings. And just because I can comfortably identify with the Capuchin, Christian community way of life, doesn't mean I can't also feel like I belong to a non-denominational church. Trinity Grace Church is the coming together of people of all walks of Christianity. And to me, it represents unity in the church. Which serves to satisfy my yearning for church unity until we can bring more unity to the larger church as a whole.