He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a difficult concept to grasp. But oh, how we Christians try. And try. And try…
And you know what they say about trying: If at first you don't succeed...
Just what is this enigmatic kingdom the Gospel writers point us to? Is it a what? Is it even a place? If so, where is it? Can it be found on a map?
Obviously, these are facetious, rhetorical questions.
Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven in many different ways to help us better understand and perhaps draw closer to its true essence. Easy for him, Jesus lives there. Jesus embodies the Kingdom, this enlightened way of being that is not of this world. He offers it graciously, making it accessible to us. He lays it out in his teachings, his deeds, and in his very body. Jesus invites us to follow him. By his very public death, Jesus demonstrates to humanity how we have lost the plot. We’ve got it all wrong. By his death on a cross between two criminals, he stares shame and blame, pain, suffering, and grief right in the face. He does this for us.
“Forgive them,” Jesus prays. They just do not get it.
All these years later, sadly, we still don’t seem to get it.
But we can do this. We can. I believe in us.
What if we still ourselves enough to feel our bodies and our breath again? What if we took just a few moments each day to reconnect with the love that brought us here?
What if, like Jesus, we listened regularly for the voice of the Spirit? What would we hear? What if we took time daily to be still, as the psalmist writes, and know the generous, loving presence inviting us to become the love, the true essence, of who we were created to be?
Will you try with me? We can keep it very simple at first.
Imagine yourself in a beautiful environment, your favorite place. Go rogue here. Let your imagination. No limits. Notice your surroundings. What do you see? Feel the temperature of the air. How does it feel against your skin? What do you hear? What do you smell? How does the air feel as it enters your nostrils in this magical place? Allow yourself to settle in. Feel the support of the surface beneath you. You are safe here. Feel the spaciousness all around you. You have room to grow here.
See if you can find a still point here to just breathe deeply of this sacred environment.
As you exhale, soften the body wherever you can. As your next breath fills you with fresh, enlivening energy, will you accept the fullness of this gift? Pause to notice your initial response.
As you exhale again, a bit more slowly this time around, notice how it feels to let go of the breath you held inside in the previous moment? Just notice. Try again. Thankfully, we get to keep trying.
Allow the breath to flow more naturally now. Try to stay still. Linger for just a little longer, if you are able.
Listen for the whisper of the Holy.
Like God, this meditation is always here for you. Keep practicing, trying for the Kingdom, my friends. The world needs your presence, perhaps now more than ever.💛
No comments:
Post a Comment