The readings for today celebrate the bread of life discourse (John 6:51-58). The Jesus in John's gospel reminds us that without the Eucharist we have no life now or eternally. He promises eternal life.
The reading from the book of Proverbs (Prov. 9:1-6), meant to throw light onto the Gospel, has Wisdom building her house, preparing the food, setting the table and sending out her maidservants to proclaim from the city heights. Now exegetes may argue that Wisdom is a feminine noun in Hebrew and therefore the use of the pronoun, but I personally find great delight in reading this very female text - Lady Wisdom, the builder, the cook and the hostess and her maidservants the evangelists, publicly proclaiming the invitation.
And who are invited? The ignorant and the foolish. Now, let's be honest with ourselves here, that's all of us. The trouble is, admitting to being ignorant and foolish is not really the thing to do unless it is humorous self-deprecation. I don't think human nature has changed much since the writer of Proverbs proclaimed this invitation - we much prefer to be seen as wise, intelligent, running our lives, up with everything, revered and respected. There is nothing wrong with any of this, but by inviting the ignorant and foolish, Lady Wisdom (and by association with the Gospel) Jesus, is inviting us precisely as mixed up, vulnerable people - broken people who desire to be whole.
Not only does Wisdom promise nourishment, but she gives a banquet, a wide, lavish feast, and she builds her home into which she invites us so that we, foolish and ignorant, struggling and desiring may walk in her ways and have life. There is no payment, there are no conditions.
As I reflect on today's celebration, the glory is that the Eucharist and its promise of life now and forever, its promise of abundant nourishment and a home now and for eternity is for us who try with all the desire with which we are capable, to love God now - just as we are. We are not asked to "get our act together" (whatever that means) and then come, we are invited as we are. We are not asked to have some esoteric secret knowledge. We are simply asked to come wholly - just as we are.
At the celebration of the Eucharist last night I looked around. We were such a mixed lot but the one thing we shared was that we were all "home" in the deepest sense of the word, even if our minds were wandering or bored or attentive. It is a characteristic of Jesus in the Gospels that so often he simply says, "Come" and it is in following that people change.
The Eucharist is central to Church in that it celebrates the great moment of Jesus' death and resurrection, that moment when the doors of Lady Wisdom's house were opened to us, never be shut to us. While we are still "on the way", Eucharist celebrates this and reminds us that even now no matter how dark our faith may feel at times, God is our home and feeds and loves us with the same exuberance and lavishness as will be for all eternity. The Eucharist allows us to hear Wisdom's maidservants calling to us in the streets to come for the doors are open and the table laid.
If in Eucharist we touch God who is our home, it should not be thought of in some exclusive sense. Sacraments show forth a greater Reality. We are reminded that home, bread, wine, food - ordinary, essential and treasured things of our every day creation are suffused with the presence of God. We need the sacred moment of Eucharist to remind us that we live in a sacred world.
The collect for today in the translation used in the Divine Office sums it all up for me:
Lord God,
You have prepared for those who love you
what no eye has seen, no ear has heard.
Fill our hearts with your love,
so that loving you above all and in all,
we may attain your promises
which the human heart has not conceived.
We make our prayer.....
Monday 21 August 2006
Thursday 17 August 2006
Dissent and Affirmation - The Prophet's Word
Dissent and Affirmation - the Prophet's Word
16 August, 2006
Last night I watched a current affairs programme on street gangs in Australia. It was a forum style discussion with representatives from various street gangs, social workers, community workers, government, academics and police. the discussion revealed many very painful situations that young men (men only) of teenage and in particular of ethnic backgrounds found themselves. there were very vocal and often acrimonious complaints about the government and in particular the police who were seen as racist, heavy handed and having no political will to understand their situation.
This programme brought to my mind the role of the prophets in Scripture - and here I include Jesus. The prophets denounced the injustices they saw in their society. They stood in the market place and according to their personalities, personal histories and the times railed against, cajoled or acted out the fact that God is offended, angered, grieved and weeps for the plight of people who are on the receiving end of greed, indifference and all those aspects of dominating power. They also proclaimed the consequences of such behaviour. The prophets neither sentimentalise those who are poor and broken nor do they polarise. They recognised that all human beings were in need of conversion - perhaps around different issues, but all in need of God's grace.
They also proclaimed the consequences of conversion, of what happens when people change their hearts, when they act with integrity. We may interpret the promise of people's lives flourishing and the desert blooming as symbolic, but for the prophet the promises of God are real and concrete and manifest in peace - shalom.
The prophets never just denounced. Nor did they denounce with hatred in their words to cause division. The word of the prophet is the word of God, always spoken with compassion and laden with forgiveness. The word of the prophet is the word of God who is compassionate, suffering with, longing for conversion of heart. I love the fact that Jesus could annoy his countrymen by praising the faith of a centurion, one of the occupying forces; could praise a gentile woman for her cheeky persistent faith when she wanted a cure for her daughter and could perplex his own disciples by paying taxes to Caesar. The prophet does not discriminate along stereotypical lines.
This brings me to my point of reflection. While it is important to speak out the confronting word, it is important to speak it in a way that shows forth compassion for all, including the perceived oppressor. That we don't scapegoat, blame, foster hatred and division.
In our country we are fortunate to have the freedom to denounce, complain, rage against social structures we perceive to be unjust. We have the power to influence government and society. The danger of only denouncing is to forget that we have such freedoms. If we forget this we are in danger of making scapegoats and laying blame then there is no way out. there is only despair, depression, violence and that tragic biblical sin, 'hardening the heart'. We are in danger of never seeing the 'other' with the eyes of compassion. It is too easy to take sides in a way that polarises. This only reinforces real and imagined wrongs. Dialogue and respect die.
As the world is today, we need the prophetic word in its fullest sense - confrontation, compassion and 'softening the heart'. All members of society no matter what social group they belong to need it. Not just the left wing or the right wing, socialist or conservative, ethnic or white - whatever group we identify with. We need to treasure more than every the freedoms we have gained over the centuries - the freedom of speech, the rights of all people, law that protects, work that does not exploit and many, many more.
Our society may not be perfect - and thank goodness for that because it means there will always be the full and tug of debate, but we do have a society that allows us to speak the prophetic words. We have a responsibility to nurture and celebrate the gifts we have in our society otherwise we are in danger of forgetting them and closing ourselves into our mental and physical ghettos.
The true prophetic work comforts and afflicts; encourages and empathises and ultimately celebrates God the source, foundation and wellspring of the blessings we have - a God who desires with great passion to bestow even greater blessing if only we allow it.
16 August, 2006
Last night I watched a current affairs programme on street gangs in Australia. It was a forum style discussion with representatives from various street gangs, social workers, community workers, government, academics and police. the discussion revealed many very painful situations that young men (men only) of teenage and in particular of ethnic backgrounds found themselves. there were very vocal and often acrimonious complaints about the government and in particular the police who were seen as racist, heavy handed and having no political will to understand their situation.
This programme brought to my mind the role of the prophets in Scripture - and here I include Jesus. The prophets denounced the injustices they saw in their society. They stood in the market place and according to their personalities, personal histories and the times railed against, cajoled or acted out the fact that God is offended, angered, grieved and weeps for the plight of people who are on the receiving end of greed, indifference and all those aspects of dominating power. They also proclaimed the consequences of such behaviour. The prophets neither sentimentalise those who are poor and broken nor do they polarise. They recognised that all human beings were in need of conversion - perhaps around different issues, but all in need of God's grace.
They also proclaimed the consequences of conversion, of what happens when people change their hearts, when they act with integrity. We may interpret the promise of people's lives flourishing and the desert blooming as symbolic, but for the prophet the promises of God are real and concrete and manifest in peace - shalom.
The prophets never just denounced. Nor did they denounce with hatred in their words to cause division. The word of the prophet is the word of God, always spoken with compassion and laden with forgiveness. The word of the prophet is the word of God who is compassionate, suffering with, longing for conversion of heart. I love the fact that Jesus could annoy his countrymen by praising the faith of a centurion, one of the occupying forces; could praise a gentile woman for her cheeky persistent faith when she wanted a cure for her daughter and could perplex his own disciples by paying taxes to Caesar. The prophet does not discriminate along stereotypical lines.
This brings me to my point of reflection. While it is important to speak out the confronting word, it is important to speak it in a way that shows forth compassion for all, including the perceived oppressor. That we don't scapegoat, blame, foster hatred and division.
In our country we are fortunate to have the freedom to denounce, complain, rage against social structures we perceive to be unjust. We have the power to influence government and society. The danger of only denouncing is to forget that we have such freedoms. If we forget this we are in danger of making scapegoats and laying blame then there is no way out. there is only despair, depression, violence and that tragic biblical sin, 'hardening the heart'. We are in danger of never seeing the 'other' with the eyes of compassion. It is too easy to take sides in a way that polarises. This only reinforces real and imagined wrongs. Dialogue and respect die.
As the world is today, we need the prophetic word in its fullest sense - confrontation, compassion and 'softening the heart'. All members of society no matter what social group they belong to need it. Not just the left wing or the right wing, socialist or conservative, ethnic or white - whatever group we identify with. We need to treasure more than every the freedoms we have gained over the centuries - the freedom of speech, the rights of all people, law that protects, work that does not exploit and many, many more.
Our society may not be perfect - and thank goodness for that because it means there will always be the full and tug of debate, but we do have a society that allows us to speak the prophetic words. We have a responsibility to nurture and celebrate the gifts we have in our society otherwise we are in danger of forgetting them and closing ourselves into our mental and physical ghettos.
The true prophetic work comforts and afflicts; encourages and empathises and ultimately celebrates God the source, foundation and wellspring of the blessings we have - a God who desires with great passion to bestow even greater blessing if only we allow it.
Monday 14 August 2006
Feast of the Assumption
15 August, 2006.
Celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This is one of my favourite feast days in the liturgical calendar. Some ecumenically minded theologians consider this to be a divisive belief – that Mary, after death entered the glory of heaven in both body and spirit.
I think it is not just a celebration of Mary, nor is it exalting her beyond her humanity. It is, in a profound way a celebration of humanity and creation. It can only say something about Mary if it also has something to say about being a Christian. It is about our End.
Body:
A common criticism of Christianity is that it denigrates the human body and there have been times in our history that this is so. However, to hold matter in distain is to be unfaithful to the Scriptures. Creation, Incarnation and Resurrection are about matter, and in particular an exuberance of matter. God pouring out creation; God celebrating humanity in Flesh and a new outpouring of life in Jesus’ Rising. St. Bonaventure wrote of creation as the footprints of God. The Sacraments, and in particular the Eucharist celebrate and exist because we are embodied beings.
Without spirit the body is dead and in some way we yet don’t understand, without body the spirit is incomplete. The Christian belief in the resurrection of the body affirms that matter, which to our eyes seems finite and passing is of eternal significance and delight. How the New Creation will be when all is drawn together at the End, is a mystery even St. Paul could only suggest we wait and see.
However, in the Assumption we see a glimpse, a promise of our future. This woman, as human and finite as any of us grew, aged and died and because she lived in unshakable faith, faith that became enfleshed in her Son, she has been gifted as the first fruit of the Resurrection. In a very real sense, she is what we will be – alive in the fullness of God as a whole being, that is body, mind and spirit – all that makes her, and us the unique person she and each of us is.
The End:
Eschatology is not that esoteric field of theology that has little relevance for us in our daily lives nor is it just about heaven or hell. The End has happened in Jesus because his Resurrection shows the ultimate end of Creation and the human and in him the final, joyous wholeness has already happened.
It is timeless.
Therefore the power of the End, the fulfilment touches us at every moment and when we live with faith, love and hope and make choices as did Mary the power of the Risen life, the End-times grows in us and in all creation. The End that draws us to fulfilment is at the very heart of the human being who is open to the new, to something larger that themselves. Mary’s faithful agreement with God in the Annunciation finds its ending in God’s faithful agreement with Mary in giving her fully the fullness of Life.
Celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This is one of my favourite feast days in the liturgical calendar. Some ecumenically minded theologians consider this to be a divisive belief – that Mary, after death entered the glory of heaven in both body and spirit.
I think it is not just a celebration of Mary, nor is it exalting her beyond her humanity. It is, in a profound way a celebration of humanity and creation. It can only say something about Mary if it also has something to say about being a Christian. It is about our End.
Body:
A common criticism of Christianity is that it denigrates the human body and there have been times in our history that this is so. However, to hold matter in distain is to be unfaithful to the Scriptures. Creation, Incarnation and Resurrection are about matter, and in particular an exuberance of matter. God pouring out creation; God celebrating humanity in Flesh and a new outpouring of life in Jesus’ Rising. St. Bonaventure wrote of creation as the footprints of God. The Sacraments, and in particular the Eucharist celebrate and exist because we are embodied beings.
Without spirit the body is dead and in some way we yet don’t understand, without body the spirit is incomplete. The Christian belief in the resurrection of the body affirms that matter, which to our eyes seems finite and passing is of eternal significance and delight. How the New Creation will be when all is drawn together at the End, is a mystery even St. Paul could only suggest we wait and see.
However, in the Assumption we see a glimpse, a promise of our future. This woman, as human and finite as any of us grew, aged and died and because she lived in unshakable faith, faith that became enfleshed in her Son, she has been gifted as the first fruit of the Resurrection. In a very real sense, she is what we will be – alive in the fullness of God as a whole being, that is body, mind and spirit – all that makes her, and us the unique person she and each of us is.
The End:
Eschatology is not that esoteric field of theology that has little relevance for us in our daily lives nor is it just about heaven or hell. The End has happened in Jesus because his Resurrection shows the ultimate end of Creation and the human and in him the final, joyous wholeness has already happened.
It is timeless.
Therefore the power of the End, the fulfilment touches us at every moment and when we live with faith, love and hope and make choices as did Mary the power of the Risen life, the End-times grows in us and in all creation. The End that draws us to fulfilment is at the very heart of the human being who is open to the new, to something larger that themselves. Mary’s faithful agreement with God in the Annunciation finds its ending in God’s faithful agreement with Mary in giving her fully the fullness of Life.
Saturday 12 August 2006
Ephesians - Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
14 August, 2006.
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Readings for today are taken from First book of Kings, Ephesians and Gospel according to John. The Gospel continues the focus on the bread of life discourse in John’s gospel.
However, today the letter to the Ephesians 4:30-5:2 has caught my eye. It both comforts and afflicts.
Whatever the context of the letter – to the Christians of Ephesus or a circular letter to several churches, the communities to whom it was written would be a mixed lot – different classes, races and backgrounds.
First of all Paul tells those who have been baptized and thereby gifted with the Holy spirit:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.
This is what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit – to keep those very enjoyable pastimes of holding grudges, temper outbursts, the deliciously spiteful remarks that can be so clever and witty. All those behaviours that exalt ourselves to the cost of others; that put an unassailable wall to defend our poor egos.
Sadly, much of our public humour falls into these categories. The television show that has canned laughter after a put-down; the political wit that denigrates.
Does that mean that Paul is asking the Christians of Ephesus to be dour and humourless? Not at all. After all, joy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Does it also mean that we must be always be ‘nice’ and never say the confronting word. No.
The context is friendship. Friendship with God and with each other that is the gift of the Spirit in Baptism. It is friendship because God has first called us his children and his friends. Friendship forgives, holds the other in esteem, delights and rejoices in the other and friendship will ask of us at times to say confronting words to our friend. Even if that friend is the enemy – after all Jesus demanded we love our enemy, do good to those who persecute….
So this texts afflicts in that it holds a mirror up to our defences and asks us to dismantle them. We won’t easily do it completely – there is too much fear and pleasure in the cynical word. So the comfort is that God who has first befriended us forgives us hurting ourselves and his other friends and because we are God’s children, always learning God picks us up and helps us start again like a child learning to walk. I would like to think that like a loving parent God grins at our failures when we keep trying and loves us all the more for giving it a go.
Finally, the reading for today says:
Try, then, to imitate God, as children of his that he loves, and follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Readings for today are taken from First book of Kings, Ephesians and Gospel according to John. The Gospel continues the focus on the bread of life discourse in John’s gospel.
However, today the letter to the Ephesians 4:30-5:2 has caught my eye. It both comforts and afflicts.
Whatever the context of the letter – to the Christians of Ephesus or a circular letter to several churches, the communities to whom it was written would be a mixed lot – different classes, races and backgrounds.
First of all Paul tells those who have been baptized and thereby gifted with the Holy spirit:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.
This is what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit – to keep those very enjoyable pastimes of holding grudges, temper outbursts, the deliciously spiteful remarks that can be so clever and witty. All those behaviours that exalt ourselves to the cost of others; that put an unassailable wall to defend our poor egos.
Sadly, much of our public humour falls into these categories. The television show that has canned laughter after a put-down; the political wit that denigrates.
Does that mean that Paul is asking the Christians of Ephesus to be dour and humourless? Not at all. After all, joy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Does it also mean that we must be always be ‘nice’ and never say the confronting word. No.
The context is friendship. Friendship with God and with each other that is the gift of the Spirit in Baptism. It is friendship because God has first called us his children and his friends. Friendship forgives, holds the other in esteem, delights and rejoices in the other and friendship will ask of us at times to say confronting words to our friend. Even if that friend is the enemy – after all Jesus demanded we love our enemy, do good to those who persecute….
So this texts afflicts in that it holds a mirror up to our defences and asks us to dismantle them. We won’t easily do it completely – there is too much fear and pleasure in the cynical word. So the comfort is that God who has first befriended us forgives us hurting ourselves and his other friends and because we are God’s children, always learning God picks us up and helps us start again like a child learning to walk. I would like to think that like a loving parent God grins at our failures when we keep trying and loves us all the more for giving it a go.
Finally, the reading for today says:
Try, then, to imitate God, as children of his that he loves, and follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
Sunday 6 August 2006
Transfiguration
6 August 2006
Transfiguration
Today we celebrate the feast of The Transfiguration. The Gospel reading is Mark's account (Mk 9.:2-10) that has a sense of stark, pared-down intensity. In Mark's Gospel the story is set between Jesus telling his listeners that they must take up their cross in order to follow him and a prediction of the Passion. This gives the account of Jesus' transfiguration a play of light and dark. It is no mere flash of glory, but transforming glory set amidst the dark reality of the price that must be paid for fidelity to one's beliefs.
For all of us who faithfully try to walk the path of the Gospel in our daily lives there will always be the "cost" of that fidelity - whether it is just the inconvenience of buying one product and not another for ethical reasons, to asserting oneself when it may be more socially acceptable not to, to being ridiculed or excluded because of a stance taken. Sometimes the "cost" can seem too much or just too constant.
The Transfiguration flashes out in a moment of glory the reality that is greater than all, the reality that lies hidden at the heart of the everyday. Some scholars may dismiss this event in Jesus' life as an invention of the early Church or may explain it as a foretaste of the Resurrection or Jesus' Divinity revealed. Perhaps it is all that, but it is too constant in the Gospels simply dismiss. If we take the humanness of Jesus as seriously as we take his Divinity we must look to the Transfiguration for what it says about him and what it says about us.
There is enough evidence of the Extraordinary in mystical experience to affirm this even as some privileged glimpse into the inner truth of Jesus. It is a human experience of a heart open in love to God that thereby allows God to reveal Divinity.
On one level it is a profound lesson on prayer. When we pray we come to know ourselves as we most truly are - as loved, graced, affirmed and missioned. We also come to know God. God who abides and whose glory fills us even when we would pass up the cup of suffering. And in that abiding God suffers with us and mysteriously, and against all human reason makes the suffering of love the point of transformation for all reality.
Moses and Elijah are there. Jesus' ancestors of faith. When we come to prayer, we never come alone. We are surrounded by all who have gone before us on this journey into God - the Communion of Saints. Peter, James and John were there. We are also accompanied by all creation, giving voice to its longing.
If Jesus' presence was transfigured, so is ours. The "dazzling whiteness" may be reserved for our ultimate transformation, but all relationships we have transfigure us whether it be for good or ill. Prayer, pouring one's life into the abiding presence of God will transfigure us in ways that may surprise and even shock and delight us.
Transfiguration
Today we celebrate the feast of The Transfiguration. The Gospel reading is Mark's account (Mk 9.:2-10) that has a sense of stark, pared-down intensity. In Mark's Gospel the story is set between Jesus telling his listeners that they must take up their cross in order to follow him and a prediction of the Passion. This gives the account of Jesus' transfiguration a play of light and dark. It is no mere flash of glory, but transforming glory set amidst the dark reality of the price that must be paid for fidelity to one's beliefs.
For all of us who faithfully try to walk the path of the Gospel in our daily lives there will always be the "cost" of that fidelity - whether it is just the inconvenience of buying one product and not another for ethical reasons, to asserting oneself when it may be more socially acceptable not to, to being ridiculed or excluded because of a stance taken. Sometimes the "cost" can seem too much or just too constant.
The Transfiguration flashes out in a moment of glory the reality that is greater than all, the reality that lies hidden at the heart of the everyday. Some scholars may dismiss this event in Jesus' life as an invention of the early Church or may explain it as a foretaste of the Resurrection or Jesus' Divinity revealed. Perhaps it is all that, but it is too constant in the Gospels simply dismiss. If we take the humanness of Jesus as seriously as we take his Divinity we must look to the Transfiguration for what it says about him and what it says about us.
There is enough evidence of the Extraordinary in mystical experience to affirm this even as some privileged glimpse into the inner truth of Jesus. It is a human experience of a heart open in love to God that thereby allows God to reveal Divinity.
On one level it is a profound lesson on prayer. When we pray we come to know ourselves as we most truly are - as loved, graced, affirmed and missioned. We also come to know God. God who abides and whose glory fills us even when we would pass up the cup of suffering. And in that abiding God suffers with us and mysteriously, and against all human reason makes the suffering of love the point of transformation for all reality.
Moses and Elijah are there. Jesus' ancestors of faith. When we come to prayer, we never come alone. We are surrounded by all who have gone before us on this journey into God - the Communion of Saints. Peter, James and John were there. We are also accompanied by all creation, giving voice to its longing.
If Jesus' presence was transfigured, so is ours. The "dazzling whiteness" may be reserved for our ultimate transformation, but all relationships we have transfigure us whether it be for good or ill. Prayer, pouring one's life into the abiding presence of God will transfigure us in ways that may surprise and even shock and delight us.
Our Lady of the Angels
6 August 2006
In the Christian tradition we have many images of how important small things are - the mustard seed; the woman looking for the lost coin. The tiny church of Our Lady of the Angels aka Portiuncula, the Little Portion stands in this tradition. This ancient building, while sheltered by the large, ornate church gives it its meaning, its feeling and is its heart.
The Portiuncula is a symbol of our own inner depth. That core within us that gives us meaning and purpose, beauty and strength. It is the very heart-beat of spirit. It is more ancient than we are because it is the Spirit of God.
We need to give this inner core attention, shelter and nurture; repair and renovation if it is to continue to flourish and give life to the whole structure of our lives. No matter whether we see our lives as beautiful or ornate or in disrepair, the inner core remains. Sometimes, however, this Little Portion may seem lost and overlaid. We forget it is there. Sometimes we have never known it is there. We need to uncover the stones and rediscover what has always been there - God's life and love, waiting, longing and desiring our response.
So just as the large church shelters this Little Portion within it's structure to preserve and nurture it so it may continue to radiate it's power, so the little church transforms and gives meaning to the large church.
Similarly the core of our being, the Spirit living in us, is nurtured when we daily live in attentive love to our sisters and brothers whoever and whereever they may be; and the Spirit within us radiates into our lives and gives us strength, meaning, joy and the courage to care for our world, to make evident that which is real - that because of Creation and Incarnation we are sisters and brothers to all creation.
In the Christian tradition we have many images of how important small things are - the mustard seed; the woman looking for the lost coin. The tiny church of Our Lady of the Angels aka Portiuncula, the Little Portion stands in this tradition. This ancient building, while sheltered by the large, ornate church gives it its meaning, its feeling and is its heart.
The Portiuncula is a symbol of our own inner depth. That core within us that gives us meaning and purpose, beauty and strength. It is the very heart-beat of spirit. It is more ancient than we are because it is the Spirit of God.
We need to give this inner core attention, shelter and nurture; repair and renovation if it is to continue to flourish and give life to the whole structure of our lives. No matter whether we see our lives as beautiful or ornate or in disrepair, the inner core remains. Sometimes, however, this Little Portion may seem lost and overlaid. We forget it is there. Sometimes we have never known it is there. We need to uncover the stones and rediscover what has always been there - God's life and love, waiting, longing and desiring our response.
So just as the large church shelters this Little Portion within it's structure to preserve and nurture it so it may continue to radiate it's power, so the little church transforms and gives meaning to the large church.
Similarly the core of our being, the Spirit living in us, is nurtured when we daily live in attentive love to our sisters and brothers whoever and whereever they may be; and the Spirit within us radiates into our lives and gives us strength, meaning, joy and the courage to care for our world, to make evident that which is real - that because of Creation and Incarnation we are sisters and brothers to all creation.
Wednesday 2 August 2006
Our Lady of the Angels
2 August 2006: Feast of Our Lady of the Angels - the Portiuncula
Today, 2 August is the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels. This celebration is now special to the Franciscan tradition. While it is a Marian feast, it celebrates the place which perhaps above all others is the cradle of the Franciscan movement. It was this tiny church, affectionately called the Portiuncula (the little portion) that the young Francis of Assisi rebuilt, it was there that Francis eventually lived with his brothers and the place to which he returned when he was close to death in order to die within its beloved boundaries. Here too, Clare of Assisi came when she secretly left her family to begin the great adventure that was to become "the Poor Ladies".
So, it is a place redolent in history and deep in the affections of those who today follow the way of the Gospel inspired by Francis to "follow in the footsteps of Jesus our brother".
Three of the many strands that colour this feast for me are poverty, gift and place.
It always amazes me that Francis, the Poverello, who sought to own nothing had no hesitation in accepting gifts of places such as Mt. Alvernia and the Portiuncula. (He 'rented' the church from the Benedictines for a basket of fish.) He told his brothers that this was a holy place and should they be thrown out one door they were to re-enter by another. Is this poverty?
The thing is, poverty was not an end in itself for Francis. Nor were these gifts for his own self-aggrandizement and power. They were always, in a sense, on loan. To accept such gifts with gratitude was the way of supporting that path, the way of contemplation, prayer and community. They were places where the community and Francis could find the grounding to move back into the 'marketplace' of the world where they preached and worked.
Poverty and gift are closely linked. For Francis, poverty had nothing at all to do with legalism or more significantly with any meanness of spirit or mind. Poverty was his generous-hearted response to God who gifted all creation with life and gifted us with redemption and above all gifted us with Jesus our Brother. He wrote,"Keep nothing for yourself, so that He who gave himself to you wholly, may receive you wholly."
As for place, the Portiuncula as it stands today is enshrined in the larger church built over it. It is this tiny gem at the heart of a great historical and spiritual movement. It always reminds me that we need sacred places as sacraments. A sacred place reminds us that all places are sacred, that all creation is sacred, that life is infused with the presence of God and the giftedness that is God and that God would bestow. Each of us, like this little church is a 'sacred place', a gift to the wider world.
So, today the feast questions us: how do I live my everyday as a gift, as gifted, as sacrament of something much larger than I am but that abides in me as the ancient church of Mary of the Angels abides in the larger church.
About this Blog Site
I have set up this site as a way of sharing and reflecting on a variety of issues from a broadly theological perspective. I write from the Catholic, and in particular the Franciscan theological and spiritual tradition.
"Old Queenslander" has significance for two reasons, I was born in and returned to Queensland, Australia after many years absence interstate and overseas; and my "Urban Hermitage" is the style known as "Old Queensland worker's cottage". Both are significant because they signify for me identity, history and a new return to origins.
"Old Queenslander" has significance for two reasons, I was born in and returned to Queensland, Australia after many years absence interstate and overseas; and my "Urban Hermitage" is the style known as "Old Queensland worker's cottage". Both are significant because they signify for me identity, history and a new return to origins.
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