Sunday, May 31, 2020

Guest moodler: We need a Pentecost

For today, Pentecost Sunday, my best friend led the online liturgy at her church this morning, and gave a wonderful homily. She gave me permission to share it with you, and at the bottom, I've tacked on a powerful video/prayer that was shared at the end of the liturgy. Enjoy!

Pentecost

Reflection May 31, 2020

by Cathy Coulter

            We need a Pentecost in our world. We need the spirit of compassion and justice to rain down in tongues of flame and bring us to our senses and repentance with a changing of hearts and minds. Living in this time, in the news cycle from this week, can fill us with fear and make us wonder -- how, then shall we live? We are encouraged over and over to reach out in love. But today, my message will be to reach in with love. To first reach in to yourself. The Spirit will carry you to a place within, from which you can emerge healed and strengthened to be a force of love and change in the world.

            I've been spending some time learning about the saint and mystic, Teresa of Avila, who lived in Spain 500 years ago. In midlife Teresa got serious about the spiritual journey after a mystical experience and she went on to become a spiritual powerhouse, writing books and reforming convents. She was smart and charismatic, and had to be to dodge the Spanish Inquisition of the time because she wrote and taught the revolutionary idea that people don't need the church or priests to be the go-between to God, but that everyone has direct access to the Holy One right in the middle of themselves. That message didn't go over so well with the church and priests who wanted to maintain power over the people.

            Teresa wrote a book called The Interior Castle which describes the soul as a castle made of diamond or crystal, and in the very centre lives God, the Beloved, calling us. We already have it all, right within our souls, all that we were created to be, all the love and joy and communion that we were created to experience, but of course we can't always hear God's voice of love, or experience the joy because we are not awake to it. What prevents us from hearing this voice of love? It seems to be the traumas and hurts that have made us build walls and keep us distracted and doubting our own beauty and goodness. We have built these walls to shield our tender selves from hurt but it's these same walls that prevents me from seeing the giftedness that I am. God has created me and you so special, as it says in the reading from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, with each person necessary to the whole. When you realize the gift that is uniquely you, the sharing of that with the world is a beautiful thing.

            Teresa was a big believer in the importance of self-knowledge. In fact, she says the three keys to travelling through our interior castle to the centre are self-knowledge, humility and contemplation. And that we can't do it ourselves. We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit who does the work. As it says in Corinthians, “No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit [and the gifts that each one of us are given] are activated by one and the same Spirit.” All we have to do is begin to look within and the Spirit will carry us, like a river, when we allow ourselves to relax and flow with the current.

            The Covid pandemic has shaken us all and turned the whole world upside down. Our day to day activities have changed. Many have more time on their hands, some are busier than ever. But everyone has likely had moments of questioning what is really important. What is it I really want in my life, if life never goes back to how it used to be when I was going through my days on automatic pilot? If you have more time or less time in your day, can you take a moment to stop and be quiet? Call upon the Holy Spirit that is promised us. Perhaps it won't arrive with tongues of flames but in a small whisper. What are you learning about yourself in these challenging times? Who is it that you truly are at your core? Can you remember the bright, beautiful curious child you were that explored the world and was drawn to certain things, things that still call to you today that give you a lift of joy? Are there writers or speakers or music that move you, that make you feel your true self stirring? Those are clues of the beautiful unique voice that you are.

            I think of the reading from Acts: “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. And how is it that we hear [them all], each of us, in our own native language?”

            I think of each of us having a unique voice, or language, given to us as the Spirit of God chooses and when the Spirit moves within us, we all start speaking in these unique languages but everyone will be able to understand us as if we are speaking in their native tongue because we are all speaking from the source of ourselves, which is Love. Love, the Beloved, waiting there in the centre of your very soul, calling for you to spend time with God.

            So celebrate your self today. The self that you uniquely are. Celebrate with humility that we have been given this great gift to be here, each beautiful one of us, and that we can be together sharing in each other's language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Q-oMiW7mM

Thursday, May 21, 2020

A little ecumenical prayer during this week of Laudato Si

I'm in the thick of planting time, so online moodling isn't exactly a priority right now. But I'm still moodling (musing and doodling) about life each day, just not at my computer keyboard. These gorgeous spring days that exhibit the Creator's immeasurable creativity offer an immense collection of beauty to appreciate, and the awe and wonder that nature inspires should be a clear sign to everyone on the planet that we are loved! Unfortunately, we forget to be amazed when we take it all for granted...

Five years ago this week, Pope Francis and his team of encyclical writers published their letter to the world known as Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home -- so that we stop taking our world for granted. It's easily the most important letter ever written by a pope, and calls everyone on earth to a greater awareness of and care for our planet. In these days of COVID-19, it's easy to forget about the environment in our concern for humanity's struggles with this disease. But we can't continue to exist if we don't begin to make some of the different kinds of lifestyle changes we have had to adopt during this pandemic. There are many places on our planet that are experiencing natural rejuvenation because we have slowed down our consumption of resources and reduced our use of fossil fuels. Animals are also breathing a sigh of relief as we have become quieter... have you noticed? I really believe that the way we are living through this pandemic can be the beginning of positive changes that will give us a chance to live in a much healthier place.

But it won't happen without a lot of deep thought, prayer and action. 

We can make the world a better place once the virus has passed us by if we can use the immeasurable creativity shared with us by our Creator to come up with solutions that work for all, but especially for the marginalized members of creation. Can we forgive debts? Live within our needs? Spend love miles rather than airmiles? Share our abundance? Protect nature? Appreciate all that is and recognize that everything is gift? And revisit the wisdom of Laudato Si?

The ecumenical prayer video below was made for this Easter season by the pastor of St. Luke's Anglican church and only three musicans so that appropriate social distance could be maintained. I invite you to take a bit of time to sing some Alleluias with us, and to pray that our entire planet (not only the humans) will emerge from this pandemic with better health, deeper love, and more wisdom. Lyrics are below... to sing is to pray twice!




O--- Surrexit Christus, alleluia! O--- Cantate Domino, alleluia! (translation: Christ is risen, alleluia! Sing to God, alleluia!)

Laudate omnes gentes, laudate Dominum. Laudate omnes gentes, laudate Dominum.
(Kiswahili lyrics: Si-fu-ni wa-tu wo-te si-fu-ni Mwen-ye-zi. Si-fu-ni wa-tu wo-te si-fu-ni Mwen-ye-zi.
English lyrics: Sing praises, all you peoples, sing praises to the Lord. Sing praises, all you peoples, sing praises to the Lord.)

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Cantate Domino, alleluia, alleluia! Jubilate Deo! (translation: Sing to the Lord, alleluia, alleluia! Rejoice in God!)

Jésus, le Christ, lumière intérieure, ne laisse pas mes ténèbres me parler. Jésus, le Christ, lumière intérieure, donne moi d’acceuillir ton amour. (English lyrics: Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us. Let not my doubts or my darkness speak to me. Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us. Let my heart always welcome your love.)

Nada te turbe, nada te_espante; quien a Dios tiene nada le falta. Nada te turbe, nada te_espante: solo Dios basta. (English lyrics: Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. Those who seek God shall never go wanting. Nothing can trouble, nothing can frighten. God alone fills us.)

O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord hear my prayer. When I call answer me. O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer. Come and listen to me.

I am sure I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Yes, I shall see the goodness of our God, hold firm, trust in the Lord.

O—Psallite Deo, psallite! O—Alleluia, alleluia! (English lyrics: This is the day the Lord has made! Alleluia, alleluia!)

Friday, May 8, 2020

What's going on in the front yard...

How I love spring, and seeing things grow! I'm always amazed how one day, there's a little green plant, and the next, the same plant suddenly offers a little flower! Or at least, that's how it seems. On this May 8th, there are blue scilla, purple violas, little yellow anemones, and a few assorted tulips making an appearance.

Three years ago, I decided to take a picture a day of the front yard, thinking that I'd put them all together like a time lapse film and see things grow frame by frame. I took about 3 dozen pictures out my front window, trying to take it from the same spot with the same angle every time. The pictures aren't bad, but it would have been better if I could have had my camera on a stationary tripod, and if I could have done it at the same time of day and only one kind of weather.

This week during the rainy periods, I put the pictures together as best I could with my photo program, and the result is the little amateur video below. When I look out today, I think our yard has reached the 26 second mark or thereabouts. I wish I had taken more daily pictures between the tulips and the lupins, but that's always planting season in our back yard, so the picture-a-day project was forgotten. The video is what it is, and it's kind of neat to see how things progress. Next time I'll use a tripod. Enjoy!


Monday, May 4, 2020

A full greenhouse

Here's what my greenhouse looks like on this rainy Monday afternoon. I've run out of space to plant anything else indoors, so I'm glad that it will soon be time to move all these plants outside...

Once again, I have more tomato plants than I can grow.
Want some?


Dahlias are up in the pots against the window,
and squashes that I might get to plant in my friend Lidia's garden.


The peppers started blooming this weekend! 
Tomatoes won't be far behind.


And the petunias are ready for flower beds.


Lavatera, marigolds, clarkia and snapdragons are up, too.


But what makes me happiest is how the garden has reacted
to the 3 cm of rain we received in the last 24 hours.
My strawberry plants are looking much happier
than when I transplanted them last week!
(And I'm so glad I got to spread the straw 
before it rained so the mud stays put!)



Our tank was empty yesterday.
It's a million dollar rain, in my books.
Watching things grow is my favourite 
antidote to coronavirus worries.
And the pear tree is almost ready to blossom. 
Isn't spring grand??!!

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Sunday reflection: Walking with the Good Shepherd

Today's reflection is brought to you by
Psalm 23.

You are my guide,
my protector,
my provider.

You offer me green fields after long winters,
trickling waters after frozen expanses,
and blue skies after endless grey.

You restore me completely.

You show me the path of life
simply because you are life.

When the valleys I must walk become dark,
I don't have to be afraid
because you walk with me.

You are my comfort.

Your abundant providence
is before me
when life is full of challenge and struggle;
your love surrounds me
if only I look for you.

You drench me in blessings
that overflow
so that I may share them with others
just because you love us all,
and that's the whole point!

Your goodness and compassion
are here at every moment
for me to remember
and draw upon.

For now,
I live in this beautiful world you've created,
this revelation of your love,
my whole life long.

Hold me always close to you,
O perfect shepherd.

+Amen.

* * * * * * *

These early days of May are among my favourite times of year, when the buds on the trees are about to pop, and there are hundreds of green shoots poking up from the ground. It's the perfect time for the 23rd Psalm and its meadows of green and still waters. Nature is just crying out to be enjoyed, and this year, with covid-19 stopping the world in its tracks, I am hoping that more Canadians are taking the opportunity to do just that.

I know that our leaders are anxious about restarting the economy and getting on with life as they knew it, but their determination to "return to normal" -- when normal wasn't exactly a healthy place to be with regard to over-consumption of the earth's resources, pollution and stress for too many of us -- strikes me as premature. If we learn anything from this time, we need to really know that the economy is not the bottom line, LIFE is. And there have to be ways to continue as a society without endangering more lives just to prop up our so-called economy. The Creator of all didn't form human beings from stardust just so we can do things and amass possessions, but we were made to be in harmony with all that is.

So rather than rush into this "restart," I encourage us all to continue with social distancing measures and all those other things that will reduce further spread of this pandemic. I am praying that we can avoid more valleys of death and continue to walk with the Good Shepherd by appreciating all that we have, sharing with those in need, and paying attention to the good things springing up all around us.