Christmas is here - is Christ in it?

I think that it is highly appropriate that as we come close to Christmas and the end of  another year, we consider the real meaning of this time of year.  What really is the birth of Christ in our lives?  Do we celebrate it in our churches without really understanding its meaning?  The Greek words "Efkaristo", "Eucaristia", "Eucaristew" and "Eucaristos" all mean the same thing - "to give thanks" - and every time we celebrate the Eucharist it is a personal and communal offering of thanksgiving to Our Lord.  This should be the real meaning of Christmas.  And it can continue to happen to us every day or every week if we receive the Eucharist at mass.  

The idea of attending mass - I prefer to call it the celebration of the Eucharist - is to raise our hearts to the Lord in thanksgiving for all He has done in us, with us and through us up to that moment. The sharing God's Word with others is a prime example of this thanksgiving as much as moments of prayer and fellowship are too.

In these last few days leading to Christmas my prayer is that we do not get totally and absolutely distracted to such an extent that the moment of intimacy that the Lord wants to share with us at this special time of the year is stifled and choked. But rather, that we consciously slow down and find distinct moments of reflection in which to allow Him to meet us and speak to us in the depths of our hearts. It would be such a pity if another Christmas had to go by with our focus being solely on the mince pies and the presents and nothing more than that.

The Lord really wants to meet us today and have communion with us. Let us make space for Him in the inn of our heart for Him to be born. Let us make a conscious effort to remove the clutter and panic and to vacate the inn where He wishes to be born.  Efkaristos! 

May He bring joy and peace to your life that only He can bring.  

Sometimes...more than words

Last week David Knopfler was giving a concert here. With his brother guitarist Mark, David was the now defunct Dire Straits, superstars of rock of the Eighties.  Their music was a mixture of upbeat rocking melodies and soft ballads, all sung in a Southern accent.  Now David is appearing solo worldwide and offers a completely different kind of music, often reminding me of early Bob Dylan complete with harmonica. 

But what impressed me was the quality of his lyrics, songs he self penned, often also writing the music...but with a deep feeling for the spirituality in his life.  The transition from Dire Straits to solo artist is amply reflected in "Easy Street", where he sings about the Devil coming to see him offering wealth and fame if he only signed on  then dotted line.  Everything will come for free. "Only ten commandments stand between you and the final call" he sings. "It's easier than you might think to break them one and all.  The devil spoke to me and said 'Ape that band you was in before Boy and you could be on Easy Street!'"

How true to form for the Devil. But it seems he realises this and sings "Looking back, back to front, front to back again...Hypnotised by your stunning lies, perhaps I'm better off without you in the end."  (from "America")   Nonetheless, it seems he resisted this temptation, for his music is anything but Dire Straits.  On another song ("Ship of dreams") he clearly underlines that now he sings because "some need a song of love when old friends feel like ghosts; for some the sweet redemption songs the thing they crave the most on then ship of dreams....Each pilgrim makes their journey, each must meet their fate."

With David's kind of music-cum-message, "sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  When everybody talks too loud no one listens anyhow...... Sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  You find the one you've hurt worst is the one you need to heal you.  Sure", he sings, "I know forgiveness may be mortal not divine but all them human frailties they'll stall me every time..... Sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  We both know something's wrong here like we know a sinner sins. But I'm so tired now, got to get some sleep somehow. Feels like the whole damn world is crying and I can't keep the beat."  (from"Sometimes there are no words")

Hope clearly abounds in his music.  "I'm mending my nets....theres been more thaqnn time enough for penance and regret.  She says "Bless me David for I'ver sinned" lest we should forget.  I said 'It's alright if you're crying, I don't mind getting wet.  I hate whoever made you cry but I don't mind getting wet. I beleive we can mend those nets. We'll bind your womb with herb-o-grace, nullify all debts. [Cos] When fishermen cant put to sea it's time we mend out nets."  (from "Mending my nets")

And clearly he puts his hope in the One Who Matters because "in the symmetry of the stars God plays to a higher purpose..... God paints on a giant canvas. Some see majestic clockwork, some see chaos as they would, for some the infinite reach of meaning and absolute good.  Someone's there to see you, to touch you with their smile.  The waters are wide across this Great Divide..."   (from "Symmetry of the stars")

Plenty food for thought from this prolific singer-songwriter.   And, to give credit where credit is due, all the above quotes are from songs composed and written by David Knopfler although, in some cases, with the help of others (Megan Slankard on "Ship of dreams", Harry Bogdanov on "Easy Street" and Mack Starks on "America").

 And to enjoy a bit of David's Ship of Dreams...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElzpXut1AC4

CHAOS vs ORDER - 2

LISTENING TO THE HEART

Last week I started discussing some ideas by Ronald Rolheiser regarding one's search for spirituality.  Reverting back to his original text, I note how much he emphasises the need for a balance between the two forces in our lives that drive us on, the chaos that can kill you if you don't dominate its unhealthy side; and the order that can make you too rigid to be able to listen to your heart. 

In this I realise too a smilalrity between the action  of the shepherd boy in Coelho's book "The Alcenmist" and start to question my heart.  In reply it reminds me of a reflection I had read recently by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa in which he said that it is only God's presence in our lives which will bring order in the chaos we live in.  It reminds me too that St Augustine's autobiographical "The Confessions" are a classic account of the human struggle involved in channelling vital energies.

On further reflection I start noting that I am beginning to see that the concept of spirituality as Rolheiser seems to be hinting here is something not directly tied to a religious life (although it obviously helps).  Here the order that our beliefs put on us can make us possibly feel that we must comply to its regime or forever feel guilty for not complying.  Instead, Rolheiser seems to be advocating a freer approach in which God's presence is allowed to fill us and free us from these man-made ties (which can suffocate us).  

I remember that Christ often spoke on these terms too, especially when he spoke of the rules of the Sabbath that controlled the faithful rather than helped them to see God in the Sabbath. In Matthew 12, Jesus says
"...have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.  If you knew what this meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

And, in his own way, Coelho seems to agree with this trend of thought: 
"When  someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first make the decision."  ("The Alchemist")

MELCHIZEDEK THE KING-PRIEST & ECCLESIASTES

The day before I had just read about this old man in "The Alchemist" called Melchizedek. He referred to himself as a king and a priest. But he also told the shepherd boy that he could be other persons or things as well.  "Sometimes I appear in the form of a solution or a good idea as well" he said. "At other times I make it easier for things to happen.  There are other things I do too but most of the time people don't realise I've done them."

After giving the boy all the wisdom he could cope with, Melchizedek stood back and looked at the result of his work with some satisfaction.  As the ship carrying the boy left the port he thought to himself: It's too bad that he's quickly going to forget my name ... then when he spoke about me he would say that I am Melchizedek, the king of Salem. He looked to the skies, feeling a bit abashed, and said: "I know it's vanities of vanities, as you said, my Lord. But an old king sometimes has to take some pride in himself."

This amused me no amount since, coincidence of coincidences, while Rolheiser talks about the life force that is often experienced as a desire or longing  ("We long for many things, we feel restless, we seem compelled out of ourselves toward something more") the First Readings of these last days - all taken from Ecclesiastes, the Book of Qohelet - read (Chapters 1-12):

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!  There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity! -------
I will continue to consider the implications of Rolheiser's ideas as they effect our search for this God we believe in.   There will be more nuts to crack next week! 

CHAOS vs ORDER

I have been pleasantly surprised with reading up on a personal journey as recommended by Fr Ronald Rolheiser, a Canadian Oblate of Mary Immaculate, on what spirituality is and what prevents us from living a deeper spiritual life.  His book - prepared on the lines of reflective chapters that take you deep into thinking on the subject - suggests that each of us has this deep, driving desire, this longing for more. That there is an energy, a life force that is most often experienced as desire or longing.  We feel restless, we seem compelled out of ourselves toward something more.

He quotes St Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th Centuries) in support of this: "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you" adding that Augustine was to discover - and become aware - that he desperately needed some deeper direction and so the spiritual quest became the driving motivation of his life.   He also discovered that at the root of his restlessness was a longing for God. 

Rolheiser talks about this healthy spirituality that keeps us energised and that keeps us glued together. In other words, a healthy spirituality gives us zest and hope; it allows us to experience life as beautiful and worth living. It works against cynicism, despair and bitterness that can paralyse us.  A healthy spirituality is also integrative; it gives us a sense of coherence and order, a sense of who we are, where we are going and how life is full of meaning.

Rolheiser recommends that the task is to balance these two sometimes-conflicting dynamics: the creative, chaotic dynamic that energises us that must be balanced with the ordered, disciplined dynamic of our life.  Too much chaos and you die of dissipation; too much order and you die of suffocation.  A healthy spirituality therefore is the balance between the two, the way we channel that deep, raging fire that is at the core of our lives.

THE TREASURE THAT AWAITS US ALL?

In reflecting on Rolheiser's provided text, I am coincidentally introduced by a close friend to the works of Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian best selling author whom I had not heard of yet.  Looking him up on the internet I discover an excerpt from his most famous bestseller, "The Alchemist", which seems to follow on the lines of the Rolheiser text. I am intrigued by this kind of fable approach to inspiring people.  This extract - from a conversation between a shepherd boy and the alchemist on the way to the pyramids - is typical of his style: 

"....the fear of suffering is worse that the suffering itself" said the alchemist.  "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second encounter with God and with eternity."

"Every second of the search is an encounter with God," the boy told his heart.

"Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him" his heart said. "We, people's hearts, seldom say much about those treasures, because people no longer want to go in search of them.  We speak of them only to children. Later, we simply let life proceed, in its own direction, toward its own fate. But, unfortunately, very few follow the path laid out for them - the path of their destinies, and to happiness.  Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out indeed to be a threatening place.  So, we, their hearts, speak more and more softly.  We never stop speaking out but we begin to hope that our words won't heard:  we don't want people to suffer because they don't follow their hearts."

Still milling over the interesting and stimulating  concepts in Rolheiser's thoughts, I am now seeing more and more that they are running on a parallel track with Coelho's mixture of spirituality and storytelling. Such as key passages such as these:


"When each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognise the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."
 --
"I'm like everyone else  - I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen , and not what actually does."
 --
"Every search begins with beginner's luck.  And every search ends with the victor being severely tested."


And the one which really tied it all up for me: "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."