Divine Transports of Delight

How strange - a few days ago I watched a film about Saint Joseph of Cupertino, who I'd never heard of before, but who is is the patron saint of pilots and astronauts due to his habit of flying when deep in adorational prayer; and to discover that today is World Asteroid Day. A weird confluence. 

Asteroid Day was co-founded in 2014 by scientist, Stephen Hawkins, musician & astrophysicist, Brian May, Apollo 9 astronaut, Rusty Schweichart, film-maker, Grigorij Richters, among others, on the anniversary of the Tunguska Event of 1908, when an asteroid exploded over Siberia, blowing down trees over a 40 mile radius; making its impact known throughout the world, and the sky glow strangely for several days after.

Mysteries: there is so much that we don't know, which can either lead to fear, or curiosity, and the drive  to learn and be better informed. 

The idea behind Asteroid Day is to raise greater awareness of what an asteroid is, and what kind of hazard they might be to our planet. There are activities and programs organized to supplement the day and make it more fun and accessible. 

https://asteroidday.org/about/


There's fantastic scope for film-makers and science fiction writers to play with known facts and speculative fictional possibilities.

Hard to watch how much Joseph of Cupertino was bullied, and the difficulties he had to field throughout his life. By Grace he overcame and transcended much that was heavy and burdensome; losing himself in an attitude of adoration: an elevated level of being - so much so that he actually levitated!

Mysteries: there is so much we don't know or understand, which can lead to fear.... Joseph was subjected to a grueling ordeal of exorcism, bound in chains, in an effort to assuage the conviction of some that his ability to fly was due to being possessed by demons. The phrase transports of delight keeps coming to mind - that spirit of joy that lifts us up. Others talk of being 'high' - there's something naturally vertical about joy & praising God! But it did make me wonder about the physics of what happened; how he did what he did - though it appears it was not by any conscious effort, but a natural elevation of spirit - with the added meaning of overcoming; transcending life's difficulties. 

I was very moved to see prayers shaped by Joseph's life-experiences - things out of our control - the asteroid-hits of life that we are born into and the atmosphere it creates that we must then find ways to survive: 

It seems clear that Joseph had learning difficulties, again, little understood at that time, which caused a fearful, bullying reaction from many around him. And yet, again, by Grace, he was able to study enough to become a Priest - no clearer a miracle than that in the eyes of his Brothers. That's why he is also the patron saint of students:

What is Truth?

Rabbit-hole Time! I started by checking out the difference between Mistakes (somehow the wrong word/thing slips out & you know it as soon as you see it) & Errors (made through lack of knowledge, something not yet learned). Both are accidental, unintentional, with no agenda, or intent to mislead. 

A little alarming, but timely, to come across the sermon by Brother James Koester addressing a 'post-truth world'; and quoting Pope Francis's term for disinformation - 'snake tactics', based on the 1st instance of 'fake news' - in the Garden of Eden. [https://www.ssje.org/…/11/25/what-is-truth-br-james-koester/]

I thought about myths & legends; exaggerations; taking things at face value, sloppy research; interpretation & translation: a minefield! Remembering an excellent essay by Amy Tan on listening to many 'introductions' before an invitation to speak; discovering she's married; divorced; had children; lost children; is childless etc. Amazed at the sloppy, quick glance-with-no-corroboration intros that take up time correcting.

I thought about the touching story about the origin of Albrecht Durer's Praying hands, that may not actually be true, even if we want it to be.

I'd read John Berger addressing the issue of context, and how things are introduced in his excellent Book: 'Ways of Seeing', years ago, so it immediately came to mind in the midst of my musings today. Edwin Becker, chief curator of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, talks about this painting and the belief that has persisted about it in a very brief, but illuminating You Tube video. 

Turns out Van Gogh's actual final painting was 'Tree Roots', which I've never seen or heard of before!  The 'Chinese Whispers' of Art Appreciation....

I thought about Jesus asking his followers: Who do they say I am? Then making it more personal. 

I wondered: If Truth is a Person - does it make it any easier to understand? I'm guessing not. It still takes work, and time, and all that goes into the making of a relationship - with all the errors, and misunderstandings, and conflicts, and joys that go with that. People are complex, and the relationship I might have with someone, would not be the same as that of someone else. And as We change, the relationship changes.

Just a few thoughts.....

Blessed Be

I was wondering today about blessings: What are they exactly? What's the difference between a bunch of words in a sentence and a blessing? What makes them work or be effective? Do they have to be spoken aloud? Can unspoken thoughts be as a blessing - or curse?

I thought of the subterfuge that caused Isaac to Bless his 2nd son Jacob, instead of his 1st-born Esau. Once the Blessing had been pronounced there was no taking it back; it couldn't be undone, like a legally binding word-document; a spoken Last Will & Testament. 

I thought of Jesus cursing the fig tree for having a proliferation of leaves, but no fruit when he was hungry, and found some interesting insights into what all that might have been about: 
https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/bible-teachings/why-did-jesus-curse-the-fig-tree/

It seems, in blessing, words do need to be spoken, to be given breath; God's given Life-force formed into a carrier of intent, as in 'Let there be....' and there was! 

I checked out the etymology; the many facets, nuances, and later disagreements! There's a mix of Hebrew barak, to kneel, show reverence, obeisance;  esher, state of happiness, joy, bliss; and eulogeo, to give a good report, or 'eulogy'. The disputed factor was about consecrating with blood. None of that trail of thought seemed particularly useful. 

So I changed tack a little and thought of the series of blessings known as the Beatitudes: 

And the modern day version that inspired Nadia Bolz Weber, author of Accidental Saints:: Finding God in All the Wrong People, and founding pastor of House for All Sinners & Saints,in Denver, Colorado: 

[From: http://criticalpages.com/2018/beatitudes-nadia-bolz-weber/]

Blessed are the agnostics. Blessed are they who doubt. Those who aren’t sure, who can still be surprised.

Blessed are they who are spiritually impoverished and therefore not so certain about everything that they no longer take in new information.

Blessed are those who have nothing to offer. Blessed are they for whom nothing seems to be working.

Blessed are the pre-schoolers who cut in line at communion.

Blessed are the poor in spirit. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are they for whom death is not an abstraction. Blessed are they who have buried their loved ones, for whom tears are as real as an ocean.

Blessed are they who have loved enough to know what loss feels like.

Blessed are the mothers of the miscarried.

Blessed are they who don’t have the luxury of taking things for granted any more.

Blessed are they who can’t fall apart because they have to keep it together for everyone else.

Blessed are the motherless, the alone, the ones from whom so much has been taken.
Blessed are those who “still aren’t over it yet.”

Blessed are they who laughed again when for so long they thought they never would.  Blessed are those who mourn.

You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

A morning of musings, that I suspect will keep percolating, with something deeper brewing, perhaps. 

I remember the 1st time I came across the Blessing in the Book of Numbers in my Living Bible as a teenager - even just reading it had an incredible power that took me aback. I still have that Bible; I'd like to think that that Blessing still stands:

The Grace of Eating & Feasting

Do kids say 'Thank you' (grace) before meals nowadays?! These 2 children's examples made me think about the purpose of saying grace, or pronouncing a blessing before eating. 

The bowl of cherries in the 1st picture came from a community project distributing food during this time of lockdown: community thoughtfulness and sharing that found its way to my door. Each time I see them, and the other items, I'm reminded I am a member of a community that cares.

Gratitude for food covers every culture; I learned that Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Tradition bless and give thanks both before and after their meals. That The Jewish faith has a blessing for different food groups: grain; bread; fruit of the vine etc. Hindus, Buddhists, Zen, Native American tribes - all have their own format for blessing food; being in gratitude for its provision, and sharing it with others. 

        

A couple of years ago I read a book about gratitude written as a project by a journalist; she'd been recommended to pause with mindfulness before eating anything - even a 'quick snack' on the way to an assignment. Difficult to begin with, a little irksome, even, but it played its part in the bigger picture of being appreciative for those things she had so often taken for granted.  

Taking a moment before eating may be a difficult practice to adopt, but I am sure it has many benefits that we unknowingly deprive ourselves of - daily. A malnutrition of gratitude! In those moments, some thought can be given to how the food got onto the plate - the source; supplier; merchant; marketing; delivery; utilities involved.....

I thought back to my time in Georgia, famed for its 'supras', feasts at which a 'tamada', or toastmaster, begins each feast with recognition of God's favour, bringing food to the table, to share with others; followed, throughout, with blessings & toasts that would likely include a homage to 'the lost ones': 'To the memory of those who have left us. May they never have any lack of candlelight'; and a toast to Life and Children who keep the flame burning. 

These toasts are way-stations - places where all those gathered around the table, collectively pause and give thanks. I don't think I experienced any meal there that wasn't a Feast. Which led me to the over-eater's prayer:

What is food for? That pause before beginning can take in - digest - the purpose of what's about to go down....

A friend once told me it's helpful, when approaching the 'fridge, to HALT & ask: is this:

Hunger?

Anger?

Loneliness?

Tiredness?

You could make up your own version to suit.

Maybe, if one could really stabilize the reasons for eating, there's more scope to actually enjoying it without guilt or a 'hangover' afterwards. May this be so! 

Navajo Holy Wind - Breath of Life - Holy Spirit

Today brings a Navajo prayer from the largest Native American Tribe.

The word for 'wind' is 'nilch'i', which means: Holy Spirit; Life (breath); speech; movement. It's believed it appears at conception, then when the baby takes it's 1st breath, it brings within the air/atmosphere/life/spirit of its human tribe. This Life-Spirit enters & departs at the whorls on one's fingers & toes; the whorls of hair on one's crown; at the tip of one's tongue - to convey speech & carry it on the wind, and in the lungs. It's invisible, just as the gospels teach that the Holy Spirit cannot be seen, but is evidenced by the movement of tree-tops & leaves - it goes where it is directed by God.

A much more widely known Navajo Prayer (and Way of Life) is the Beauty Way Prayer. The word Beauty often replaced by other meaningful variations, keeping to the same chant-like format. 

A long way from prophets and Bibles, but that same recognition that all things are created; that the Earth has been given to us as custodians, and it speaks volumes about it's Creator, and our relationship.

It's hard to look at the indigenous peoples of America without a feeling of grief; guilt; and pain at what they suffered at the hands of White Men; the need to control and claim territories, with no regard for lives; livelihood; culture; traditions. Painful to read a little on the 'Long Walk' they were forced to endure, which claimed the lives of so many. It seems good things can be forged in the furnace of great suffering. Rooted and guided by Nature.

Sorely in need of a little humour, it helped to read the story about NASA sending their astronauts to the Navajo reservation, in 1966, as it appeared to resemble the Moon's surface, watched by 2 curious Navajo shepherds. In meeting, the Elder asked excitedly if they would convey a message from them to the Moon. This was duly recorded on tape, but they could not get the son to translate for them, nor any other tribe member, until, finally, with a little bit of financial persuasion, they got the message: 'Watch out for these guys; they come to take your land!' [https://www.indigenouspeople.net/navajo.htm]. The travesty of that action is bound to remain, as noted in this quote by Ginger Hills: 'They came with the Bible in one hand and the gun in the other. First they stole gold. Then they stole the land. Then they stole our souls.' That would be an example of what happens when Dark Wind enters a soul. All souls matter.

It feels appropriate to end with a Navajo Blessing: