Good Evening, God
This morning it was my turn to be responsible for our zoom Morning of Prayer. We meet online the first Saturday of the month — 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. HST. I wanted to have the theme — expanding our images of God. Although, as the time got closer I thought maybe just being AWARE that we harbor images of You would be enough.
This idea that — mostly due to cultural influences — we do seem to have “images” of You has fascinated me for the last few months. That was when I happened to pray Our Mother who art . . . my gender stereotype was so powerful that I couldn’t complete the phrase. She wasn’t going to be up in Heaven! She was going to be HERE. NOW. And wanting to help us with nudges and hints etc. I was totally dumbfounded!
Anyway, this morning’s topic kept on morphing. Next I wanted to share Fr. Matthew Lin’s sharing about “healing” his image of God. As his image of You became kinder and less judgmental he found that his behavior also became kinder and less judgmental.
Then last night I read an article about how Fr. Ed came to Bill W. during a time of Bill’s deep depression and became his life long spiritual sponsor. The article stressed the quote from St. Augustine that he delivered to Bill — “Si comprehendis, non est Deus”— if you comprehend it, it is not God. And that was just what I needed, God. To make even clearer that while You love us and seek to “be with” us. . . .You are not knowable.
So, turning from Images, and Knowing — I turned to the HEART. And selected Jeremiah 29:13. How SEEKING YOU WITH OUR WHOLE HEART — is the path.
But, the unexpected gift? In verse 11 Jeremiah says to those in exile that You will give them “an expected end.” My mind went immediately to the people of Lahaina Maui. So many hundreds who perished “unexpectedly” by fire or smoke. Oh my goodness! All of a sudden I could see what a gift it is to end in even a semi expected way. To die of old age. To die peacefully with loved ones. Even to die of a namable illness with time to adjust. . . I could now see all of them as True Gifts.
Perspective is such a help in making adjustments and reframes and in giving thanks, too.
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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