Today's Scripture Readings
Song of Solomon 3: 1-4 (NRSV)
John 16: 12-15, 25-28 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
Juan de la Cruz also known as John of the Cross is known as one of the greatest mystics in the Church. He was a recruited and became a companion and a Priest through the influence of Teresa of Avila. Both of them took on the task of reforming the Calced Carmelites and experienced great suffering from that order. They later opened a new monastery for the Discalced Carmelites. John was seized and imprisoned in the monastery at Toledo. During that time he wrote poetry. Among his greatest works was Noche obscura del alama (in English means: Dark Night of the Soul). You can find this and more information about Juan de la Cruz in Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints on page 116 with the collects and scripture readings on page 117.
Among the many points made in the Dark Night of the Soul is how we do with God in those times when we are at prayer, reading Scripture or even at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and we don't exactly feel anything going on. Prayer feels like a waste of time. Why read Scripture it is all the same? Holy Communion is just a little wafer and a sip of altar wine. What's the point?
The reading from the Song of Solomon suggests that God can be found where ever we are willing to search for God. Not only does that come from Juan de la Cruz, but it also comes from St.Benedict's ideal of "searching for God" at all times and in all places. Even when we do not think we will find God there.
Dark Night of the Soul is Juan de la Cruz's reflection on that experience of not feeling God in his soul where he expected to find God. In short John of the Cross says that it is better to be with God without feeling like anything is happening, than being alone with everything going our way.
The Gospel for today's commemoration is among my favorite. It is a careful reminder that what we know about Jesus and each other as in truth is not completed. Truth is continually revealing itself and it doesn't come all wrapped up in ideologies, theological treatises or even mystical experiences. The Bible by itself does not contain all truth therein.
That is why I am very happy that the Episcopal and Anglican Traditions do not embrace a "Scripture alone" approach. Anglicanism includes the Tradition of the Church both the good and the bad and human Reason. Reason is how God is revealed through the experiences of humankind. Reason can also include scientific discoveries, psychology, physiology and just the common experiences we all share with each other. It is the understanding that God works through many sources to reveal God's Self. Reason respects that not everyone has the same experience of God as someone else. The Anglican Tradition also makes room for independent thinking.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to continue guiding us into all truth also allows for us to better understand and have compassion on people who are different from ourselves. We can be who we are and be right before God. But, so can others who are not quite the same. Even other religions and cultures and their unique traditions.
For many years Christians believed that Scripture, Tradition and Reason held that if one was lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer, we could not have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Over time, however, the Holy Spirit has been guiding LGBTQ women and men to challenge the Church to examine our understandings of Scripture, Tradition and Reason as to why we can and do have holy relationships with God, others and ourselves. And that our sexual orientation and/or gender identity expression brings us closer to God, not further away from. Diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions are not barriers to experiencing God, but they are an important part of our personal and spiritual relationships.
How we use the gift of our sexuality in relationships can say a lot about our own journey with ourselves as well as with God. Are we truly seeking to love the other person (s) with a respect for who she/he is? Are we allowing another person to draw closer to us as God desires to come close to us and lift us to an experience so great, that it feels like we have arrived in heaven and desire to stay? Are we seeking images of another nude body or even sexual actions for the sake of witnessing the beautiful love of God's creation in the human body and in sexual expression? Or are we just seeking to be selfish and only engulfed in our own bodies functions and personal gain? The two can work together to create a wonderful experience of God, another person (s) and ourselves if we learn to see sexuality as a gift from God and not something to be ashamed of.
As we remember the spiritual contributions of the mystic Juan de la Cruz, let us also take the time to seek an experience of God in those places where we might not expect.
God is also found when we work toward the justice, equality, and full inclusion of all marginalized persons, including but not limited to LGBT people.
In our Anglican/Episcopal Tradition where we are the via media between Catholic and dynamic Protestant, we can pray and worship God in the beauty of holiness in the Sacraments and the Word, as well as by sharing the Gospel story through our work and concern for the marginalized in the Church and society. We don't have to chose one or the other. We can do both individually and cooperatively. Doing such is allowing the Holy Spirit to continue to guide us into all truth.
Prayers
Song of Solomon 3: 1-4 (NRSV)
Upon my bed at night
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.
‘I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.’
I sought him, but found him not.
The sentinels found me,
as they went about in the city.
‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’
Scarcely had I passed them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
until I brought him into my mother’s house,
and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
John 16: 12-15, 25-28 (NRSV)
‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’
Blog Reflection
Juan de la Cruz also known as John of the Cross is known as one of the greatest mystics in the Church. He was a recruited and became a companion and a Priest through the influence of Teresa of Avila. Both of them took on the task of reforming the Calced Carmelites and experienced great suffering from that order. They later opened a new monastery for the Discalced Carmelites. John was seized and imprisoned in the monastery at Toledo. During that time he wrote poetry. Among his greatest works was Noche obscura del alama (in English means: Dark Night of the Soul). You can find this and more information about Juan de la Cruz in Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints on page 116 with the collects and scripture readings on page 117.
Among the many points made in the Dark Night of the Soul is how we do with God in those times when we are at prayer, reading Scripture or even at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and we don't exactly feel anything going on. Prayer feels like a waste of time. Why read Scripture it is all the same? Holy Communion is just a little wafer and a sip of altar wine. What's the point?
The reading from the Song of Solomon suggests that God can be found where ever we are willing to search for God. Not only does that come from Juan de la Cruz, but it also comes from St.Benedict's ideal of "searching for God" at all times and in all places. Even when we do not think we will find God there.
Dark Night of the Soul is Juan de la Cruz's reflection on that experience of not feeling God in his soul where he expected to find God. In short John of the Cross says that it is better to be with God without feeling like anything is happening, than being alone with everything going our way.
The Gospel for today's commemoration is among my favorite. It is a careful reminder that what we know about Jesus and each other as in truth is not completed. Truth is continually revealing itself and it doesn't come all wrapped up in ideologies, theological treatises or even mystical experiences. The Bible by itself does not contain all truth therein.
That is why I am very happy that the Episcopal and Anglican Traditions do not embrace a "Scripture alone" approach. Anglicanism includes the Tradition of the Church both the good and the bad and human Reason. Reason is how God is revealed through the experiences of humankind. Reason can also include scientific discoveries, psychology, physiology and just the common experiences we all share with each other. It is the understanding that God works through many sources to reveal God's Self. Reason respects that not everyone has the same experience of God as someone else. The Anglican Tradition also makes room for independent thinking.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to continue guiding us into all truth also allows for us to better understand and have compassion on people who are different from ourselves. We can be who we are and be right before God. But, so can others who are not quite the same. Even other religions and cultures and their unique traditions.
For many years Christians believed that Scripture, Tradition and Reason held that if one was lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer, we could not have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Over time, however, the Holy Spirit has been guiding LGBTQ women and men to challenge the Church to examine our understandings of Scripture, Tradition and Reason as to why we can and do have holy relationships with God, others and ourselves. And that our sexual orientation and/or gender identity expression brings us closer to God, not further away from. Diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities/expressions are not barriers to experiencing God, but they are an important part of our personal and spiritual relationships.
How we use the gift of our sexuality in relationships can say a lot about our own journey with ourselves as well as with God. Are we truly seeking to love the other person (s) with a respect for who she/he is? Are we allowing another person to draw closer to us as God desires to come close to us and lift us to an experience so great, that it feels like we have arrived in heaven and desire to stay? Are we seeking images of another nude body or even sexual actions for the sake of witnessing the beautiful love of God's creation in the human body and in sexual expression? Or are we just seeking to be selfish and only engulfed in our own bodies functions and personal gain? The two can work together to create a wonderful experience of God, another person (s) and ourselves if we learn to see sexuality as a gift from God and not something to be ashamed of.
As we remember the spiritual contributions of the mystic Juan de la Cruz, let us also take the time to seek an experience of God in those places where we might not expect.
God is also found when we work toward the justice, equality, and full inclusion of all marginalized persons, including but not limited to LGBT people.
In our Anglican/Episcopal Tradition where we are the via media between Catholic and dynamic Protestant, we can pray and worship God in the beauty of holiness in the Sacraments and the Word, as well as by sharing the Gospel story through our work and concern for the marginalized in the Church and society. We don't have to chose one or the other. We can do both individually and cooperatively. Doing such is allowing the Holy Spirit to continue to guide us into all truth.
Prayers
Judge eternal, throned in splendor, you gave Juan de la Cruz strength of purpose and mystical faith that sustained him even through the dark night of the soul: Shed your light on all who love you, in unity with Jesus Christ our Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 117).
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Third Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer, page 212).
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