I had the pleasure of seeing (yes, seeing via Zoom), two of the Brothers of The Society of Saint John the Evangelist this week as they facilitated a session for members of the Fellowship of Saint John. I have been unable to make my customary bi-annual visits to the Episcopal Monastery in Cambridge, MA, so this was a delight to see Brother Luke and Brother Curtis via Zoom.
I enjoyed both of the short meditations that they offered to us; Brother Luke on abiding in Jesus and Brother Curtis on dealing with the changes brought on by the pandemic.
Brother Curtis shared that many times a day, he finds himself disgruntled at an activity or situation and has to remind himself outloud of three things:
1) This is your life…
2) These are the terms…
3) What is the Invitation?
What practical wisdom and of course he is right! At this moment in time, it is my life with all my history of ups and downs. More importantly, it is my life NOW, and the present situation is the TERMS under which I’m living my life.
But rather than just accepting these unusual times and hunkering down, Brother Curtis challenges himself and us to think instead--what is the invitation that God is presenting to us right now?
It is a heady question as it is easier to long for things to return to “normal” because it is familiar and comfortable, but is it what God wants for us, starting today?
For me, I’m looking forward to my retirement from my full-time job in mid-August. In addition, to sheltering at home, I should have plenty of extra time to discern God’s will about my next step. But I have to be willing to accept that my tomorrow will not look like my yesterday.
Where should I spend His energy and where can I best serve to act as Jesus’ commands us: to love myself and my neighbor?
That is really the essence of living: no more and no less.
In the Rule of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, chapter 23 is on meditative prayer. It begins, “In our meditative prayer each of us seeks intimate communion with God…meditation opens our minds and hearts, and our response to God’s gift and disclosure is kindled by the Spirit within us.”
I’m excited about the “invitation” that God is bursting to tell me about. How can I serve Him better in these unusual times?
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha