Category: Spirituality

Mindfulness and Presence

Published by mhelbert on November 21, 2019

I wrote a couple pieces recently that touch on the idea of a person being Mindful or Present to the Spirit of God at various times.
I wrote about being Present in Prayer Here.
Celebrating the Liturgy with Intent Here.

Mindfulness, as I wrote, is nothing new. Nor, is it limited to any one faith or belief system. It’s a way of seeing and interacting with the world around us in a meaningful way. Too often we simply go through the motions of life without any recognition of the fact that we are actually Alive.
And, there are other living beings and a whole Cosmos around us is many times simply missed altogether.

It’s hard work opening our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to the world around us. It’s even harder to sit with that world and appreciate it for what it is At. That. Moment.
So, baby steps are necessary.

“What? Baby steps? I’m a grown adult human being! I don’t need no stinkin’ Baby steps!”

Well, yeah, you do.
So do we all.

I already mentioned a couple areas where we can begin to engage ourselves and practice Presence.
These are ways to take Baby steps.
Little by little we can learn to be Present to God in prayer and Liturgy.
Eventually, with time and practice, maybe we can actually find ourselves immersed in God’s Presence at these times.

Another way to learn to walk in Mindfulness is to pray formulated prayers.
The Daily Office is one such type of prayer.

I must mention here that I spent way too many years in a religious tradition that thought that the only Really Real Prayer was one that the Holy Spirit magically put in your mind at the very moment the prayer was offered.
This was, “Being Led By The Spirit.”
Any other kind of prayer was wooden or rote or the tradition of mere mortals.
That kind of prayer would never “work,” (whatever that means).

However, like I wrote concerning the Liturgy, written prayers were also composed with intent. They were produced under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Just because something has been around for centuries doesn’t make it any less Spiritual.

That said, I was saying Morning Prayer today. Just as I have many, many times over the last decade or so. I read the Introduction and prayed the Confession. I offered the Venite with the antiphons. I prayed the Psalm and the canticles. I prayed through the readings, the Creed, the Our Father, and the other various Collects and prayers for today. I finished the Thanksgiving.

All of this has been part of the Church since the beginning.
All of these prayers and readings are designed to focus our hearts and minds on the Present Moment.
If we are Mindful and Present with the prayers and the Scriptures then we can, as today’s Collect says,
“hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.”

Of course, we can simply read through them Office like any other text we encounter. Many people do. For them the written prayers are just something that needs to get done, something to check off of their ‘To Do’ list.

But, when these prayers are approached with Mindfulness and an intent to be Present, they can be life giving and transformative.

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Metamorphosis Reprise

Published by mhelbert on November 10, 2019

I love the word ‘Metamorphosis.’
When I was growing up I was amazed when I learned that word.
Besides being really fun to say, c’mon say it with me,
“M-e-t-a-morph-o-s-i-s.”
To me it was another word for “Magic.”

Although there are several different animals that technically go through a metamorphic process in their development, it’s really the Butterfly that catches our imagination.
A caterpillar, a worm for lack of a better term, builds a house and goes to sleep.
In a few weeks, Presto! Changeo! A beautiful winged butterfly emerges!
If that ain’t magic, I don’t know what is.

The change is physical and it is complete. Everything that looked like caterpillar had disappeared. It was transformed into everything Butterfly.

So, imagine my pleasure when I read this,
“Don’t be conformed to this age. But, be metamorphosised in the renewal of your mind.”
(Romans 12:2a trans. mine.)

Most English Bibles translate the Greek word that Paul wrote, “metamorpho’o” with “transformed.” And, while that is an effective translation, I think that it lacks the nuance that Paul was going for.

Once I saw this in the Greek, I decided to look around to see if there were other instances of this language used. For those of us who are kind of geeky about language and stuff, finding other uses helps us put the words into a greater context.

I found two other places that surprised me. But, also made me smile.
These appear in the Gospels according to Mark and Matthew.
In Mk. 9:2 the writer tells us,

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them.

Matthew 17:2 has,

And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

In both verses the word “Transfigured” is what translators chose for “metamorpho’o.”

Jesus “metamorphosised” in the presence of his friends.
Paul tells us to be “metamorphosised.”
You can see how this might excite a person!

The whole concept of metamorphosis, though, has to do with an obvious physical change. A crawly caterpillar cocoons and, voilà! Butterfly! Jesus walks up a hill with Peter and Pals and Poof! Transfigured!

But, what was Paul getting at? Because, I’m not seeing how what he said has to do with any physical change.
Truth be told, scholars have spent the better share of two millennia trying to spin this in a way that makes sense. The most acceptable way is to say that Paul was talking about an Inward transformation. A change in character and temperament that, while not as obvious as shining faces and clothes, could still be “seen” by others.
And, I kind of agree with that. For example, I find that anger doesn’t rule me like it once did. So, yeah, I guess that could fit the bill.

But, I was still not convinced that this was what Paul was getting at.
Then, I read the rest of the verse.
” Don’t be conformed to this age.”
Most English Bibles translate this along the lines of,
“Do not be conformed to this world. But…”

Ok, I gotta turn the word nerd loose for a sec.
We could translate this,
“Do not be formed by the pattern and mold of this age.”
Paul seems to view the age, or the culture, or the systems that govern us as some kind of mold that exerts its pressure on us in order to form us.
We see this every day in our lives.
Parents form children. Laws and rules form us into citizens. Cultural mores press us into acceptable players in our lives together.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to say that these are bad things. They may not be. But, Paul did write, “Don’t let the molds of this age form you” for a reason.

Paul wrote this letter to a Church in Rome that had undergone a huge persecution. The people were under tremendous pressure to conform to Roman law and custom. The most important custom, to acknowledge Caesar as Lord and Savior.
Paul encouraged the Church to persevere and to present themselves to God, rather than Caesar, as if they were living sacrifices dedicated to God through Jesus Christ.
They should, therefore, be metamorphosised into something different. That somehow through a renewal of their mind, or thinking, or perception they would actually become a different creature. A physical change would be noticed by those who were molded and formed by the present age. These “New Creations” would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb!

This is my takeaway on this.
God, somehow, I have no idea how, but God is able by God’s Good Grace to cause a renewal of our minds that results in a New Creation being born.
A New Creation that breaks out of the cocoon in which it has been slowly changing; transforming, yes, Transfiguring.
That same Grace and Power is still available to us today. Grace and Power to bring about a true Metamorphosis in our lives.

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Metamorphosis

Published by mhelbert on November 9, 2019

Let Renewing waters, like Breath of God, Flow through you!
All of the dust and grime that has caked itself to your Soul?
Washed away!
Standing naked in the Sun, You are changed.
A Metamorphosis!
A New Creature is Born!

The Apostle wrote that we all must be Metamorphosed
As our Minds are Made New.

Our Head revealed Metamorphosis to His faithful Friends.
He seemed to reveal to them, “This is how you will be!”

Changed!

New!

Everlasting!

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Presence

Published by mhelbert on November 8, 2019

This morning during the quiet time that I devote to spending time with God, I noticed something.
You see, the time I have is somewhat limited. Yeah, I get out of bed early so that I can have any time at all for this. But, there are things to do and places to go.

I usually spend my time split between prayer and journaling. I say journaling, but it’s really a written extension of my prayers. And, it may be my favorite time.

Which brings me to today.

As I sat quietly, I found myself concerned about the time. Was I going to have enough time to write 4 or 5 pages in my journal? Would I be able to get everything done in time to get ready for work?

That’s when, I believe, the Holy One told me to stop.
I was not really ‘Present’ in that moment.
I was looking forward to what ever came next.

And, God wanted to spend time with me Now.

So, I stopped. I changed my course and sat quietly.
Within a moment or two I could feel God’s Presence with me.
No, it wasn’t a profound ‘Ah Ha!’ moment. Nor, was it some ecstatic experience.

I simply became “aware” of the Divine Presence with me At. That. Moment.

Now, I know the theological explanations about how God is always with us. God will never forsake us. And, all that other theology-speak that really doesn’t help.

When God’s Presence is experienced, all of those high sounding words become, well, like clashing cymbals and noisy gongs.
They are meaningless.

The idea of Being Present, or Becoming Aware, is not new. Nor, is it the sole property of folks who follow Jesus.
It is foundational to many religious traditions.

Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, tells a story about thisvery thing that has become transformative in my life.

Memories from the Root Temple: Washing Dishes

” Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred. In this light, no boundary exists between the sacred and the profane.”

We can find the time and ability to be Present to God, to others, and to ourselves if we are willing to do the hard work to actually Be Present.

After all, God is.

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Union With God

Published by mhelbert on November 2, 2019

Today I’m going to leave writing and and stuff alone and return to reflections about God, the Cosmos, and me. There are thoughts that niggle at the back of my brain that sometimes just need to be turned loose on the World.

Over the years that I have pursued God, or maybe God was pursuing me, through various forms of contemplative prayer, the idea of Union with God has peered through the mist from time to time.
I’m no historian, but I have read and heard stories of certain practitioners of various religious traditions seeking to become ‘one’ with, or joined together with deity.
In the Christian tradition that concept became famous during the Middle Ages through various mystics who then wrote about their experiences with “Mystical Marriage.” Or, they described their contemplative journey as a pilgrimage up mountain or into some kind of many layered mansion. These journeys culminated in some kind of mystical, ecstatic experience that left that person somehow changed.
It seems that this concept of Union with God is still the prevalent one today.

I don’t see it that way.

That way of experiencing God’s presence in one’s life seems too, well, individualistic. The journey is a solitary one. The trials along the way are ‘me’ against the powers of darkness that would stand in my way. Obstacles that I would need to prove myself worthy against in order to prevail.
Eventually, if I had remained steadfast and faithful, I found the prize and claimed it as my own.
That sounds all cool and everything. Especially, in our Western culture that elevates the individual to some kind of cultural sainthood.
But, I’m sorry. I just don’t see that model of Spirituality anywhere in the Scriptures.
Yeah, I get it that God is concerned about us each individually. And, God delights when we each desire to be with God. We, each of us, is precious to God.
I don’t think that’s the end of the story, though.
The whole idea of “Me and Jesus against the World” just doesn’t ring true.

So, how does Union with God fit into any other schema?
It seems by its very name to be something that only affects a particular individual.

Over the past few years I have had the idea of Humans as Ikons of God. That’s pretty much what the stories in Genesis calls us when the writers mentioned ‘in Our Image.’ Humanity is, in these stories, created to fill the role of Steward in God’s Good Creation.
A steward is a representative of someone else. The steward has authority to act in the Name of that someone else. The steward, in effect, partners with that someone else in order to achieve the benefit of, not just that someone else, but of All that is under the authority of that someone else.
For us, that entails the entirety of the Cosmos.

Union with God, to me anyway, seems to be more about partnering with God in order to achieve God’s Good Will in the Cosmos than with any kind of individual ecstatic experiences.
Union with God seems to be contingent, not just on my efforts against unseen enemies, but on my willingness to hear Jesus’ knock on the door of my Heart. Then, opening it so that He may come in and “abide” with and in me. Not for my benefit alone. Although, there is that. But, for the benefit of All.
Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about how the creation groans waiting for the daughters and sons of God to show up.

The further that I walk on this path of my life and seek God’s Presence, the more I am convinced that this life is NOT simply some kind of preparation for ME in order to be ready for some after life. That is not, CANNOT, be the purpose of God for the Cosmos.
God’s purpose is redemption of ALL. Life for ALL.

HERE!

NOW!

IN THIS LIFE!

Union with God means to partner with God, Work with God…

Love with God.

Are we ready for that?
Maybe.
But, together, United with one another in Union with God I believe that we can be.

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Argument as Spiritual Practice

Published by mhelbert on October 12, 2019

Over the years I’ve heard a lot, read a lot, and generally had ideas about the so-called Spiritual Disciplines swirling around me like a swarm of mosquitoes.
Yeah, I chose that metaphor purposefully.
The voices from Church leaders and non-leaders have been little more than a buzz in my ears with the occasional blood-sucking bite on the neck. (Vampire bugs!)
Richard Foster and his rather vacuous 1978 book “Celebration of Discipline” was a mainstay for so many. In the circles I was involved with, that book was pretty much used to shame us. It gave leaders another cudgel to condemn us. None of us could follow all that Foster wrote. Yet, when we failed we were reminded of how none of us were either strong enough or committed enough to perform even Foster’s simple exercises.

As I got older and gained more experience I began to understand that people can’t just ‘decide’ to ‘will’ their way into practices that allow the kind of practices that Foster and others prescribed. At best, then, these books and resources provide folks with a variety of practices that people have found useful over the years. They could offer us the ingredients, just not the recipes.

I found that only God’s own gravity of Grace can draw people into that orbit where that thing called Spiritual Formation takes place. No amount of self-will or self-discipline can move our hearts even a millimeter in that direction.

Once God does act, however, almost anything can become a Spiritual Practice that leads to new experiences. Experiences that enlarge hearts and create empathy. Experiences that bring freedom to speak freely to God without fear or timidity.

That brings me to the point of all of these words today.

I want to introduce a new Spiritual Practice.
Well, I’m sure it’s not new. But, I don’t recall ever hearing about it.

It’s called “Argument.”
Or, if you want, call it “Disagreement.”

With whom am I talking about Arguing with?

Well, God, of course.
Who else?

That may sound strange. So many of us have been taught that God is all-knowing and, most importantly, ALWAYS right.
For these people the idea of arguing with God is akin to heresy and is a fast-track to finding oneself in Hell.
I feel kind of sorry for people who think this. Their god is too small.
I mean, think about it. If God is Who we have been taught, you know, Supreme Being and all of that, do you think that this God could possibly be threatened or offended by our puny human arguments?
Don’t think too hard about that. The correct answer in “No.”

There are precedents in the Bible.
Abraham seemed to argue, well at least tried to ‘bargain,’ with God in that little matter of Sodom. Job tried to argue with God over his perceived wrong treatment. Jeremiah argued that he was unfit for the calling that God had for him.
Shoot, Jesus argued with the Father in Gethsemane. “Father, please, don’t make me drink from this cup!”
Now, in all of these, God’s side of things was ultimately followed.

That’s not the point I want to make.

I want to make and argument for, well, arguing!

And, that, as a Spiritual practice that can open us up to receive more of God’s Grace and Presence.

I’ve had many disagreements with the way I perceive God’s hand in my life. Like so many, I tried to stuff these feelings by believing that because I am just a human I must be wrong.
“Not my will, but Yours, O God” is the mantra we’re taught to repeat.

I’m sorry, but that response is just so inadequate on so many levels.
It makes the assumption that humans are little more than toddlers who have no idea what might be good and helpful. I makes God into a benevolent dictator who may or may not tolerate our perceived insolence.
Both of those assumptions are categorically wrong.
We are Ikons of God who carry within us the very image of God. We are fellow workers who are entrusted with the Stewardship of this world in which we live.
Hardly toddlers.
God may be benevolent, but God is No dictator. The whole idea of Free Will puts the lie to that.

Ok, so what?
What does that have to do with argument and Spiritual Formation?

Everything!!

It reveals that we are taken seriously by God.
God Listens!
When I argue with God it implies that there are two voices interacting.
No argument is one-sided by definition.
So, I ‘hear’ God’s voice.
That voice may rebut. That happens with regularity.
Sometimes, though, the voice says, “About time you thought of that!”
God seems to actually enjoy it when we use our brains to work through an argument and come to the correct and logical conclusion!

More importantly, I feel, is that when we feel free enough to argue with God, God is pleased.
Our relationship is confirmed. Not as equals or even peers. But, as two parties in lively engagement.
Some of the most intimate experiences I’ve had with God have been in the midst of real Knock-down, drag-out bouts of In-Your_Face disagreement.

In the end, I feel that God has honored me by engaging with me on a deep, visceral plane.
And, I think God is pleased that I am not simply willing to be dragged along a willing fool.

So, yeah, I think that Argument can be listed among Spiritual Practices that Christ-followers should embrace.
We should not fear to offend God.
Nor, should we simply acquiesce to things that we think are unjust or simply wrong.
God is not that dismissive Father who says, “Shaddup, Kid!”
No, God seems to desire that we learn to BE intelligent fellow-workers in the Cosmos.

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What? Another Committee?

Published by mhelbert on October 8, 2019

Tonight I’m going to be meeting with something called the “Spiritual Growth Committee” at St. Barnabas.
Now, I’m not really sure why this committee was originally formed. I guess I’ll find out later. I do know that the Bible study that I have led for the past few months is somehow under the auspices of that committee. So, there’s that.

Those who know me can maybe understand my apparent ambivalence to this. First off, I’m not a big fan of ‘committees.’ They are usually formed for some arbitrary reason like, “Gee! Maybe we should form a committee for that!” (Whatever “that” is.) There rarely is a need for them. Then, once formed, they tend to exist for the singular purpose of ‘existing.’ In the rare event that there truly is a need and a mandate for a committee to form, the mandate seems never to be met and the committee just lives on and on and on……

I also really hate meetings. Another example of existing for the mere purpose of appearing to do something. Anything. At all. Even when nothing of any real substance is, in fact, taking place.
“Hey, Bill! Let’s get the committee together to have a meeting.”
“What do we need to talk about,” Jim?
“Oh, I don’t know. But, at least we’ll look like we’re accomplishing something.”
“Good call, Jim!”
Yeah, meetings…not a big fan.

So, you ask, why am I involving myself with these two things that I really don’t hold in very high esteem?

Well, sometimes I think that we must entertain some things that appear pretty much useless in order to add legitimacy to something that IS important and NEEDS to be addressed. In this case, appearances are pretty important. People seem to really like it when something appears to be important and official. I don’t know, to me it seems pretty silly, but hey, there are “People.” You know?

Ok, so what’s so important that it can get me to leave my house and miss Jeopardy!?

Spiritual Growth and Formation. That’s what.

I’m convinced that the only thing that separates the Church from every other social justice organisation on the planet finds its source in those few words. In fact, most of those secular organisations can do the work far better than the Church. They can mobilize a larger slice of the population and, far and away, they can fetch the financial resources needed far more easily.
I’m not implying that the Church should abdicate this vital work and allow secular groups to own all of that work. No, no, no. The Scripture is clear, and our hearts concur, that justice for those who are in need and who are ostracized by society is part of what God desires us to pursue. All I’m saying is that on the ground these other organisations are really well-equipped to do that work. (In fact, it’s usually a good idea for the Church to partner with them. Together much good can be done.)

Back to Spiritual Growth.

The Church is unique in that she can help people find a path that leads to the Source of Life.

Yeah, that’s what I said. A pathway to the Source. That alone is not necessary to do good works. But, it is necessary for the Church to be the Church. It is our Raison d’être.
Awareness; Presence; Communion is the fertile soil in which ALL other expressions and acts of faith sprout and grow. This produces good fruit in the life of the Church and in the lives of the people.

I am convinced that attention to Spiritual Formation is the ONLY thing that can make the Church the Incarnate Body of Christ. The living, breathing Gift of God to the Cosmos.

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Formed by the Spirit

Published by mhelbert on September 27, 2019

“Formed by the Spirit.”

Wow! That’s a pretty loaded phrase. I mean, what does that even mean? Lots of folks over the centuries have tried to define that in ways that are clearly and easily understood by people. They offer suggestions about reading Holy Scripture so that, “The Word may dwell richly within you.” Hey, that sounds good! Or, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,” to quote St. Paul’s missive to the Church at Rome. What does THAT mean? Others say that to be formed by the Spirit involves learning all that we can about “why we believe what we believe.” The big word for that is Apologetics. I have found that kind of approach really only creates arrogant, ignorant people.

What about prayer? Surely, that must form people in a spiritually kind of…thing. Right?

Maybe. Again, what does that mean? How can I, or anyone, perform any ritual, be it reading, praying, attending a church, or whatever that will actually allow for Spiritual Formation?

As you might guess, I do have an idea or two. Well, maybe only one. I’m really not sure myself. But, I think that it stars with…wait for it…Grace.

What?!? Grace? Now, what does THAT mean?

It means that I have no idea. It means that I’m not the one making the call. It means that any formation, or better, transformation is by nature out of my hands.

Now, I also want to make something else clear. We are NOT without responsibility in this. At the end of the day, I must make the decision to accept that grace. But, I truly think that’s pretty much all that I can do. Why, you ask? Why am I not more integrally culpable in my own formation? I think the easiest answer is the first one to come to my mind.

So that I may have nothing to boast about.

That’s right, kids. If I don’t have the wheel in my hands. If someone else is driving, re. God, then I can’t go around telling folks to “Look at ME! I’m spiritual!

Another reason that may not be as obvious, but is certainly more important, is that I really don’t know what it is that I really need. What does formation look like in my life? I am truly without a clue. But, there is One Who does know.

That’s where faith comes in. “Faith,” you ask, “Do you mean blind following your invisible friend to some unknown destination”? Well, no, not at all.

It means that no matter what practices I may find myself doing, I trust that God is doing something. What that is I neither know nor care. Not in my pay grade. It means that I accept that God actually DESIRES to be graciously active in my life. And, that God is actually CAPABLE of being active in my life. Perhaps more importantly, that God actually IS active in my life. There is no following the Yellow Brick Road to some paradisiacal Emerald City. There is only faith.

That, my friends, is where Spiritual Formation is securely moored.

What that all looks like is impossible to describe. For every person there is a different world being created. God doesn’t work in systematic ways that can easily be adduced and analyzed and then mass produced for everyone. No. Can’t be done. Although, many have tried with their surveys and polls. God is Spirit. God is essentially “Other.” We cannot describe nor define God. Period.

We can only sit quietly and let God’s grace flow over us, through us…permeate every cell. To, in essence, alter our Spiritual DNA.

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Awaken! Arise! Away!

Published by mhelbert on September 26, 2019

Awaken!

In silence Your I hear Your voice.

Words Silently Spoken quicken the Life Force of Spirit that dwells within.

Arise!

Shine from Eyes filled with Wonder; Power; Love!

How I long to feel Your Love coursing through my veins,

Entering every cell; altering the very DNA of my Heart of Hearts.

Away!

May we join with kindred Spirits and fly into the æther that exists

Within Us; Without Us

Let voice ring with Joy; Happiness; Love

For Your Legacy is found in such as These.

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Brad Jersak on Grace

Published by mhelbert on August 15, 2019

I read this today and think that it’s an excellent way to talk about God’s Grace and how that relates to who we are vs. who we aspire to be as Christ followers. So, Enjoy!

“Confession showers your soul and conscience in my mercy, rather than asserting you have no need for it. Confession opens your heart to welcome Grace to transform the Way of your being. Confession reminds you that sin is a failure of love, and I’m calling you back to love. It opens your ears to hear me call you to back to the Father’s house. It calls you, also, to forgive others and to seek their forgiveness. Confession, in short, is a discussion with Grace and a surrender to divine Love. We have this conversation often, not because your heart is rotten, but because the plaque of sin obscures your truest self. It wants removal so that you shine brightly in this world.”

Read the entire piece by Brad Jersak here.

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