"monestary without walls" in 2008

One of my favorite metaphors for the spiritual life comes from Eugene Peterson in his book, Under the Unpredictable Plant. I consider Peterson one of my spiritual directors from his writings. In this book he seeks to reclaim the spiritual dimensions of pastoral call and vocational holiness, using the example of Jonah. He describes a metaphor of a “monastery without walls.”

“What is required is something large enough to give our spirituality breathing room and ample space for a great variety of circumstances, moods, and levels of growth…The only substantial difference between a monk’s monastery and the pastor’s parish is that the monastery has walls and the parish does not. But walls are not the critical factor in either praying or not praying. What is critical is an imagination large enough to contain all of life, all worship and work as prayer, set in a structure (askesis) adequate to the actual conditions in which it is lived out. [our monastery without walls].”

This is my hope and prayer for 2008, as I prepare to move to Buenos Aires within a couple of months. May our monasteries without walls in 2008 contain plenty of spiritual breathing room and space for abiding with God, sharing life with one another, and mission. All of it is our spiritual act of worship and prayer….our monastery without walls!

some symbols that keep me centered...

Pitcher/Cup...Saucer/Plate

The Pitcher represents God, all He is and all He desires to pour into our life...The Cup represents our life...The Saucer represents our relationships and community...The Plate represents ministry programs and events. The plate sits on the bottom, the saucer in the middle, and the cup is on top.

In this symbol, priority is given to the pitcher-cup relationship between us and God. In John 15:4ff, Jesus teaches his followers to “remain” or “abide” in Him. The Christian life is about first abiding under a steady outpouring of intimacy and relationship with God, so He can then overflow into the saucer of our relationships and plate of ministry. Community and ministry with others must overflow out of the spillage of God’s love and grace experienced in our own lives.

Vine & Branches

"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." ~John 15:4-5

I took this picture of the many grapes ready to be harvested in Romania this month.

San Damiano Cross and Bread & Cup

WMF Prayer Rug

The Word Made Flesh community in Romania is making this prayer rug in their chapel. The bags up on top are filled with fabrics from each WMF community around the world.

Candles representing prayers of lament for people living and suffering in poverty around the world.

praise awaits you...

Just in case anyone is still out there checking out my blog after a summer of being MIA, here is finally something new!

I was resting in Psalm 8 this morning. The praise starts out, "Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" I paused and meditated for awhile on verse 3...."When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers." I recognized that too often I neglect to "consider" God's majestic creation and His fingers at work all around me. Worship involves taking pause to consider and be attentive to who God is and His extravagant goodness all around us! I need to do more of that!

I then pulled out my ipod and listened to a new favorite song, "Praise Awaits You" by Enter the Worship Circle on the "Second Circle" CD....the lyrics are a great response to Psalm 8!

PRAISE AWAITS YOU (Ben Kennedy & Ben Pasley)

YOU HAVE CARVED ME FROM THE GROUND I WALK UPON
AND THE QUESTION FILLS A THOUSAND ACHING SONGS
BUT I KNOW NOW THAT YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE
WHO WILL ANSWER

PRAISE AWAITS YOU
LOVE AWAITS YOU
I AWAIT YOU...HERE

YOU HAVE BREATHED THE WIND THAT FILLS AND MOVES THE TREES
YOU HAVE POURED THE WATER OUT INTO THE STREAMS
YOUR HAVE FORMED THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS BY YOUR STRENGTH
AND THEY ALL SAY

YOU HAVE STILLED THE ROARING ANGER OF THE SEAS
AND YOU WILL TURN THE NATIONS TURMOIL INTO PEACE
AND YOU WELCOME EVERY BROKEN ONE WHO PRAYS
AND YOU LOVE THEM