Week Four, Day One Joy

I invite you into the prayer practice of Visio Divina with your heart, soul, and life wide open.

Breathe in to the count of three...exhale to the count of six or seven.

Breathe in the One who is found in the still waters...exhale those crashing, chaotic waves that wash over you today.

Breathe in hope...breathe out despair.

Breathe in peace and wholeness so that you can feel the breath all the way to the soles of your feet...breathe out stress sitting on your shoulders.

Breathe in love...breathe out indifference and intolerance.

Look at the image and let your eyes stay with the very first thing that you see. Keep your attention on that one part of the image that first catches your eye. Try to keep your eyes from wandering to other parts of the picture.

How does creation sing to you?  When was the last time being in creation brought you joy?  Breathe deeply.

You are invited to make a list of all that you are seeing and settle into the question of why those parts of the photo capture and captivate your attention?

Consider the following questions:

What emotions does this image evoke in you?

What does the image stir up in you, bring forth in you?

Does this image lead you into an attitude of prayer? If so, let these prayers take form in you. Write them down if you desire.

Reflection

We were at the Shrine of St. Theresa in Alaska.  It was a rainy day and we were trying not to let that dampen or drench our spirits.  We were trying to make the best of it.  Finally, for a few moments, the rain let up as we got out of the car.  You might even be able to see in the photo above a few rays of sunlight trying to peek and peer through the gray clouds.  Remember the rock stacking from a few weeks ago?  One of those photos was taken at this site.  As we were walking around, I looked out over the water to breathe in the beauty and I noticed that the top of the evergreen is the shape of the cross.

Creation singing out God's story who is with us in all times and places.

Richard Rohr says it this way, "For some sad reason, the thoughts that seduce or attract you are mostly the negative ones.   Neuroscience now can prove this.  If something isn’t as it should be your problem-solving mind takes off.  If there is someone to blame, you go there.  Pure praise and gratitude emerge much less frequently and much harder to sustain over time."*

To cultivate joy is a prayer practice worthy of our souls and whole lives.

Yes, I get that we would rather let our dualistic minds keep thinking that life is either good or bad.  Or that this day is either the best day ever or what just happened to us was the worst thing ever!  I get that we have been taught and told to delay joy or let the pain of the world diminish our joy or think that we don't deserve joy.

Then, I think that some of the folks who are the most joyful and the quickest to laugh, are those who have known deep struggle and pain.  Such folks have found ways to not let the pain have the final word.  They cultivate joy as a daily prayer practice.

To cultivate joy is my prayer for you this week.  I invite you in your focusing, framing, and beholding to let your gaze linger over not just the rain clouds, but the beauty of an evergreen tree, rocks just calling out to be stacked, and being with people who reflect God's creative imagination.

May our willingness to live in the paradox of the both/and parts of this life - both concern and celebration holding hands side-by-side - offer us traces of God's grace this week like an evergreen proclaiming God's story.

Blessings ~~

*Quote taken from Just This by Richard Rohr page 71