Week Three, Day Four Love

I invite you into the prayer practice of Visio Divina with one big, deep breath that reaches all the way down to your pinkie toe.

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

Breathe in the One who tends and mends our lives...exhale that which seems cut off or even broke.

Breathe in the promise of new growth...breathe out places where the fresh bark of life hasn't hardened into a deep, rough dark brown exterior of a tree.

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

Now let your focus slowly survey and surf from the big parts of the photo that capture your attention to the smallest details.  Breathe deeply and let yourself gaze at as many parts of the image as possible for a minute or so.  You may want to make a list of all you are seeing, all that is stirring, and perhaps why you are drawn to these parts or have these insights.

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

It's broken!

At some point when we risk vulnerable love in the world, something will snap and we will reveal or expose the vulnerable part of our hearts just beneath the exterior bark of the tree called, "Our lives."

Like the tree above, the roots of our lives extend deep into the soil of our souls and the dirt of the earth.  We are born as an offshoot of other trees around us, grow up in a forest called a family.  The roots of our relationships connect us, nourish us, and sometimes even transmitting dis-ease from one generation to the next.

Like the tree above, we grow through the years adding rings within our souls.  We have moments of growth when we reach toward the sky.  We have moments of expansion when we spread our branches.  We have times of sharing when we sprout leaves and bear fruit.

Take just a moment to ponder prayerfully the metaphorical connection to our life and the growth of a tree.  How many rings are within your soul?  When and where are you growing?  When and where are you expanding to new places, even if it is millimeter-by-millimeter?   When and where are you bringing forth good fruit in these December days?

As we behold and are be-held by that truth, we also acknowledge the times when the winds of life start to howl, the winds whip up breaking off branches, scattering the leaves, and causing us to bend over prayerfully crying out the ancient words of the psalmist, "How long, O God?!"  Sometimes in moments like that we break.

It's broken.

Love, like a tree in the forest of life, sometimes snaps in response to the windstorms of life.

Love, like glass, is fragile.

Love, like a glacier caving, sets pieces to sail in the water around, piece that are no longer connected.

It's broken.

Jesus knew that when he heard stories from his parents how they fled the wrath of Herod to save his life, going to Egypt, when he was just an infant.  (Matthew 2)

Jesus knew the brokenness when his disciples, the very ones he had chosen, called, preached and taught, demanded to know who would sit at his left and right (places of honor) in God's kingdom. (Mark 10)

Jesus knew the brokenness because the inclusive and expansive love he embodied ran afoul with Caesar who didn't want anyone else claiming to be the Son of God.  (Mark 14)

It's broken like a glass Christmas tree ornament we thought we stored so carefully last year.

It's broken like a chip in the hands of one of the figurines from your creche scene.

It's broken like a love willing to risk being shared with others in this world today.

And when we are broken open it can either leave us bitter believing we will never do that again.

Or we process the pain out on the growing edges of life.

I am not sure that tree above will be able to regenerate or be restored.  It will take time.  The same is true with love when we are broken open.

But I am convinced at the heart of Christmas is a trace of God’s grace and love that can heal our world.  I am convinced that same spirit found in a stable during this season continues to move day-by-day in the coming year.  I am convinced that God is always entering anew and afresh around our lives.  I pray you might encounter such restoring and regenerating love in these days.

Blessings ~~