Weary
Gravity and Christian Spirituality
Fr.
Tony’s Midweek Message
January
30, 2019
Sometimes
we need to step back and take in the big picture. Our desire for our lives and work to have story-book
endings and completed narrative arcs often puts us at risk for disappointment
and exhaustion: we find that life goes
on, even with the death of loved ones, that suffering and trial go on after a pastoral
visit, that all our efforts are partial and bring about only partial success. While doctors often can cure a specific
ailment or alleviate a particular symptom or disability, they ultimately are
powerless in turning aside the tidal onslaught of aging, illness, and death. Basic Christian spirituality is one of partial
results, interim fixes, and joy within adversity. This is a spirituality of open-ended trusting
in God, of always being on the lookout to catch glimpses of God’s hand at work
in the world about us as well as at work within us, of knowing that in the
vineyard of God we may plant seeds or nurture the seedlings, but the ultimate
fruiting of the world is beyond our vision, and wholly in the hands of
God. Being mindfully present, relaxing
in the hands of God and putting aside our own expectations are part of
this. John O’Donahue (1958-2008) put it this way:
“A Blessing For One Who
Is Exhausted
When the rhythm of the
heart becomes hectic,
Time takes on the strain until it breaks;
Then all the unattended stress falls in
On the mind like an endless, increasing weight,
Time takes on the strain until it breaks;
Then all the unattended stress falls in
On the mind like an endless, increasing weight,
The light in the mind
becomes dim.
Things you could take in your stride before
Now become laboursome events of will.
Things you could take in your stride before
Now become laboursome events of will.
Weariness invades your
spirit.
Gravity begins falling inside you,
Dragging down every bone.
Gravity begins falling inside you,
Dragging down every bone.
The tide you never valued
has gone out.
And you are marooned on unsure ground.
Something within you has closed down;
And you cannot push yourself back to life.
And you are marooned on unsure ground.
Something within you has closed down;
And you cannot push yourself back to life.
You have been forced to
enter empty time.
The desire that drove you has relinquished.
There is nothing else to do now but rest
And patiently learn to receive the self
You have forsaken for the race of days.
The desire that drove you has relinquished.
There is nothing else to do now but rest
And patiently learn to receive the self
You have forsaken for the race of days.
At first your thinking
will darken
And sadness take over like listless weather.
The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.
And sadness take over like listless weather.
The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.
You have travelled too
fast over false ground;
Now your soul has come to take you back.
Now your soul has come to take you back.
Take refuge in your
senses, open up
To all the small miracles you rushed through.
To all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch
the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.
When it falls slow and free.
Imitate the habit of
twilight,
Taking time to open the well of colour
That fostered the brightness of day.
Taking time to open the well of colour
That fostered the brightness of day.
Draw alongside the
silence of stone
Until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself.
Until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself.
Stay clear of those vexed
in spirit.
Learn to linger around someone of ease
Who feels they have all the time in the world.
Learn to linger around someone of ease
Who feels they have all the time in the world.
Gradually, you will
return to yourself,
Having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.”
Having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.”
Grace
and Peace,
Fr.
Tony+
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