I’m sorry I missed the discussion about the scriptures that referred to Light. I’ve been ill, plus I had “hurricane company”. I’m trying to get caught up.
Verses 27, 28 and 56 all seemed to tie in together very well. They spoke to me deeply.
In verse 27 Jesus speaks about fasting from the world and keeping the Sabbath. He warns that neither the Kingdom nor the Father will be found or known unless we hearken to this need in us.
And it IS a need. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day routine and dry out spiritually, becoming dull and apathetic. We lose our ability to discern the Presence.
I see Meredith is going on retreat. How appropriate. We NEED those times of retreat, of refreshing away from the concerns and demands of the world. Scheduling in retreat time, whether it is at a center for a week or to the park for the day, is necessary to retain our spiritual vitality. We need those set-apart times to clear our minds and cleanse our hearts. To reconnect with our Beloved.
I like how the Sabbath is mentioned. Many don’t take a regular, weekly break from the routine. They don’t have a time each week set apart to remember God. This does real harm. I like the idea of taking Mini-Sabbaths, as well. Moments stolen throughout the day where we stop for a moment, breathe, remember God and recapture that which so easily slides away. To keep a fire burning requires attention.
That’s why verse 28 ties in so well. Jesus is mourning the state of the world --- all of these people who are FULL of so much stuff --- So full that there is no room for him. It is easy to live our lives half-asleep, being lulled by all of the entertainment and distractions that are thrown at us daily. It takes real determination and perseverance to stay awake and sober. This is a good reminder of how easily we become drunk on things that don’t matter a whit, becoming blinded to the things that do.
Verse 56 just caps it off with its assertion that a life lived half-awake, drunk with meaningless things and blinded by a lack of Light is death. It is a corpse walking. But if we see this and rise to open the door for our Beloved, we become saturated with Light and the darkness flees. True life - abundant and vigorous, devoted to God and blessed beyond measure – is described well in these three verses.
3 comments:
My own best routine was having a bit of "Sabbath" built into every day. Over most of my life, that meant contemplative prayer and/or jogging, usually at dawn. It made staying centered and focused on what matters much easier for me.
Sabbath is still rather confused for me. For 8 years Sunday was the primary work day for me and the rest of the week like the sabbath. That ended (sort of) when I left the parish ministry (in 1966). But it still carried over all these years. Sunday was the day of celebration-- and still is (Quakers call it 'firstday').
More recently what we're doing right now has become a primary source of meaning, and I haven't yet developed the discipline to desist on Sunday. Should I?
Twyla, I hope you're feeling better now.
I feel guilty when I read the saying about the Sabbath ... I don't go to church anymore and I don't set aside any special time on my own for a Sabbath. Your post has made me give this some thought - thanks :-)
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