This morning I had a check up for my blood pressure, my yoga practice kicked in and surprisingly the nurse said, yep I'm taking the second reading as its a good one. Normally just thinking about my blood pressure sends it bubbling through the top of my head, I'm just that sort of person, no matter what I do, stepping inside a surgery seems to make my blood race through my body and get over excitable! 'Tools' therefore, to make my body work such as yoga, nature and fresh air plus golf and not forgetting to watch the garden grow is good for me and it works! I wasn't surprised then to note that my favourite Donovan lyrics for"Little Church", popped up in timely 'God-incidence' fashion today as I learn to pace myself. The words always make me think...
Simple joys are holy
If you want your dream to be Take your time, go slowly Do few things but do them well Heartfelt work grows purely
If you want to live life free Take your, time go slowly Do few things but do them well Heartfelt work grows purely
Day by day, stone by stone Build your secret slowly Day by day, you’ll grow too You’ll know heaven’s glory
If you want to live life free Take your time go slowly If you want your dream to be Take your time, go slowly
‘Little Church’ (Donovan Leitch)
but it is the song 'Brother Son, Sister Moon' which seemed to strike an extra chord today.
and then I found this album....
https://youtu.be/G-Y_Ydja4vA Donovan's music from the film, awwwwww :)
Some of you may have watched the film years ago, and I know I have mentioned it before but its a typical Franco Zeffirelli dating from 1973 and it is of its 'time' cinematically! The heart centre of it perhaps, apart from a version of the story of St Frances, is the pairing back of life's trappings and the pleasure in the simple, slow things of life that we forget to cherish notwithstanding "the larks of the air needing just a sip of water".
Thinking about that; is prayer something we cherish? Jesus cherished those moments of quiet as we often find Him seeking out quite places to pray...
"... But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed..."Luke 5:16 1
...also prayer isn't always what you think. My understanding of it is it can take a number of forms. Yes we have the prayerful liturgy that grounds us, and the 'arrow prayers' and the prayers we say together. The moments when we find space and quiet and say words out loud or silently and often doing just that; saying those prayers are so hard right now as we do them in our own company without that community physical gathering. Let us not forget these silent solitary prayers are also in the company of God our soul companion. Ways of praying alongside these spoken and said prayers are when a name pops up into your heart and mind and you are prompted to think and pray for that person as you go about your day. Sometimes the words don't come but you have thought about them and they jiggle along with you until you are able. It is the conversation with a good friend who gives you time to listen. You may think you are just chatting but you are in a relationship of grace giving each other the gift of listening. Henri Nouwen the Dutch Catholic Priest wrote...
"...To listen is very hard, because it asks of us so much interior stability that we no longer need to prove ourselves by speeches, arguments, statements, or declarations. True listeners no longer have an inner need to make their presence known. They are free to receive, to welcome, to accept. Listening is much more than allowing another to talk while waiting for a chance to respond. Listening is paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very beings. The beauty of listening is that, those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking their words more seriously and discovering their own true selves. Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality by which you invite strangers to become friends, to get to know their inner selves more fully, and even to dare to be silent with you..."
...and there is something very special in sitting or walking or just being in companionable silence with one another it is a gift.
When the words seem to fail and you can't or unable to say anything that is where the Lord's Prayer comes into its own. Jesus has gifted us a wonderful treasure in these words. Jesus has identified that us ordinary folk often struggle and this wonderful, joyous and comforting prayer teaches us in a gentle, simple and cherished way:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever
Amen
Later in 2 Timothy 1:13 these words remind me of part of the sound pattern of teaching that Jesus gave us.
"...What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus..." 2 Timothy 1: 13
The Lord's Prayer is part of that 'sound pattern' it is grounding and a solid platform and stabiliser; it is a prayer of love to us and for us to give back to God. It is our opportunity to keep the lines of communication open when all is difficult and we are in a desert place. It is given and received in faith and totally centred in love.
https://youtu.be/ZpYr7gv03nc - Northumbrian Community Prayers, spoken
https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/ - usual link for 9am tomorrow morning :)
I will cherish you in my prayers as we endeavour to "do few things, but do them well". Peace be with you friends.
love and blessings
Caroline :)
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