Only in embracing all
can we become the arms of God.
–Rumi
The Catalpa tree on our monastery grounds flaunts a branch that I have begun to call, the arm of God. Here you see it in the twilight hour. The evening light softens it, giving it a bright strength. I imagine being held in the arms of God in all the seasons and I absolutely love the poetic truth that the mystical poet, Rumi, shares with us: "Only in embracing all can we become the arms of God." Perhaps our souls will soak up the truth of these words on this day of hearts: Valentine Day 2010. Why is it such a challenge for some of us to embrace all? To love all? To invite everyone into our house in any kind of weather? Why is it such a challenge for us to become the arms of God?
Now, in the winter season, the arm of God embraces all that is frozen in us.
Let us bring to the loving arms of God
anything that needs to be thawed,
especially our prejudices
Prejudice is rooted in fear.
In the 1st letter of John we are told
"perfect love drives out fear..."
St. Benedict picks up on that in our rule.
He reminds us again that love drives away fear.
On this day of love may we discover
that the arms of God do not exclude.
May we be given the arms of God
YYY YYY YYY
ONLY
IN
EMBRACING
ALL
CAN
WE
BECOME
THE
ARMS
OF
GOD.
-Rumi
IN
EMBRACING
ALL
CAN
WE
BECOME
THE
ARMS
OF
GOD.
-Rumi
Strange, I do not think so much that it is prejudice that is frozen in me but some old hurts that have petrified, some old wounds that came to me when I was too small to understand what I had done to deserve whatever came.
ReplyDeleteBut prejudices they may well be as well.
At any rate, I really like this idea of Godde's arm embracing all that is frozen in me.
Not having to protect old hurts from being opened again. To stand as I am unafraid and allowing this arm to release the tears that have been held back and turned into ice.
Ah... something to work on this week. Thank you.
We do want to pick and chose what is embracable! Thank goodness that the arms of god are there, holding us!
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