Photo: A Marathon Route

 

Spirituality: from Teilhard de Chardin on the Eucharist

Creation is an expression of God's love, because God can only express God's own nature. Since God's nature is love whatever God creates is imbued with love. It is the very nature of love to join and bond with others because love is intrinsically relational.

Photo: 26.2

 

Prayer: Irish Blessing

May you see God’s light on the path ahead 

When the road you walk is dark. 

May you always hear, 

Even in your hour of sorrow, 

The gentle singing of the lark. 

When times are difficult - may hardness 

Never turn your heart to stone, 

May you always remember when the shadows fall — 

You do not walk alone.

Photo: Easter Lillies

 

Prayer: A Blessing for the Suffering by John O’Donohue – from Eternal Echoes

May you be blessed in the holy names of those who carry our pain up the mountain of transfiguration. May you know tender shelter and healing blessing when you are called to stand in the place of pain. May the places of darkness within you be surprised by light. May you be granted the wisdom to avoid false resistance and when suffering knocks on the door of your life, may you be able to glimpse its hidden gift. May you be able to see the fruits of suffering. May memory bless and shelter you with the hard-earned light of past turmoil, may this give you confidence and trust. May a window of light always surprise you. May the grace of transfiguration heal your wounds. May you know that even though the storm might rage, not a hair on your head will be harmed.

Spirituality: from Teilhard de Chardin on the Eucharist

We were taught to see God more as a severe ruler than as an unconditional lover. Preachers focused upon a fear-based spirituality. An anxiety-generating and guilt-ridden spirituality has remained since the Middle Ages. Let us affirm the primacy of the ‘God is love’ principle. God wants our love and enthusiasm for life much more than our anxiety and fear. God created the cosmos out of love and for love.

Photo: Windows

 

Poem: Mary Oliver, "Loneliness," in Blue Horses

 I too have known loneliness.

I too have known what it is to feel
misunderstood,
rejected, and suddenly
not at all beautiful.
Oh, mother earth,
your comfort is great, your arms never withhold.
It has saved my life to know this.
Your rivers flowing, your roses opening in the morning.
Oh, motions of tenderness!

Photo: To Be Alive