Weekly Pause & Ponder

God, active and present throughout all ages, mindful of our every need, has chosen Mary to collaborate in the gestation of justice in the world. As "spokeswoman of the anawim" ... – the poor – Mary models in her surrender the receptivity essential for the transformation of all our spiritual and material poverty, blindness, and hunger into the fullness and joy of the risen presence of Jesus.... The Advent mother awaiting birth is one with the Easter mother awaiting and welcoming the new life of Christ’s risen presence. Together they call each of us to enter into the joyous song of exultation and praise that was Mary’s. Her song is the call to rejoice in gratitude for the ever-present, merciful God of love who offered to her, and offers to us, a timeless, pregnant convenantal intimacy, an intimacy rooted in mutual promise and surrender.

Freedom: a guide for prayer

, by Jacqueline Syrup Bergan and S. Marie Schwan, pp. 22-23.

Weekly Pause & Ponder

God exists as form and as non-form. Just as the light is not recognizable other than in something on which it shines, there is no God for us without form. If there is nothing that the light shines on, you don’t see the light either. We could even say that what we refer to as an illuminated object is nothing more than bundled light! ...This is precisely the case with God. There exists only God, because God’s very self is being. Everything that exists is an appearance of being, "bundled being" so to speak. This is what the mystic experiences.

Mysticism for Modern Times by Willigis Jager, pp. 18-19.

Weekly Pause & Ponder

Jesus wanted people to discover, joyfully, that God is actually present to them in the everyday present events and responsibilities of life. Jesus wanted people to recognize that presence, name it and allow it to transform the way they viewed themselves in relationship to God…. Jesus sought to connect people with God, not by re-establishing a broken connection, but by turning their minds to see where the connection always had been. This is a crucial point in understanding Jesus’ ministry. I do not think Jesus was driven by the thought that he had something new to give people. Rather, he wanted to draw attention to what was already there.

Breaking the Bonds of Theological Captivity: Are we Bold Enough?  By Michael Morwood, p.6 Michael Morwood.org/BreakingtheologicalBonds.html

Weekly Pause & Ponder

Love is the centre of our being, though in our human lives it is often masked, distorted and misunderstood. Love is always uplifting, encouraging and supportive. Love ushers in peace and joy, kindness and compassion. Love never beats down or withholds from another. Love is constant, consistent, absolutely dependable and ever growing. Love brings healing, light, support and strength to others. Love builds you up, prompts you to grow, guides you toward your highest path and lights the way with gentleness, understanding and acceptance….Love was present and active from the very origin of our universe and flows through every atom and particle that exists.

Enlightened Consciousness: Entering New Dimensions of Spiritual Awareness by Griff O’Brien, p. 51 - 52.

Weekly Pause & Ponder

“The highest call of humanity is to manifest the Unmanifested, or more precisely, the Unmanifestable. Ultimately, there is only That Which Is. Rational consciousness is a major step along the evolutionary way, but it is only the beginning. We must bring our conscious and spirit – to all that God is.”

Thomas Keating, Contemplative Outreach News, June 2013.