"IN GOD'S PRESENCE"

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki's book titled In God's Presence clarified my thinking about the nature of God in a direction that I was already headed. As I read, I found myself saying, "Oh yes! That's right." With respect to the subtitle, "Theological reflections on prayer", I entered new territory in a way that surprised me, and pleased me, and answered a good many of my questions about prayer, such as, "Why do we pray?" and "What happens when we pray?" Of course, the nature of God and prayer would inevitably reflect one on the other.

That brings us to the basic supposition of a relational theology of prayer: God works with the world as it is in order to bring it to where it can be. Prayer opens the world to its own transformation.

The book resonated powerfully. Suchocki's analogies work quite well for me as descriptives of exactly how God is present to us.

But if God's power is presence, think of the difference this makes to the knowing of God. God's presence, like water, pervades the nooks and crannies of existence--what is the boundary of water? the boundary of God? A stone marks the edge of the water and its own existence; What marks the edge between our own and God's existence? Where does our existence begin and end?--for surely we neither start nor stop with our skin. Would it be so strange to consider that the omnipresent God pervades us without at all displacing us?...Why can't the higher life form that is God co-occupy us, flowing through and around and in us, even while remaining God, and while we remain ourselves?

Why indeed? We needn't call God to us, nor need we go to God, because God is always present. Sushocki's words make so much sense. The ideas she expresses so well are not entirely new to me, but what had been somewhat fuzzy in my thinking about God's presence became clear after reading Suchocki's words.

But the image of God I am proposing is of a God pervasively present, like water, to every nook and cranny of the universe, continuously wooing the universe toward continuous transformation toward is greater good.... I am proposing an image of a God who interacts with the universe not partially, but totally. Such a God creatively gives to and receives from all forms of existence.

Not only does God presence affect us, but we affect the present God. Interaction is a two-way street. And God's interaction is not just with humans, but with the entire universe. God woos humans and the entire universe, and in turn, God is affected by us and the whole universe.

So then: God gives to the world and receives from the world; the world receives from God and gives to God. God gives creative and suggestive energy to the world, and the world gives the results of what it has done with this energy back to God. Prayer in such a world is an openness to God's own creative energy, and to the good that God intends for us. It is also an offering back to God, giving God the offering of ourselves.

I've thought of our images of God having the attributes of omnipotence, immutability, omniscience and how the images do not square with the God of the Hebrew Testament, the God who has emotions, the God who has changes of mind. How can God be immutable if, at one point in time, God came down to become one of us to live amongst us?

On omnipotence:

What would it mean for our understanding of omnipotence if in fact God is interdependent with the world? Omnipotence means literally all power. But given the reality of the world with its many forms of existence, omnipotence may be a self-contradictory term, even when applied to God. To exist at all is to have some mode of power, for instance the power for being. Even the most minute form of existence pulsates with its being radiating an energy that affects others.

On intercessory prayer:

Were the God-world relation one where there were absolutely no limitations on God, then the universe would be a place where intercessory prayer would be absolutely unnecessary. But in a God-world relation of interdependence, where the world's power must be taken in to account, where God's power is exercised in the form of possibilities that the world has the power to reject, then intercessory prayer is of the utmost importance. It's not just that we need to pray--it's that God needs us to do the praying. Our prayers actually make a difference to what God can do.

Sushocki's book came to me highly recommended by more than one person. In turn, I recommend the work highly. The author writes on process theology, which several friends suggested that I explore. I'm half-way through one of her theology books. Yes, I read more than one book at a time.

Note: Post edited to rearrange quotes and include omissions.

ON TIME!

 

Today I got me to the church on time. Yay! I was even a few minutes early, which is so much better than rushing in late all flustered and never really settling down until well into the service. When I'm late, I miss the wonderful preludes by our talented organist. Today La Donna played Bach. I intended to name the prelude, but I forgot my bulletin in church. We sang one of my favorite communion hymns by William Bright, "And now, O Father, mindful of the love...." I tend to tear up when I sing the hymn. We sang a couple of other hymns that I really like, too, but they've slipped my mind and no bulletin to refresh my memory.

Above you see St. John's altar dressed for Lent. The altar frontal is simple, but lovely - or at least I think so. Perhaps for the rest of Lent and even after, I will be able to time my arrival early. When I do, no question but that I choose the better part.

I remember Jesus' plaintive cry from the today's Gospel:

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
(Luke 13: 34-35)

"THE RED RYDING TRILOGY"

 

In the February 15 issue of The New Yorker", which I'm just now getting around to reading, is a review of a movie called "The Red Ryding Trilogy". Generally, I like the way the Brits do mysteries, but the "sensationally violent" puts me off. I avoid violent movies because I spend much of the time looking down and shielding my eyes not quite fast enough to avoid the bloody scenes.

“This is the North—we do what we want.” These defiantly jocular words are spoken by a policeman as he throws a young reporter out the back of a van. The scene takes place in “Red Riding: 1974,” the first in a series of films, “The Red Riding Trilogy,” made last year for British television’s Channel 4, and now released in theatres as a mammoth, sensationally violent and beautiful five-hour movie. (The trilogy is also available on cable, as a video on demand under the rubric “IFC in Theaters.”) The North in the policeman’s boast is West Yorkshire—the city of Leeds, mostly, but also featureless pale-green moors and, among them, small, rubbly towns with dead-looking brown houses.

Hey! I've been to the scary places, Leeds, and the pale-green moors, although I didn't see a lot of green, pale or not, when I was in the Yorkshire Moors in March.

The books on which the movies are based are fictionalized accounts of the North of England's most recent and horrific serial crimes, such as the "'Moors murders,' of five children, between July, 1963, and October, 1965; the murder of thirteen women by Peter William Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper, between 1975 and 1980; 80; and a miscarriage of justice that saw Stefan Kiszko, a twenty-six-year-old tax clerk from Rochdale, serve sixteen years for a 1975 murder that he did not commit."

Forgoing digital effects, or any presence of the supernatural, “The Red Riding Trilogy” nevertheless achieves a terrific sense of the uncanny, an atmosphere so spooked and suggestive that it becomes oddly attractive, like an enchanted forest in a children’s story. Flowers of evil are growing in the stony Yorkshire soil.

Who knew? The only place in Yorkshire in which I experienced the uncanny was in my visit to Rievaulx Abbey, which was, for me, one of the thin places, where I felt the presence of the holy, a place where the prayers of many seemed to linger in the the Abbey.

But wait! The Los Angeles Times says:

The powerfully disturbing "Red Riding" trilogy will haunt you waking and sleeping, night and day. If you survive the watching of it, that is, which is no easy thing.
....

Rather, the hard paradox of this project is that what makes these merciless films at times almost unbearable to watch also makes them frankly impossible to get out of your mind. Not only do they create a gritty, compelling world thick with the fetid air of venality, corruption and desperation, but they also periodically traffic in ghastly and horrific torture, sometimes shown, sometimes merely described, but always circling back to a series of sadistic, soul-destroying murders of women and little girls.

Although I'm intrigued by the reviews of the film, scenes of torture, or even descriptions of torture, would probably be a deal-breaker for me.

Have any of you from across the pond seen the series? Or anyone from the US, since the film is showing now at theaters?

FROM OUR FRIEND LUIZ COELHO

Dear friends in Christ,

As you might recall, last November, I sent you all an e-mail regarding my being chosen as one of the Anglican Communion representatives to the Edinburgh 2010 Mission Conference. Since there was a writing contest and a multimedia contest, I decided to join both, so I sent them an article (on the Ecumenical Role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a model for mission) and an art project. Well, I've recently heard that the art project was pre-selected. I still don't know if it got any of the top prizes (haven't had any word regarding the paper either), but it is going to be exhibited there.

I decided to upload the project to lulu.com and self-publish it, as a means of offering it to people as a Lenten resource. It's called "The Stations of the Cross of Globalization" and it's probably the last piece of a series of artwork I've been working on for the last 1.5 year, which focuses on labor rights and exploitation, especially in poorer countries. As some of you might know, my work deals mostly with a dialogue on the power of imagery in contemporary world. I'd dare to say it's a conversation with some of the ideas put forward by Baudrillard in terms of hyperrealities, simulations and simulacra, and appropriate responses we should present to it. I'll continue exploring this idea, even though I might tackle new subjects other than labor rights.

So, here's the booklet. It's free to download, and available as paperback for 13 dollars. Unfortunately, it can't be cheaper, because it is a full-color booklet.

Also, all of those paintings are currently in Atlanta. I don't think the Edinburgh 2010 will have the necessary budget to pay for their transportation to Scotland, so we'll have prints instead. But if any of you is interested in having them exhibited somewhere else, please let me know. My friends Susan and Lisa are keeping them in Atlanta, and might be able to help with that, if it's not too troublesome for them.

I hope you all enjoy it. May all of you have a Holy Lent.

-
Luiz Coelho
http://www.luizcoelho.com

Luiz adds:

I'm going to send an update re: the prize and the competition, but until that happens, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to release this in early Lent.


Blessings to you!


Luiz, it's good to hear from you. Thanks for letting us know about your paintings and the booklet.

To my readers: The beautiful Madonna icon pictured on my sidebar, titled "Lady Enthroned" was written by Luiz. The icon rests in a place of honor in my house, and I consider it amongst my prized possessions.

FEAST OF GEORGE HERBERT - PRIEST AND POET

Portrait of George Herbert by Robert White in 1674. From National Portrait Gallery (UK)

After his student days at Cambridge University, George Herbert was appointed a fellow of Trinity College and later to the position of orator, where he gained the notice and favor of James I near the end of his reign. It appeared that Herbert may have soon moved to a high position in the court, but the king died. Herbert then returned to his original desire to become a priest. After his ordination, he served two parishes near Salisbury, Bemerton and Fugglestone.

He served faithfully as a parish priest, diligently visiting his parishioners and bringing them the sacraments when they were ill, and food and clothing when they were in want. He read Morning and Evening Prayer daily in the church, encouraging the congregation to join him when possible, and ringing the church bell before each service so that those who could not come might hear it and pause in their work to join their prayers with his. He used to go once a week to Salisbury to hear Evening Prayer sung there in the cathedral. On one occasion he was late because he had met a man whose horse had fallen with a heavy load, and he stopped, took off his coat, and helped the man to unload the cart, get the horse back on its feet, and then reload the cart. His spontaneous generosity and good will won him the affection of his parishioners.

From James Kiefer at the Lectionary.

Readings:

Psalm 1
Exodus 28:29-30
Philippians 4:4-9
Matthew 5:1-10

PRAYER

Our God and King, who called your servant George Herbert from the pursuit of worldly honors to be a pastor of souls, a poet, and a priest in your temple: Give us grace, we pray, joyfully to perform the tasks you give us to do, knowing that nothing is menial or common that is done for your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Herbert is known today for his collection of religious poems, The Temple, which was published after his death.

LOVE

LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.

'A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here:'
Love said, 'You shall be he.'
'I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on Thee.'
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord; but I have marr'd them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.'
'And know you not,' says Love, 'Who bore the blame?'
'My dear, then I will serve.'
'You must sit down,' says Love, 'and taste my meat.'
So I did sit and eat.

George Herbert

Portrait from Wiki.

STORY OF THE DAY - DANGEROUS THOUGHTS

Filled to the brim with dangerous
thoughts & no where to put them since
she lives in a small town & everybody's
always watching.


The story is about me!

From StoryPeople.

2 FEET OF SNOW IN NEW YORK!

 

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

IT'S WORDS ON ANTI-THEISM

IT, at The Friends of Jake, makes a fine statement on the difference between atheism and anti-theism in her post titled Humane values.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Over the last couple of years, several commentators have dubbed the fundamentalist Christians as “Christianists” in an effort to reclaim the title of “Christian” from those who do not really live its values.
....

But [PZ] Myers and Dawkins and others are a new breed that makes a faith out of anti-theism and insults believers and their beliefs. While I can understand that some of this is a backlash against the Christianists, and I can be quite sympathetic (especially when, for example, my civil rights as a gay American are trumped by the religious values of hard right Christianists), the rigid binaries of the new atheism are just as limited and fundamentalist as the black and white views of those it purports to disdain. So it is itself a religion, and counter to my secular values.

So, just as you folks don’t like being tarred by the brush that paints James Dobson, don’t tar me or other secularists by the fundamentalist colors of PZ Myers. Let’s instead embrace ambiguity. We'll meet somewhere in the 256 shades of grey and not limit ourselves to the extremes of black and white.

Excellent, IT.

Read the rest of IT's post at the above link to FOJ.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - PRIDE

Pride is no less present in the one who experiences Schadenfreude than in the proud in whose distress one takes satisfaction.


A Lenten lesson learned from meditating on my response to Dawkins' discomfort.

Mea culpa. Kyrie eleison.

GROVE JOKES AND QUOTES

By the time Ted arrived at the football game, the first quarter was almost over. "Why are you so late?" his friend asked.

"I had to toss a coin to decide between going to church and coming to the game."

"How long could that have taken you?"

"Well, I had to toss it 14 times."

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There was once an aspiring veterinarian who put himself through veterinary school working nights as a taxidermist.

Upon graduation, he decided he could combine his two vocations to better serve the needs of his patients and their owners, while doubling his practice and, therefore, his income.

He opened his own offices with a sign on the door saying, "Dr. Jones, Veterinary Medicine and Taxidermy -- Either way, you get your dog back!"

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An artist asked the gallery owner if there had been any interest in his paintings on display at that time.

"I have good news and bad news," the owner replied. "The good news is that a gentleman inquired about your work and wondered if it would appreciate in value after your death."

"When I told him it would, he bought all 15 of your paintings."

"That's wonderful!" the artist exclaimed.

"What's the bad news?"

"The guy was your doctor."

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Thanks to Erika for the Friday laughs.