Moment of Oneness, August 2, 2023

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81507551772
Meeting ID: 815 0755 1772
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Moment of Oneness: An Invitation to The In-Between

Opening Song: Invocation by Christopher Grundy https://youtu.be/A95UbOPVQKc

Opening Prayer: Summer is like a liminal space. An in between place. Even though we traditionally celebrate the start of our year on January 1 and the end on December 31, in practical terms, our activities tend to ramp up in September and ramp down by the end of June.

Liminal spaces are often challenging, but always very holy spaces because they are the places where we are invited to embrace transformation. 

Reader 1: The word change normally refers to new beginnings. But the mystery of transformation more often happens not when something new begins, but when something old falls apart. The pain and chaos of something old falling apart invite the soul to listen at a deeper level, and sometimes force the soul to go to a new place. Most of us would never go to new places in any other way. The mystics use many words to describe this chaos: fire, dark night, death, emptiness, abandonment, trial, the Evil One. Whatever it is called, it does not feel good, and it does not feel like God. 

Pause for moment of silent reflection.

Reader 2: We will normally do anything to keep the old thing from falling apart, yet this is when we need patience and guidance, and the freedom to let go instead of tightening our controls and certitudes. Perhaps Jesus is describing just this phenomenon when he says, “It is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14). Not accidentally, he mentions this narrow gate and hard road right after teaching the Golden Rule. He knows how much “letting go” it takes to “treat others as you would like them to treat you” (Matthew 7:12). 

Pause for moment of silent reflection.

Reader 3: Spiritual transformation always includes a disconcerting reorientation. It can either help people to find new meaning or it can cause people to close down and slowly turn bitter. The difference is determined precisely by the quality of our inner life, our practices, and our spirituality. Change happens, but transformation is always a process of letting go, and living in the confusing, shadowy, transitional space for a while. Eventually, we are spit up on a new and unexpected shore. We can see why Jonah in the belly of the whale is such an important figure for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. 

Pause for moment of silent reflection.

Reader 4: In moments of insecurity and crisis, shoulds and oughts don’t really help. They just increase the shame, guilt, pressure, and likelihood of backsliding into unhealthy patterns. It’s the deep yeses that carry us through to the other side. It’s those deeper values we strongly support—such as equality and dignity for all—that allow us to wait it out. Or it’s someone in whom we absolutely believe and to whom we commit. In plain language, love wins out over guilt any day. 

Pause for moment of silent reflection.

Reader 5: It is sad that we settle for the short-term effectiveness of shaming people and shutting them down, instead of the long-term life benefits of true transformation. But then, we are a culture of productivity and efficiency, not terribly patient or even open to growth. God is clearly much more patient—and, finally, much more effective, patiently supporting our inner transformation through all of life’s transitions.  

Petitions /Intentions: For whom or what would we like to pray?

Closing Prayer: Gracious God of all change, help us keep our eyes fixed on you as we evolve into who you desire us to be in the world. Amen

Stop at 4:01

Closing Song: Song of Your Heart by Snatam Kaur/Peter Kater https://youtu.be/E1_vIK1u-z8 

You are becoming the song of your heart, how beautiful it is as the flower blossoms forth. Feel the earth in your toes, oh my child you'll never know what tomorrow brings so sing, sing, sing! 

1 Adapted from Richard Rohr, The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder/ April 30,2023 Daily Meditation