SU Communities

How the Hell do I do what I do?

I used to believe that I do what I do purely by God's grace in cooperation with my soul, whether reluctantly or heartedly or both.  Now I know that while at times grace (by that I mean 'free gift') occurs by God's will alone, whatever thoughts and feelings of consolation I have had over the past months occurred because of the power of prayer from a community of believers, however broadly that may be defined.

Yesterday in following God's nudgings to embrace humility, (lately I have a tendency to over-inflate my ego) I took myself to a nearby center for the homeless.  I met a dear friend whom I had gotten to know the year before.  A humble Spanish speaking man who embodies the voice of compassion.  And lo and behold, in following God's call, I entered what I saw yesterday, a cathedral of God's design.  I do not want to discount the poverty and the deaths I see in the eyes of the homeless.  They make my eyes watery.  Still, I felt I had come home, though home for me is made up of countless places.  Concrete benches reminded me of church pews.  And the tallest evergreen in the center's backyard could not help but remind me of steeples that soar into the skies.

Community is a strange thing.  At best we support one another.  We give expression to our desire.  We even give human created things the same potential of a miracle that we see in the leaves of trees.  And community needs community togetherness to perform at its best.

Prayer evolves.  Only an hour ago, I learned a new one.  Internally say the 'Our Father' loudly as a proclamation sitting on a rock.  And watch our senses be drawn outward 100% present to the beauty of nature or to the conversation shared by the people sitting at your table.  Prayer moves.  Like a stream of thoughts, responses, groans, delights, emotions...we set aside our judgments temporarily to notice the movement of confetti of conversations.  Most of all, prayer breaks categories.