After years and years of trying with limited success I think today about the retreat I led on Saturday. I was the keynote speaker for the winter retreat for Advance Conference - a weekend retreat for young adults aged 19-29. The subject I was given was "Divine Intervention." They wanted to explore what that looked like.
Last summer it was real clear that so many of the young people are in a variety of different places in terms of their faith - some were Christians, others SBNR (spiritual but not religious), many agnostics and some declaring themselves to be athiests. Camp provides a loving community that does not require "faith in God" just a loving spirit.
With this interesting and somewhat daunting audience I decided to have the morning session be essentially conversations in small groups about the big quesitons. Here are the questions that I had them answer - first individually - and then discuss in a group of five and return back to the the large group with three "headlines" from their conversation.
· .
Does
God Answer prayer? (yes, no, not
yet) Thank God for unanswered Prayer
Have you heard stories about answered prayer?
Have you experienced
·
Does
God Give direction – speak, nudges, thoughts, synchronicity
Have you heard about
Have you experienced
·
Does
God Heal persons
Have you heard about
Have you experienced
·
Does
God save persons? Accidents, wars
Have you heard about?
Have you experienced
·
Does
God Change minds and hearts – ex: friend prayed to quit smoking
Have you heard about?
Have you experienced
·
What
do you believe about the necessity of our cooperation?
“God will not heal unless I believe?”
Will whatever happen, happen anyway
So, those are the big questions and they wrestled with them. Afterwards there were questions about the essential mystery - why are some healed and not others? why do we usually only notice God's "intervention" in troubled times? How much of this is about our paying attention?
In the afternoon I led them in some exercised that help us to "cooperate" with God - reflection, silence and intercessory prayer. I then shared a little bit about my story and ended this parable by Anthony De Mello.
True
Spirituality
The master
was asked What is spirituality?
He said
“Spirituality is that which succeeds in bringing one to inner transformation.”
“But if I
apply the traditional methods handed down by the masters, is that not
spirituality?”
“It is not
spirituality if it does not perform its function for you. A blanket is no longer a blanket if it does
not keep you warm.”
“So
spirituality does change?”
“People
change and needs change. So what was spirituality once is spirituality no
more. What generally goes under the name
of spirituality is merely the record of past methods.”
This speaks to me on this new year's morning. My resolution - such as it is - in 2018 - is to do whatever I can do to cooperate with God's "divine intervention." Be used as a vehicle it, see it, and trust it.
And this parable reminds me that a new year might bring new spiritual practices. What once "worked" may not be as meaningful as I get older and change myself. My hope and prayer for a NEW year is openness to new ways of being Margot, being in relationship with others and with God.
Here is a prayer for a year of blessings
May this year
be a year of blessings:
blessings of goodness,
blessings of joy,
peace and kindness,
friendship and love,
creativity, strength,
serenity,
fulfilling work
and dignity,
satisfaction, success,
and sustenance,
physical health
and radiance.
May truth and justice
guide our acts,
and compassion
temper our lives
that we may blossom
as we age
and become
our sweetest selves.
May it be so.”
Marsha Falk
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