A Walk in the Desert with Amma Syncletia

There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one’s mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of his (or her) own thoughts.   ~Amma Syncletia

Eagle Eyrie Retreat Center, Virginia, USA

In the deserts of Egypt around the 3rd to the 6th centuries, various forms of monasticism arose led by the desert mothers and fathers.  In this vast wilderness you would find hermit, cenobite and ascetic monks.    Ammas (mothers) and Abbas (fathers) dispensed wisdom to those who followed them, fleeing a world that looked much like our world today.  They found themselves stripped of all of the excess that dulled their senses and their sense of God's presence.   They found an increasing awareness of God in the silence and solitude of the desert, much like Jesus in his own wilderness wanderings.   The desert is a place of deep encounter, not superficial escape ... much like lectio divina is a deep encounter with God within a passage scripture, not a surface reading.


I invite you to encounter God within Psalm 121, a classic ode to the spiritual journey.   There are 4 movements to lectio divina.  Move with me ...

 Psalm 121

 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?

My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

God will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed, the God who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you 
as your protective shade.  

The sun will not harm you by day, 
nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

Movement 1:  Read and Receive.  Read through the text slowly and meditatively, line by line, noticing where there is energy arising for you in a word or a phrase.  Receive the word or phrase through which God is calling you.


Movement 2:  Read and Reflect.  Read through the text again.  Perhaps the same word will continue to attract you and yet on this reading it may be another word or phrase.  Go with it, wherever it leads you.  Spend time, turning it over and over in your mind until it sinks into your heart.  What invitation do you hear from God through your word or your phrase?


Movement 3:  Read and Respond.  Read through the text a final time, with God's invitation in your awareness.  How is God calling you to respond to what you are hearing, feeling and knowing?    Respond with prayers and commitment to action if you feel so called.


Movement 4:  Rest.  Spend time in silence, allowing all of your thoughts and feelings to settle.  When it is time to move on, create a breath prayer to close your time of praying with scripture through lectio divina. 


If you desire, use this one:

Breathing in ... my Lord, my helper
Breathing out ... keep watch over me

Amen. 

Lanterns in the Desert/Lenten Labyrinth: One does not Live by Bread Alone

Your word is a lantern to my feet
 and a light to my path.

 Psalm 119:105

This week we are considering the 1st temptation of Jesus in the desert as we walk the labyrinth.      Do you have easy access to a Labyrinth that you could walk?   If not, you can take this Link to a finger Labyrinth that you can download and print: PDF File/Labyrinth.  If you prefer, here is a link to an online virtual labyrinth. If you didn't experience the text through Lectio Divina last week, you may want to take this link:  Lenten Lectio 1 before considering the text as you walk the Labyrinth.  If not, you may simply want to read the foundational text and let the words embrace you as you read.

When you are ready, read Matthew 4:1-4 from The Message:

Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”  Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”


Jesus has been on a 40-day spiritual journey in the desert, just as we are in the midst of our own 40-day Lenten journey.  Jesus walks in the desert struggling with the tests he's been given, just as we walk the labyrinth seeking to understand more deeply those things that test us in our lives.  

Jesus is not the first one to struggle in his spiritual journey ... and we aren't the last ones.  When we read Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, we find people who struggle on every page we turn.  The Jewish people recalled their history often for they knew they could learn from those who went before them.  They knew their own trust in God was built on the foundation of their ancestors.  

More than the other gospel writers, Matthew writes his gospel from a Jewish perspective.  It is important for him to show Jesus as a manifestation of Jewish history.   Each of the 3 times Jesus is tested in his obedience to God, Jesus responds to the devil, his "tester" with words from the book of Deuteronomy.  These quotations from the Jewish Law highlight the story of Moses and the temptations of the Israelite community wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.  Do you remember how they complained that they were hungry and God sent them manna from heaven?  Jesus, the man who is God, is like Israel, the people of God.  As Jesus relived the temptations of his ancestors, we live these same temptations in our daily lives. 

Each time Jesus is tested he uses the Word of God as his Light and his "Lantern in the Desert."   The first test that Jesus encounters is "hunger."  Jesus has not eaten in 40 days.  I think it is safe to say that he is not only hungry, he is famished!  Of course, he is tempted to use his own power to convert stones into bread in order to alleviate his hunger.  I would be, wouldn't you?   I have a hard time with a 24 hour fast!   When I do fast, I find nagging appetites emerging to tempt me, causing me to rationalize and make excuses for why I need to "break" my fast.  In the end, when I hold steady and to my fast, I find that I am a little closer to being truly free. 


As people living in the 21st century, few of us have experienced physical hunger to the extent Jesus did after 40 days.  However, we do have addictions and appetites that we confront.  Some of them are destructive and often our lives depend on our finding ways to cope.  However, other addictions and appetites are more subtle.  There is a saying, "the one who dies with the most toys wins!"  WOW!!!  I think it was the cultural devil with the red suit and a pitchfork who whispered it into my ear once upon a time.   

Take a few moments to think about your life and your appetite for worldly things.  What can you "not live without" that you really can?   Or ... what toy is on your horizon that you "can't wait for?"   Is there anything you have that is good enough but you are eager, ready and willing to for something new and better?   

Settle into a place of loving openness within yourself with a simple Breath Prayer.  Use this one or allow one to emerge as you breathe in and breathe out for 5-10 minutes.

Breathe in ... Jesus, my light and my lantern
Breath out ... put your Word on my lips

Pray: Holy God, your Word is my light and my lantern!  The love I feel from you and the love I feel for you grow as I read the bible and learn more about you.  Fill me with the light of your word and let me be your servant.  Amen.  

Jesus carries Deuteronomy 8:1-3 in his heart as his Lantern in the Desert to battle this battle with his hunger.  Allow yourself to be drawn deeply into God’s Presence as you read and pray and listen for the whispers of God through the text: 

“Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.  Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
 
Is there a word or phrase that captures your attention as you read?  It may even be an image that will emerge for you. Perhaps this word or phrase or image shines upon your life and satisfies your deep hunger.   Let it illuminate your life as you walk the labyrinth.

When you are on your way, turn your word or phrase or image over in your mind. Let God speak into your heart as you listen.  Take time to "Release" anything that emerges that you need to let go of in order to move on in your prayers.

Come to a time of pause … at the center of the Labyrinth or wherever you are.  Take time to "Receive" and welcome God's word for you. Consider these questions or others that may arise in your time of pause:  Where is God speaking into the appetites and addictions of my life through my word, phrase, or image?  How is my life touched by the word of God?
 
As you walk or move out of the center along the same path you took that brought you to your pause, know that you are gaining strength for your continuing journey of life.  How is God inviting me to see myself differently?  How is God calling me to trust more deeply?  As you walk, take the time to "Respond" to God ... it doesn't have to be in words, it may be in a body prayer or in simple silence or ... however it seems right to you!

As you reach the end of the Labyrinth pathway, it is time to "Rest" in the silence of God's Presence.  Allow God to light your lantern in the desert with simplicity and healing grace.

Simply BE with the God who always hears your prayers.

Be aware that you may find a desire to express what you have received.  This is a wonderful time to journal.  Write about your experience, thoughts, feelings, and insights.   Some persons find that God’s voice is clarified through the writing process.

To end your time of Labyrinth Prayer, stand a the edge of the Labyrinth and repeat this week's lectionary Psalm 121 for it is another Lantern in the Desert!

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in 
from this time on and forevermore.

Amen ... 

If art is a pathway to God for you, you may want to gaze upon the image below and engage in Visio Divina with it...  

Read the Image ... Allow your eyes to seek softly what you are attracted to in the image.  Simply receive the gift of seeing.  What image within the image is drawing you in ... Allow yourself a few moments simply to sit with this gift.

Receive the Image ... Take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a receptive spirit.  After receiving, close your eyes and reflect by allowing your imagination to form that image in your consciousness ... what are you receiving from God through the image?  How does this illuminate your life right now?

Respond to God ... Now take a deep breath and gaze with soft eyes and a grateful spirit.  How do you sense yourself desiring to respond to God through the image you have received?  What would you say to God about what you are hearing, seeing, feeling?  Allow yourself to pray with gratitude ...

Rest in God ... Now take a deep breath and rest ... notice how your body feels.  Is there something more here?  Then go back and repeat your "gazing" prayer.   If you feel that you have received all you need in this moment, simply rest in the silence and come to a place of shalom, peace, wholeness ...

To end your time of Visio Divina ... Join Jesus in lifting up his Lantern in the Desert:

It takes more than bread to stay alive. 

It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  T Kean from St. Benedict's Catholic Church

Psalm 121: The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!

Psalm 121  A Song of Ascents

"Image(s) courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org"

Hills west of Jerusalem (present day)

I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
        from this time on and for evermore.

Context:  Although we do not know the author of this psalm, it is labeled A Song of Ascent.  The word translated “ascent,” or in some versions “degree,” is ma`alah {mah-al-aw'} which means “what comes up, thoughts, steps, or stairs.”   Therefore, ascent in this context literally means “going up.”   Psalm 121 is the 2nd of the 15 Psalms of Ascent (120-134).  When we consider this unique grouping of psalms we wonder … what is their significance? 

The Land of Promise is a mountainous region.  There are some who say the material for these psalms refer to the movement of the community into Canaan, the Land of Promise, under the leadership of Joshua after the Israelites escaped from Egypt, led by Moses, and wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.  Others believe these psalms emerged from the experience of the exiles returning from Babylonian to Palestine.   Most believe that these psalms were recited by Israelite worshipers as they made their pilgrimage together, on High Feast days such as Passover, to the Temple in Jerusalem nestled in the Judean Mountains.  Some say worshipers sang the fifteen psalms as they made their journey up the flight of fifteen steps leading from the outer court to the inner court of the Temple in Jerusalem, one psalm for each step they took.

Take a moment to look at a map of Ancient Israel.  Locate the mountains beside the wilderness of Judea.  Locate Jericho by the Jordan River, north of the Salt (Dead) Sea and then Jerusalem to the southwest of Jericho.   To travel from Jericho in the plains of the Jordan to Jerusalem in the hills of Judea, one would ascend 3,300 feet. 

When one reads all of the Psalms of Ascent it is clear that these beautiful writings arise from periods of “returns” of God’s chosen people, the Israelites, to the Land of Promise symbolizing their restored relationship with God.  As a result of restoration, the people once again feel protected and cared for by God, indeed they feel as though they are the chosen of God once again.  Can you envision pilgrims on their way to the Temple in Jerusalem, the Holy City, for one of their High Holy Days?  Scholars tell us that there was often much danger for these traveling pilgrims for they were easy targets for robbers and thieves.  Can you see these pilgrims looking up to the hills and can you hear Psalm 121 resonating in their hearts and bursting forth in a loud chorus as they contemplate the last leg of their journey?    The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!

Going Deeper:  YES!  The Lord will keep my going out and my coming in!  The word shamar {shaw-mar'} is used six times in eight verses.  It is translated "keep," which means “guards” or “keeps watch over.”   How do you feel God keeps watch over you?  Is there a specific time you remember sensing God’s presence guarding you?

Psalm 121 is a song of pilgrimage.   A pilgrimage is a physical journey with a spiritual purpose.   There is a song we sing these days called The Servant Song.   One of the verses begins “We are pilgrims on a journey.”   How has your spiritual life been like a journey?   How has your community been a part of your life journey?  When have you felt closest to God?  When have you felt furthest away from God?

Psalm 121 is often read on Labyrinth Prayer Walks.

A Photo of MOSAIC's 24' Canvas "Chartres" Labyrinth

A labyrinth is a single path or “unicursal” tool for spiritual transformation.  The best known example of labyrinth is embedded in the stone pavement of Chartres Cathedral near Paris. The labyrinth in a pilgrimage cathedral was sometimes walked in place of the actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Walking the labyrinth was considered a holy experience. Once there, pilgrims would end their pilgrimage by “going in” to the center, and then slowly retracing their steps as they were “coming out.”  Check my MOSAIC website for more information on the Labyrinth.  Have you ever had the opportunity to walk a labyrinth?  If you have, did you walk?  If not, why not?  If yes, what kind of experience did you have?  Did you experience God’s presence?   Why not find a labyrinth and use Psalm 121 as an entry prayer, centering your walk on God, who “keeps your going out and your coming in.”

Pondering:  Charles Wesley (1707-1788), brother of John Wesley a founder of Methodism, wrote hundreds of hymns and poems. He was one of the most prolific poets in the English language.  He wrote a hymn called Unto the Hills which was a Christ-centered paraphrase of Psalm 121 … It is not one of his most well-known hymns and it can be hard to find in hymnals or in online videos.

Read the verses of this hymn aloud … again and again as you engage in the art of Lectio Divina, which means divine reading.

1 TO the hills I lift mine eyes, The everlasting hills; Streaming thence in fresh supplies, My soul the Spirit feels.     Will he not his help afford? Help, while yet I ask, is given: God comes down; the God and Lord That made both earth and heaven.
2 Faithful soul, pray always; pray, And still in God confide; He thy feeble steps shall stay, Nor suffer thee to slide: Lean on thy Redeemer's breast; He thy quiet spirit keeps; Rest in him, securely rest; Thy watchman never sleeps.
3 Neither sin, nor earth, nor hell Thy Keeper can surprise; Careless slumbers cannot steal On his all-seeing eyes; He is Israel's sure defence; Israel all his care shall prove, Kept by watchful providence, And ever-waking love.
4 See the Lord, thy Keeper, stand Omnipotently near! Lo! He holds thee by thy hand, And banishes thy fear; Shadows with his wings thy head; Guards from all impending harms: Round thee and beneath are spread The everlasting arms.
5 Christ shall bless thy going out, Shall bless thy coming in; Kindly compass thee about, Till thou art saved from sin; Like thy spotless Master, thou, Filled with wisdom, love, and power, Holy, pure, and perfect, now, Henceforth, and evermore.

Lectio=Listen to the words. Read the words slowly, repeating them again and again, allowing them to linger on the tongue, savoring their beauty ...

Meditatio=Prayerfully listen as you read until a small portion of the psalm (a word or a thought or a phrase) begins to draw you deep within.  Turn your “portion” over and over in your mind and consider what God may be inviting you to think or feel or do or be … Write down what Spirit has given you so you can remember.  Stay with your “portion” and commit it to memory as your thought for the day …

Praying:
Oratio=Spend some time in prayer responding to God’s invitation … allow prayers of confession, petition,
intercession, thanksgiving, praise, or ... to emerge in this time you are spending with God.

Contemplatio=When you runs out of words to say, simply rest in the presence of God, lingering with God in loving companionship … Amen!

Although I was unable to find an online video or recording of Wesley’s hymn on youtube this week you can  follow this link for a nice contemporary praise song based on Psalm 121.