Lectio & Labyrinth: A Peace Walk

If we have no peace, 

it is because we have forgotten 

that we belong to each other. 

~Mother Teresa

The 23^rd Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy 
shall follow me

all the days of my life:

and I will dwell 
in the house of the Lord for ever.  
(King James Version)

Still waters ... what an image!  Psalm 23, especially the version in the old poetic King James version, is well loved for its ability to comfort the afflicted, those who are living in chaos for it speaks of God's enduring presence even at times when we feel alone and lonely in our distress.  It evokes the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.  (see Philippians 4:7)

Last Sunday was the International Day of Prayer for Peace and I've been extending my prayers for peace all week.  This day is observed to encourage worldwide, spiritual observations for peace and nonviolence, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals, and by all men, women, and children who seek peace in the world and with all God’s creation.  Think of the word, Shalom, the Jewish word for peace.  Shalom is not simply an emotion or a feeling of calm or disconnection, shalom is manifested in relationships found in community.  Shalom is communal harmony.  

Peace, in the sense of Shalom, reminds me of the African concept of Ubuntu which means to me "I am what I am because of what we all are together."   Can you hear echoes of my entrenchment in my culture's deep sense of independence and individualism?  I need Ubuntu to curb that overwhelming sense that "it's all about me."  Archbishop Desmond Tutu says this about Ubuntu: 

"We say a person is a person through other persons. We don't come fully formed into the world. We learn how to think, how to walk, how to speak, how to behave, indeed how to be human from other human beings. We need other human beings in order to be human. We are made for togetherness, we are made for family, for fellowship, to exist in a tender network of interdependence."  (quote found in Ubuntu: I in You and You in Me by Michael Battle, page 54)

With a sense of Peace, Shalom, and Ubuntu enveloping your mind, I invite you to sink into your heart, settle into a place of loving openness within yourself and use a simple Breath Prayer to center yourself on God's enduring presence.  Try this one or allow one to emerge as you breathe in and breathe out.   (I have found that six to eight syllables is best for breathing but a longer prayer often speaks what we need to hear for ourselves … simply be authentic with your breath prayer)

Breathing in ... God of Shalom (a name for or image of God)
Breathing out ... Make me a Peace-Bringer (a desire of your heart)

Pray: God of Shalom, your peace permeates the world when we are aware of you.  Grant us grace as we travel the path of life that unfolds before us.   Help us walk in peace as Jesus walked through his life here on earth.  Amen.

Engage in Lectio Divina, which means "sacred reading."  Allow yourself to be drawn deeply into God’s Presence as you read slowly and pray intently and listen carefully to these 7 verses which teach us about peace.  Read each verse and pause in silence between each one.  Which verse is drawing your attention?  Which verse can your heart sing with the one who originally spoke the words?

1.      Isaiah 55:12        Indeed you will go out with joy; you will be led along in peace; the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you, and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.. (NET)

2.      Psalm 85:10        Loyal love and faithfulness meet; deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.  (NET)

3.      Matthew 5:9        Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. (NET)

4.      John 14:27           Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.  (NET)

5.      John 16:33           I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world. (NET)

     
6.     Romans 14:17-19   For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.  So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.  (NET)   

  
7.     Philippians 4:6-7   Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (NET)

 
Read all 7 verses again slowly with the same silent pauses.    Consider where God is calling your attention.   Choose just one verse with which to reflect.  Spend time with your verse and listen to the whispers of God through the words that have drawn you into the text ... Listen!

Take your verse, or a modified version of it that speaks of your life, with you as you walk on a Labyrinth or spend some time outside in nature.   Or find a place to simply sit quietly.  Let the Spirit of God guide you as you take time in the silence to “Reflect.” 

As you walk (or if you choose to simply sit in the quiet) turn your verse over in your mind.  Is there a word that is calling you from within the text or are you staying with a complete thought that arises from the verse? Let God speak into your heart as you listen.  As you walk, take time to "Release" anything that emerges that you need to let go of in order to move on in your prayers.

As you pause at the center of the Labyrinth or in the far places of your walk, 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 to me through my word or my verse?  How is my life touched by my word or my verse?

Before you begin your journey anew from the center, slowly read your verse again! Consider how you are being called to "Respond" to what you have heard from God about the peace that is growing larger within you.  As you walk or move out of the center along the same labyrinth path you took in, know that you are gaining strength for your continuing journey of life.  Who is God calling me to pray for or to reach out to through this verse as I manifest my growing sense of peace?  How is God calling me to change or grow deeper in my faith?

As you reach the end of the Labyrinth pathway, it is time to “Rest” in the silence of God's Presence.  Allow God to draw you deeper into the shining light of the Holy Presence and into the prayerful sense of God’s Spirit, ever holding you and loving you.  Let all the words fade away and stay in this lovely place as long as you can.  

Simply BE with the God who always hears your prayers.  

Before you move on ... pray the Prayer of St Francis to end your time of prayerful walking:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.  Amen.

And listen to Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace sung by Susan Boyle set to amazing photos of nature on youtube.  Enjoy!  Amen!  Amen!  Amen! 

Psalm 23 ... well-worn and beautiful

 Psalm 23 (King James Version)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 

he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: 

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: 

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: 

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.  Amen.

Beautiful words in the good old, well-worn and outdated King James Version!  Now here is an image, a little commentary and a contemporary version of Psalm 23 from The Voice Bible:  Step into the Story of Scripture.

An image of Psalm 23 (King James’ Version), frontispiece to the 1880 omnibus printing of
The Sunday at Home. Scanned at 800 dpi., Public Domain.

Psalm 23
A song of David.

Commentary in The Voice Bible:  Psalm 23 is the best known and most beloved psalm in the collection. Surprisingly, it casts humanity as sheep— stupid, helpless sheep. But the long-lasting appeal of Psalm 23 is a direct result of that casting because the imagery is both soothing and accessible. When he was a boy, King David was a shepherd watching his father’s flocks in the hills around Bethlehem. In those days, too, it was common to refer to kings in the Near East as shepherds; but not all shepherd-kings cared for their sheep. Though David tried to shepherd his people well, he knew the truth: the Eternal is the true Shepherd. In John 10: 11 Jesus makes a bold claim. He declares that He is the good shepherd.  Immediately His disciples detected the resonance of Psalm 23 in His words. Those of us who follow Jesus today come to know Him as that gentle but strong shepherd who guides us through life if we will follow Him.

The Eternal is my shepherd, 

He cares for me always. 

He provides me rest in rich, 

green fields beside streams of refreshing water. 

He soothes my fears; 

He makes me whole again, 

hard paths to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name. 

Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness, 

I am not overcome by fear. 

Because You are with me in those dark moments, 

near with Your protection and guidance, I am comforted. 

You spread out a table before me, 

provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies; 

You care for all my needs, 

anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil, 

filling my cup again and again with Your grace.

Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision 

will pursue me where I go, always, everywhere.
  I will always be with the Eternal, in Your house forever.

If music is a pathway to God for you, check out this original rendition of  Psalm 23.  Music played, composed, arranged, and vocalized by Gerd Noya. 

You can also take this link and check out my own paraphrased version of Psalm 23 on my Reflection Blog.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd

The 23rd Psalm may be the most popular and well-known Psalm ever.  It is recited at funerals and it is meditated upon when persons are grieving or are going through hard times.   Many people memorized it as they grew up and most people prefer the King James Version because the words are both well worn in the soul and poetic to our listening ear.

Sometimes when we are very familiar with a piece of writing, like a passage of Scripture, we read or recite without really thinking about the words.  We know we love it but we no longer remember why.  One of the ways we can get past this tendency is to use a very different version of the writing.  I invite you to read and pray with Psalm 23 from The Message.  The Message is a contemporary paraphrase written by Eugene Peterson.  It uses a form of translation called functional equivalent, or thought-for-thought.  If it errs, it errs on the side of readability rather than strict accuracy which is not always a bad thing.  

Psalm 23 is attributed to King David who was called to the Kingdom from his vocation as a shepherd.  We can hear in this Psalm young David's experience of God through his early years, wandering and caring for his sheep.


Step 1: Lectio … Reading/Listening

Read  Psalm 23 to yourself twice in a slow and reverent manner.
Listen for the word or phrase that catches your attention.
Silently focus on that word or phrase.
Repeat it several times and allow it to sift through your heart and mind.

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 
   You have bedded me down in lush meadows, 
      you find me quiet pools to drink from. 
   True to your word, 
      you let me catch my breath 
      and send me in the right direction. 


Even when the way goes through 
      Death Valley, 
   I'm not afraid 
      when you walk at my side. 
   Your trusty shepherd's crook 
      makes me feel secure. 


You serve me a six-course dinner 
      right in front of my enemies. 
   You revive my drooping head; 
      my cup brims with blessing. 


Your beauty and love chase after me 
      every day of my life. 
   I'm back home in the house of God 
      for the rest of my life.



Step 2: Meditatio … receiving 
Continue to focus on your word or phrase.
Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings it evokes.
What images emerge in your imagination?
What memories come to your mind?
Ask God to continue to speak to you through this word
Listen for God’s reply as you move through your day

Step 3: Oratio … responding
Consider any desires that have been awakened by your prayer
Perhaps you have found an area of your life that needs attention
Do not rush ... wait and listen as God forms your prayers and desires

Step 4: Contempatio … resting
Allow yourself to rest in the silence.
Allow your mind to settle into the silence.
When you feel the time to move on,

Read the traditional 23rd Psalm from the King James Version to close your time of Prayer and express your gratitude with a simple “thank you” or “Amen.”

Public Domain: mid 3rd Century
S. Callisto catacomb

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


A Spiritual Discipline to Consider:
In The Message, as in any "paraphrase" Eugene Peterson has given us his "version" of the Biblical text.  I have found this to be an excellent way of internalizing the "message" I am getting from what I am reading.   Perhaps you might try your own paraphrase of this beloved text and see if it moves more deeply into your soul.

Take this Link to my Reflection Blog for my paraphrase of the 23rd Psalm ...

Lent 4 A Blind Man: Called to See from a New Perspective

This Blog Post is the gospel excerpt of Week 4 of the Lenten Bible Study I'm writing for Good News Adult Sunday School Class at Ashford United Methodist Church.  We will study this lesson together on April 3 , 2011. 

Today we read the story of a man who was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath.  This particular violation of the Sabbath seemed to cause more controversy with the Pharisees than usual.   In the Scriptures, blindness is equated with spiritual ignorance and a refusal to recognize God.  This still happens today.  Blindness is used by preachers and teachers to embody “sin.”   However, in her book A Healing Homiletic, Kathy Black points out that even if we quite clearly talk of blindness as sin only in a symbolic context, the implication is “that once a person has faith, he or she will see again.”   (58) This can be devastating to someone who is physically blind especially if one feels that if they only had enough faith God would “cure” them of their blindness.  It is important to realize that scripturally-speaking, healing (sozo {sode'-zo}) means wholeness, wellness, and even salvation, but it does not necessarily mean "cure."

What do you think and how do you feel about Black’s statement?

Once again we read John 9:1-41 using the labyrinth as metaphorical study device: Release-Receive-Respond.  Read carefully because just as there are many turns on the labyrinth there are several walkers on the path and many turns in their journey!   

MOSAIC 24 foot labyrinth available for loan or consultation

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.  The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"  Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man."   But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"  He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight."  They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.  Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see."  Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided.  So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet."  The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"  His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner."  He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."  They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"  Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.  We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."  The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.  Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."  They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.  Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him."  Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he."  He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him.  Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind."  Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.  

MOVEMENT INTO: RELEASE … Identify what each of these person or groups of persons must let go of in order to “see.”

Disciples=

Blind Man=

Pharisees=

What do you need to release in order to “see” from a new perspective?

CENTER: RECEIVE … Identify the gift and/or the challenge received from God when the heart is open to “see.”

Disciples=

Blind Man=

Pharisees=

How open is your heart to “see?”  What is the gift or the challenge that you received from your study?

MOVEMENT OUT OF: RESPOND … Identify how each person or group responds to Jesus

Disciples=

Blind Man=

Pharisees=

How will you respond, with specific actions, to the gift or the challenge you have discerned?

This week our reading challenges us to new vision.  We are called to move from one side of the issues to view them from a new perspective.    As you make your way through Lent, consider times when you have found your perceptions to be wrong.  Have you ever had an opinion of someone that proved to be unfounded? 

Consider times when you have found your perceptions to have been inaccurate.  As you look back , think about where you may be noticing God inviting you to deeper reflections and new vision.   As you ponder the possibilities, what will you need to release … to let go of … in order to take the next step in your spiritual journey?    Why not try to find the beauty of a labyrinth to walk with these questions ... God is waiting! 

Perhaps the “call to see from a new perspective” resonates with you but perhaps it doesn’t. If not, how have you been called by God this week?  How have you changed as a result of stepping back to see with new eyes?  

Read Psalm 23 in this contemporary version (CEV) as a Prayerful amen to your study …

You, LORD, are my shepherd.

I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass.

You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life.

You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.

I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won't be afraid.

You are with me, and your shepherd's rod makes me feel safe.

You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch.

You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows.

Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life,

and I will live forever in your house, LORD.  Amen.

If music is a pathway to God for you, watch this video of Mercy Me’s Open the Eyes of My Heart

If art is a pathway to God for you, visit this image by EDY-LEGRAND, Edouard Léon Louis  From François Amiot's and Robert Tamisier's Bible, edited 1950

If you are a visual learner, you might want to watch this clip from The Visual Bible: Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind.