Beginner's Mind - Open Heart

As soon as we think we can define the divine the divine turns up in our life in a different and confounding way! Or so it seems to me and many of us I suspect. (Sixth Sunday after Pentecost. Proper 9 [14] Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30.) We come to worship God as Creator and the divine shows up as lover leaping and enticing us somewhere different. We recognise the divine as king and he comes on a donkey not a war-horse. We see the holy messenger who does not drink nor eat more than survival requires and we think he has a demon but then are offended by a Messiah who eats and drinks and enjoys the company of the dubious.

Sentence:

Jesus said: “I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” Matthew 11:25-26

Collect:

Gracious God,

you have made us with love for the purposes of love and desire us to be in communion with you.

Help us to open our minds and hearts that we might receive your healing love and wisdom and be open to the gifts and needs of all your people.

This we pray in the name of Creator, Word and Spirit. Amen.

Reflection:

God is always more than we can define or even imagine. That doesn’t stop us from thinking, wrestling, exploring and seeking to share with one another what we have discerned but we should always do so with great humility, awe and openness to the more of God!

But it is not only that we are a little dull and slow of mind to discern the divine. It seems that the divine takes delight in turning up in strange and ordinary places and situations, like quicksilver not staying neatly in the images or creeds in which we seek to tame and explain God. Which means our spiritual search takes a life time at least. And we must be wise in the most innocent and open of ways – like children, like perennial beginners.

In the Hebrew scriptures this week we have both the powerful tale of Isaac’s servant finding Rebekah for him and their first glimpse of one another and then the erotic imagery of Song of Solomon. We have these enticing images of desire and union that speak to our human desire for connection and our desire for union with the divine.

You may like to read what I wrote a few years ago about desire.

Desire

Talk of desire can be very uncomfortable in Christian circles – or any circles for that matter. And in an age of overconsumption, insidious pornography, destructive pursuit of external perfection, and sexual misconduct in the church and other social institutions of supposed integrity and wisdom, it is understandable that we are cautious about the language of desire. Maybe if we were more comfortable in using erotic language for the spiritual life we would not be so tempted to inappropriately place our desires upon our fellow companions – children and adults with whom we do not have respectful relationships.

The prophet Zechariah, speaking in the years after the return from exile when the chosen people were still oppressed to a large extent by Persian kings and rulers, speaks into the hopes and fears of the people that a king shall come but not the mighty warrior that they are hoping for. Rather a leader who brings peace and breaks the means for war.

And into this tradition Jesus comes confounding and confusing those who knew him. His healings and teachings bring recognition and admiration but he enjoys the poor and disreputable way too much. He cannot easily be defined or categorized – then or now. Always we need to step back into the innocent naïve enquiring mind and heart to understand what is being shown to us and asked of us.

Paul seems to understand that knowledge and good intention alone does not get us where we need to be in the spiritual life. Rather it is Jesus – his life of teaching, healing and loving us through life, death and into new life – who saves us from our own ignorance and failure. And Jesus says that we need to be a child to accept what he has to offer. By which I wonder if he meant openness, hungry, curious, playful, no prior understandings to get in the way. The spiritual life, the getting of wisdom, requires us to again and again surrender to the beginners’ mind and the open heart of a child.

Intercessions:

Creator God,

You have loved all things into being

Open our hearts and minds, our ears and eyes that we might discern your presence throughout your world and hear the cry of your wounded ones.

we pray for all who seek to lead and serve and we pray protection and strength for all who bring comfort and relief to those who suffer.

We particularly pray for … those trapped in war, poverty, places of disaster …

Creator God,

Hera our prayer.

Jesus, your Beloved Son,

Who took into his humble flesh the joy and pain of human life,

We give you thanks for his love which infused the most humble of lives with healing, forgiveness and purpose.

May we live inspired by his example and teaching and bring his wisdom and grace to bear wherever there is hatred or fear.

We particularly pray for those who struggle and despair, may they come to know hope and peace … especially those who suffer illness, addiction, loneliness, grief …

Jesus our Saviour and Companion,

Hear our prayer.

Spirit of love and liveliness,

Come inspire and infuse us with creativity and longing for your kingdom here on earth.

May we know the joy or worship, the wisdom of compassion, and the purposefulness of service here in our church and in our lives.

We particularly pray for those who serve by leading and teaching, and those who live faithfully until the end of their days wearing the yoke of ministry in your name.

Spirit of love and liveliness,

Hear our prayer.

Living God,

Creator, Beloved and Spirit of love and life,

Call us further into the love out of which all was created until we are as wise as children. Amen.

This is my work informed by all that I have heard, read and experienced. I am indebted to the wisdom of others.