On Christmas eve, during the worship service, my congregation made tiny boxes filled with blessings for one another.
I did not make one, but one of them must have made more than one, because when the service was over and everyone had left, one box remained for me.
"MAY YOU FIND LAUGHTER"
There is probably no blessing that could feel more welcome to my heart right now than this. It never would have occurred to me to ask for it, and yet here it is, my heart’s longing, on a tiny strip of paper on my fridge, boldly announcing itself to me whenever I walk by. I have been so serious and anxious these two years. I long for an unclenching. I crave laughter.
Today I read these words about Meister Ekhart (1260-1328): “Eckhart taught the simple power of letting go and letting be. To let go is no easy task. But in any loving relationship, as we see in the Trinity, such a surrendering of unneeded boundaries is the source of joy. Eckhart puts it this way:
. . . the Father laughs
and gives birth to the Son.
The Son laughs back at the Father
and gives birth to the Spirit.
The whole Trinity laughs
and gives birth to us.
Matthew Fox writes that ‘laughter may well be the ultimate act of letting go and letting be: the music of the divine cosmos. For in the core of the Trinity laughing and birthing go on all day long.’ For Eckhart, heaven is now. We are invited to participate in the eternal flow of Trinity here, in this lifetime. The only thing keeping us from God and heaven is the ultimate and damning lie that we have ever been separate from God.” (James Finley)
Today I am savoring these words: surrendering unneeded boundaries.
There is probably no blessing that could feel more welcome to my heart right now than this. It never would have occurred to me to ask for it, and yet here it is, my heart’s longing, on a tiny strip of paper on my fridge, boldly announcing itself to me whenever I walk by. I have been so serious and anxious these two years. I long for an unclenching. I crave laughter.
Today I read these words about Meister Ekhart (1260-1328): “Eckhart taught the simple power of letting go and letting be. To let go is no easy task. But in any loving relationship, as we see in the Trinity, such a surrendering of unneeded boundaries is the source of joy. Eckhart puts it this way:
. . . the Father laughs
and gives birth to the Son.
The Son laughs back at the Father
and gives birth to the Spirit.
The whole Trinity laughs
and gives birth to us.
Matthew Fox writes that ‘laughter may well be the ultimate act of letting go and letting be: the music of the divine cosmos. For in the core of the Trinity laughing and birthing go on all day long.’ For Eckhart, heaven is now. We are invited to participate in the eternal flow of Trinity here, in this lifetime. The only thing keeping us from God and heaven is the ultimate and damning lie that we have ever been separate from God.” (James Finley)
Today I am savoring these words: surrendering unneeded boundaries.
What boundaries do I put up that don’t need to be there? How have I been guarding myself unnecessarily these many months? What gift lies waiting for me in the surrender?
Today I am contemplating the whole universe coming to be out of laughter, laughter as the music of the divine cosmos. Laughter as creation, as life spilling over and out of God, laughter as the invitation into life. Perhaps what the startled shepherds heard that night God came into this life with us was the angels laughing.
To be clear: I don’t want derisive laughter, brittle laughter, weary smiles, sarcastic smirks, or smug chuckles. I want freedom. Guard down, opened up, connection and joy LAUGHTER. I want the music of the cosmos.
So to whoever left me that blessing on Christmas Eve, thank you.
Today I am contemplating the whole universe coming to be out of laughter, laughter as the music of the divine cosmos. Laughter as creation, as life spilling over and out of God, laughter as the invitation into life. Perhaps what the startled shepherds heard that night God came into this life with us was the angels laughing.
To be clear: I don’t want derisive laughter, brittle laughter, weary smiles, sarcastic smirks, or smug chuckles. I want freedom. Guard down, opened up, connection and joy LAUGHTER. I want the music of the cosmos.
So to whoever left me that blessing on Christmas Eve, thank you.
And to you too:
MAY YOU FIND LAUGHTER.
MAY YOU FIND LAUGHTER.
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