The Miracle of a Day

"It is the gift of the artist to bring this to us one and all, an ordinary spring day!"

Ordinary Day

Sung by Sarah Mclachlan

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Its not that usual when everything is beautiful
Its just another ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when its time to snow
You don't need to teach a seed to grow
Its just another ordinary miracle today...

Birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
Its just another ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don't throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
Cause we are all a part
Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle
Do you want to see a miracle?

Its seems so exceptional
Things just work out after all...

Its just another ordinary miracle today

Here in the northern  hemisphere, at least, there are the definite signs of spring. Even after what, in some parts, has been a mild winter, the grass lightly green, there are still those definitive signs that the season is changing. Around us, the frogs emerging up from their muddy sleep are singing once more; birds, doves, Red Wing blackbirds, and all the native songsters are returning; they drill the morning air with arias of delight.

 The earlier light warms and wakes the trees; their beauty and delight is glistening, renewed for some and the misery of allergies for others; still we marvel, like the lyrics of this song, to what seems to be 'an ordinary miracle today.' Writing about art and spiritual matters, Thomas Merton writes "One of the most neglected areas... is the ability to see the value and the beauty of ordinary things, to come alive to the splendor that is all around us... " It is the gift of the artist to bring this to us one and all, an ordinary spring day!

Food and the Politics of Eating

Eat this Bread  by the Taize Community, France
CHANTED: "Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to him and never be hungry;

Eat this bread, drink this cup, trust in him and you will never thirst."

This song, a very simple chant to be sung during meditation calls our mind to a basic human need and desire, to be fed.Yet it isn't always so simple. We presume because we have enough others must too, and often they do. Except when they do not. But, doesn't the world produce more than enough to feed one and all. Well, yes it does, but no, it doesn't feed all. They call it food politics. In food politics a very complicated and messy issue becomes more obviously an issue of social justice, of equity and parity for all.

We all have a right to clean water and healthful food the world over, no matter what our status, but not all have the income or the access to obtain what they need, or they cannot produce it themselves. In my simple world there is a place in the country with a garden, an orchard, some livestock, and maybe some chickens-- all on a few acres. Producing good, organic foods for family consumption is as old as the Bible. True enough, but what if you produce food to sell your excess, or produce strictly for sale. Who do you sell to, what is their income and personal resources? Do you sell so that everyone comes to the sale on equal ground, with equal footing. Can the rich man pay the price for home grown, organic foods? Most likely he can and purchases what he chooses. Can that same seller afford to sell to the economically disadvantaged? Can they give to a monk in his begging bowl? Moreover, will the seller even consider to do this?

On a world scale, there is said to be enough land and food production to feed the world, yet millions go hungry. How can this be? Again enter food politics. Control and access to food stores is an old tool, and an ancient weapon. Political factions, party alignments, political will and might often conspire acting together, producing man-made hunger and famine. Again it's as old as the Bible. One group favors or disfavors another and in food politics, very often the losers starve. There seems to be no easy answer to a wide spread problem. And it happens in our backyard, in our town too. Everyday.

Starting New Traditions

Song of Saint Nicholas

by J.M Rosenthal

Listen here to this and other St. Nicholas songs

Children everywhere agree

Each December now to be

Ready, eager, all to greet

The great saint we wait to meet.

Bearing gifts, he first recalls

If we have been good at all,

In our work, at home or play

All before St Nicholas day.

With his helpers at his side,

Celebrating far and wide,

He's the real Santa Claus,

Hail our kind St Nicholas

Now he leads us one and all

To the Christmas manger stall

Sees the babe, he bows the knee

For the prince of peace—tis he!

So in Myra stories told

His great love, his actions bold,

Pilgrims now to Bari go

So the legends all may know.

Now the day of joy and fun

Ole St Nick, his work is done,

Says goodbye to young and old

By whom still his tales are told.

There are many traditions to share with one another at this season, some old, some new enough to be rediscovered! Recollecting the date, December 6th is the feast of Saint Nicholas of Bari, the Simple Mind writes a bit about this personage. More often called Saint Nicholas of Myra or more often, Santa Claus was indeed a real person. As a saint of the Church and a most highly favored saint of Greek Orthodoxy, he is also  revered in Russia, to mention a few places. Little is known of his earliest years, but he was said to have been born about 460 or 480 AD in Patara, he was highly influenced by the teachings of another saint, Saint Augustine of Hippo; he was so moved that he became one of their community. Later he was made bishop of the ancient diocese of Myra, Asia Minor, today part of Turkey. Tracing the life of this saint proves to be an interesting travel itinerary.

He is attributed with several characteristics: he taught the Christian gospel vigorously, like the good shepherd and was imprisoned during  persecutions of Diocletian. Specifically, Roman Emperor Diocletian rescinded the legal rights of Christians and demanded that they observe traditional Roman religious practice. Freed from prison by Emperor Constantine, Nicholas was said to have been present at the Council of Nicaea held in 325 AD in Alexandria, Egypt. Later as Bishop, he worked to save the lives of three men, is said to be the saint of children, sailors, to have encouraged the active practice of Charity as taught by the Christ, to love one another. This was remarkable in his world where an eye for an eye reigned supreme. He died at Myra and was buried within his Cathedral.

This December, learn about the Saint, share in his practice and make the holiday bright. Today we offer treats and chocolates to one another and observe many other customs inspired by Saint Nicholas. Exchanging gifts is one practice recalling the birth of the Christ child that is also attributed to Saint Nicholas.

Pride, Stronger than Love?

Love Stronger Than Pride

by Sade Adu, 1988

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I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride

I still really love you

`Sitting here wasting my time

would be like

waiting for the sun to rise

It's all too clear

things come and go

Sitting here waiting for you

would be like waiting for winter

It's gonna be cold

There may even

be snow
 
I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride...

For those who choose to remain in the way of faith, conventional wisdom in the light appears foolish; the opposite may, however, also be true: in the glare of conventional wisdom, the love story that is the Christ becomes foolishness. Most people live conventional lives. They do not see a role as artists, seers or poets; they do not heed a call as co-Creators. Accepting this as our role, we, as it is said, 'take up our cross', living a life that is quite often counter cultural. It is a life that values creation and all things made, natural to the world; a life of love and spirit. The disciple John writes, "Do not work for the food that perishes." (John 6:27)

So like the words written above by the artist Sade, where we find our heart, there is where our treasures lie. Intimately, the words direct us perhaps to another place, one not originally intended, but still we arrive-- and it is the right place-- even if we had not known it before. Sometimes, we're just obstinate, until faith intervenes. We are reminded that in love we do, we really do live in a community. There is someone nearby to ask, to call, to rely upon.

Yet to receive, we need to ask and to ask exposes us as part of a community. If we seek only to receive and not to give, "sitting here waiting for you... wasting my time..." because you will not, or perhaps refuse to, ever return the gift, then the words of the Christ would have a very different meaning. A gift would not be a gift. Who would there be to receive it? Who would have gifts at all? Only when givers are also willing to be receivers does the community come alive; only then does the community animate with faith, with love, with trust. I still really love you. Love is stronger than pride.

Wings of Love

Seasons Change

Expose

Listen Here

Some dreams, are in the night time 

And some seem like yesterday 

But leaves turn brown and fade 

Ships sail away 

You long to say a thousand words but 

Seasons Change. 

It feels, like it's forever 

No reason for emptiness 

But time just runs away 

No more day by day, 

You dream and yearn and see the day when 

Seasons Change 

I want you 

I want to feel you by my side 

I need you 

Don't you know I need you baby 

Seasons change 

Feelings change 

It's been so long 

I've found you yet it seems like yesterday 

Seasons change 

People change... 

Belief slips away 

The wings of love they come away and 

Seasons change... 

People change- people change

Seasons change. I heard this one on the radio the other day. It has been such a long time. It was a big hit in 1988 for a girl group from the Bronx, New York. Sometimes we think when we get older, people change; they do, or do we become more experienced, more aware? 

There is "no reason for emptiness" as the lyric goes, unless we ourself withhold what is vital in every life. The most creative, life giving and strongest sense that we're alive in this and every moment is doing what matters to us; living our loves and being the truth that we are. People do change. We grow into what we might become, or not.

I saw an interesting U Tube video in which the composer of the piece surmising that the idea of good vs bad is predetermined, or pre-attracted; that we in fact have a weight around us dragging our destiny and that there is not free will, there is not anything else. The person called this "Abraham." And ultimately this person rejects this idea of the "law of attraction' because, as he notes, what about illness, what about anything in life-- can we, and do we alone, possess the ability by simple attraction to alter events?--seasons change.

Jumping in

Into the Fire

 by Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band

Listen Here

The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

Refrain:

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

You gave your love to see in fields of red and autumn brown
You gave your love to me and lay your young body down
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need you near but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

It was dark, too dark to see, you held me in the light you gave
You lay your hand on me
Then walked into the darkness of your smoky grave
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs into the fire

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

May your love give us love

We all have hopes; we all dream. For some our hopes become aspirations; for others hope becomes a bitter reminder of what we do not yet possess. Springsteen writes in this song that even after the devastation, even after the fire there is still faith, hope and love. He writes it almost like a psalm: may your hope give us love; may your strength give us strength; may your faith give us faith.

What's more he writes, 'Even when it's too dark to see; you gave your love to see...' There's those beatitudes again: I was sick and you cared for me; I was weak and you held me up; I was hungry and you fed me; I was naked and you clothed me. Give me strength always to forge on--into the fire of life and of love. Amen.

Coming to the Simple

We Are One in the Spirit
lyrics by Jason Upton

We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit

We are one in the Lord

two of several verses:

We will walk with each other

We will walk hand in hand

We will walk with each other

We will walk hand in hand

And together we’ll spread the news

That God is in our land

We will work with each other

We will work side by side

We will work with each other

We will work side by side

And we’ll guard each man’s dignity

And save each man’s pride

This song often sung as a chant in meditation is so simple yet powerful as a reminder of the Oneness of life, one in spirit, one in the Lord, walking hand in hand, working side by side, saving, respecting a man's dignity. As a younger person, though, I had not yet learned this chant, nor entered into anything like it; I did come to learn of the Oneness, quite by accident.

While in college there were the required studies that every student selected from to complete their degree, no matter what their major. Many disdained these classes and I wasn't always too enthusiastic either; one semester, I was short a required study area course; already having taken art history, music literature and drama studies. Well now, what was left? There was in the catalog another course previously avoided. It was a five hour class that met every afternoon, five times a week. That meant lots of work; yet without another better alternative, I took it.

It was a survey course in the Humanities. Tons of reading, short writings and study, but quickly I came to love it. And I came to appreciate the interconnections of our lives; that in some way, somehow we are one, even if we don't always consciously recognize or see it in our own daily travels. I was hooked and have remained with a passion for humanities ever since. Humanities I can say is the study of man and his works. It was been a great good in my life to recognize everything as diverse as Chaucer and Hamlet to The Rites of Spring to the Political movements of the 20th century and the history or philosophy of antiquity have meaning and relevance still, if we can see that; I see it as a good and I am well. We cannot forget those who in the next and coming century, those in want or those in loss when we have a clear view from the past to the present. This makes a way for what comes next.

We Three Kings of Orient Are

The quest of the Magi: " who having heard the king, went their way. And behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." --Mathew 2:9-10

We Three Kings of Orient Are

We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

refrain:
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light...

Are we not often questing, looking for something, even if we don't think carefully about it? Observing daily rhythms, noticing what brings us our centered, peaceful feelings; often it is in the process, the search or quest that we find ourselves, in simple absorption of the task. The bible story tells us that the star itself moved! Astounding if so, valuable as a symbol; it has the possibility to inspire and guide us in our daily coming and going.

One other thing: did you, like me, perhaps think the Magi were wise, noble men?
They came from the East. Were they Zoroastrians, were they Kings? What about astronomy as told in the story? The ancients of biblical times celebrated the astral glories as creations of G-d; in these glories were all others, like the glory of creation, of man himself. The response to such a moment was awe and delight. In the Book of Job, astronomy does make a pronounced appearance. But no clear or distinct identity of the Magi is given in the Torah or in the later stories of the christian bible.
And despite their obscure, true identity, their act of worship, of reverence to a new life, a small, undistinguished child,  marks them as both humble and simple; both great and wise. We follow then, that star still.