Perhaps it is good to start this post with a link to Miriam Ezagui on Instagram. Miriam is an Orthodox Jew who takes the time to explain the beauty of her faith, religion and religious practice. As a Catholic I appreciate her faith, and religious practice deeply and appreciate it for so many reasons. To grow in understanding is to grow in connection and in this it is a deeper connection to faith, to God, to the beauty and dignity of femininity and womanhood.
Prayer is sometimes a really weird thing drawing me both deeper into the life of Christ and at the same time out of sync with the season we’re in. We’re in Easter, right, ostensibly preparing for to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And yet these weeks in the Spiritual Exercises continue to focus on the Paschal Mystery.
The Spiritual Exercises ask you to take a different look at entering the story of Salvation, to enter in bodily using your senses to see, hear, touch, taste, and feel what’s going on in this particular Scripture. I’ve shared some of this with you and will continue to do so. Sometimes, often, this goes unexpected directions permitting me to notice conversations, or experiences, or people who I perceived as either “minor” players – seemingly there for dramatic effect or not (and this stings a bit) not important. You see why this stings right, because in some way this bit diminished my own story and the stories of so many others and stops me from seeing some really beautiful, deep, declarations of faith and love of Jesus. At some point I’ll share with you the experience of one of the Roman Soldiers who flogged Jesus, and crowned him with thorns. Ouch. Taking on being one of those soldiers, whose actual job is to flog people, is to Do this isn’t as easy as it sounds. As I type I’m having a difficult time getting the words out, pausing now and again to both wince, and gather my words. I almost titled this post, “Just Doing my Job” but couldn’t quite bring myself to do that and while I’d like to think this is obvious – even writing those words in the journal over and again as I pondered mocking Jesus, causing him pain from the disrobing, wrapping him in the heavy military robe, smacking him, taking the cloak off him again, reclothing him and sending him back to Pilate. At one moment Jesus looked deeply into the soldiers eyes with compassion and LOVE. Not the all feel, gushy – kum by yah – belly warming – hubba hubba -kind of love, but the nitty gritty, this is hard, I will stay by your side no matter what happens, you are my ride or die LOVE. That. Was. Hard.
Sometimes too it’s hard to quilt. this is the third or fourth life season I’ve gone through where doing quilting is hard. Where I walk into the sewing room and walk right back out. Where showing up is painful. And then on top of all of this I got sick this week when I was planning to both quilt and record another episode of the Book Report. The timing is right to discover all the things I’m allergic to in Central Texas. I gotta say this is rough, And I’m putting on my calendar mid-September and mid-March to start taking allergy medication. The one that works for me and doesn’t cause nightmares. And it has to be a one-two kickaroo, where I take the meds and the sinus spray because they work together like a facepalm and “duh!”
Fast forward, I’ve managed to record two episodes of the book report, write two blog posts on TerifiCreations and will post a third today or tomorrow. Guitar practice is a little slow I can though feel a difference in my fingers going from note to note. There are moments when I wish I could hold a pick in my fingers, just the same way I really wanted to use a thimble for so many years while hand quilting. It took trying a lot of thimbles to find the right one and I’ve had my eye on a couple of picks to try them out. It’s worth getting one that feels right in the hand ya know.
I’m also in the final weeks of this book, The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life by Kevin O’Brien. As with so many books that I enjoy nearing the end is like saying goodbye to a companion I’ve grown to enjoy and yet I know that this style of prayer will continue, that there are other companions waiting for me, and that this is leading me to something that I need prayers for, particularly since I will need to pay for something and am trying to figure out how to do so.
Here we are at Pentecost Eve, waiting to celebrate the beauty that is the release of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Breathed on those gathered in the upper room. He Breathed. Reminiscent of the Creation story in Genesis. Our Lord is renewing the face of the earth and how we desire it would catch fire!
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful Enkindle in us the fire of your Love. Send forth your spirit and we shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.
May the Lord give you the gift of the Holy Spirit!
Teri
A Quilter's Heart 