September 19
Beloved of Good Shepherd Church,
Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
“If you’ll hold still I can get the splinter out, no problem.” I said to my 3 year old daughter. “Sweetheart, if you don’t hold still I can’t help you.”
Through tears she said, “No daddy, no, it will hurt.”
In one way or another all parents have been there. There is an easy task, so simple, that you could do to help your child. It’ll take no time and it will be painless if they’ll just hold still. But if they don’t hold still it is literally impossible to remove the splinter from the bottom of their little foot. They need to assume a posture that makes it possible for you to get at the splinter, then you can easily remove it with a pair of tweezers. They don’t have to do any work at all; they just have to let go of their fear, trust you, and consent to being helped.
The meditation method called Centering Prayer works in the same way. God is always present and eager to help and hold you, but folks like me are rarely still. In Centering Prayer we intentionally hold a still and quiet inner posture of consent that makes us receptive to what Fr. Thomas Keating calls the Divine Therapy. In the silence we rest with God who, over time, heals what hurts us. You are welcome to join our Centering Prayer groups at Good Shepherd anytime. We meet on Monday evenings and Thursday mornings. Click the Contemplation button on our website homepage to learn more. All are welcome!
I am excited to let you know that we are going to hold another Silent Retreat at Good Shepherd on Saturday, November 9th. My friend, The Reverend Tom Ward, will be our guest and co-leader for the retreat. You can find out more and register to attend by clicking HERE.
Finally, I am also excited to share with you the news that our new Assistant to the Rector, The Reverend Emily Badgett, is arriving at Good Shepherd soon! Her first day in the office is Wednesday, September 25th and her first Sunday with us is Sunday, September 29th. Welcome Emily!
Remember this always - God loves you, and I love you too!
Love is all,
Hendree+