Dear Group Leaders and Friends in Christian Meditation,
At the church I attend, we are taking time during Lent to create rules of life. This process is meant to be a vehicle to grow in our spiritual lives. For me, this is helpful because so often with our relationship with God, like all our relationships, it is just easier to go with the flow. We can forget the intentionality that helps to flourish relationships. I am sure that we all desire that our relationships with friends and beloveds flourish rather than flounder.
I am thinking of what Father Laurence has often taught: we pay attention to that which we love. Our relationship with our God, who is our Father and Mother, needs attention and intentionality to make it a priority. Yet, our lives get busy and it can be easy to forget about God. The gift in God’s loving nature is that God is always waiting for us.
It brings to mind the story of the prodigal son that many of us listened to in church this weekend. It is found in Luke, Chapter 15. Luke tells us that the father, at the sight of his son, ran to meet him. Scripture scholars tell us that in the culture of that time, men of a certain social status would not have run, considering it undignified. The father in the story, of course, is God. What Luke is showing us is that God will take every opportunity to share His life with us.
I’ve been considering my own rule of life for some time, particularly in relation to my life as a Christian meditator. Meditation has held a central place in my life for almost 22 years. It has been my time of refuge in times of challenge and moments of joy. I don’t know where I would be spiritually, emotionally and even physically without the gift of meditation. The mantra has sustained me through so much. The practice and the community have been my support and my companion in faith.
That is one of the reasons that I have begun the journey of oblation with the World Community for Christian Meditation. I began as an oblate novitiate, which is at least one year, on February 19th. It was a gift to be welcomed into the novitiate along with my friend and partner in our monthly compline and meditation, Bill Hobbs. During our zoom oblate cell meeting, we were joined in prayer with friends new and old–including Father Laurence. That evening was a reminder that oblation isn’t a prize for being a perfect meditator. We all know how imperfectly each of us meditates. Oblation is an intentionality to live a life as a meditator and do our best to live the Rule of St. Benedict in a way that recognizes that we are beginners on the way to the Kingdom of God. We are seekers for God who realize that God seeks us out first.
At the conclusion of the novitiate entrance, Father Laurence and my mentor, Greg Ryan, reminisced about the Montreal Priory which was initiated by Father John Main and Father Laurence Freeman. The priory eventually closed but in time gave birth to the WCCM. Greg Ryan shared wisdom for the oblate life that Father John imparted to Greg. The life of an oblate ought to include twice daily meditation, reading the daily Gospel, praying at least a small part of morning prayer or evening prayer which is found in the Catholic breviary and the Book of Common Prayer in the Episcopal Church and reading a section of the Rule of St. Benedict. This last part connects it all for me and reminds me why I would even think of creating a rule of life for myself: to love as deeply as possible in God’s presence. Our God, Father and Mother, has called us to God’s self and shown us the path of life through our brother, Jesus, and given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide and nurture us every day. This is true wisdom for every meditator.
May God bless you as we move along the Lenten journey to Resurrection Day!
Warmly,
Kevin
