Saturday, January 27, 2007

Pass this post if you don't like reflections


This is my rendition of the window we let people look through to see us. (pretty sad, I know)

Most times, we're zippered up pretty tight.
Very rarely do we let people see our hearts. The flame that is our soul, for those that believe in God.

Yep, I'm talking about faith. Not preaching.
Nope.
Sharing.

Today was our learning as a family and group about the Stations of the Cross. Never really knew much. And I'm not telling you anything about it except to say that at Station 10, Jesus has his clothes taken away. At the event, they had it acted out in REAL LIFE. The guy who played Jesus was... well... yum.
But I digress.

At the moment when they disrobed him, I was struck quite forcefully by the sight.

There was this man, covered head to knee and suddenly, he is standing there with nothing on but the loin wrap.

It made an impact. Once the reinactment was over we were given a task.

We were told to write a "moment of reflection".

We had 20 minutes.

I was inspired. The world faded away. By the time 20 minutes was up, I'd covered the page.
They had spotters in the audience and saw what I was doing ... taking it seriously.

I had to read it aloud to the audience!!!!!

This is what I wrote.

The figurative window through which we allow people to view us is protected.
We hide our vulnerabilities and wear the clothing, demeanor or use societies rules like armor.

When Jesus' clothes were taken from him, it struck like a spear into my own vulnerabilities. They were not just clothes that exposed the body of a man.

It was a ripping away of all that we cover ourselves with that hides our fears, insecurities, failures and guilt.

All is known to the Lord our God, even though we consciously or unconsciously end up forgetting that.

Upon viewing station 10, it forced me to confront my humanness and the fact that I can be just as vulnerable no matter what I say or do.

But Jesus didn't falter. He had the strength of his faith and love from and for his Father.

We too have that love. Even though our faith flectuates as we go through this journey of life, God's love is constant.

We need times of reflection to remember that being vulnerable is nothing to hide or be ashamed of.

Jesus experienced the ultimate exposure. He did it for us. For love of us.

Can we do no less?
*****************************************

There was no time to edit. No time to proof read. Heck, when they nominated me, I hadn't even written the last two lines. Talk about finishing deadlines!

Afterwards, I got two thumbs up from the Deacon. Guess I did OK. I 've never written anything for public presentation, and I wasn't this time. But I'm glad it ended up being this way because it proved something to me.

I CAN write!

6 comments:

Brandy said...

Beautiful, just beautiful. And I already knew you could write.

Michele said...

Thanks, Brandy!

Dru said...

Well said! Wow!

Michele said...

Thank you very much, Dru for reading this! Thanks too for the compliment.

Bev said...

Michele, I found your blog from a link on Jason's (Clarity of Night).

I was very touched by this post.

Not only did you write beautifully, but the spiritual message was very powerful as well. Oh to be in a parish with such vision!

I'll be back to read more of your blog.

Michele said...

Bev!

Thank you so much for visiting!! And I really appreciate your taking the time to read my post.
I wish I could say that my blog is always so insightful, but I'd be puffing in the wind. I'm more a fluffy type but every now and again, I do share things that mean a lot to me. Like the veteran who had no one except us to remember him as he was laid to rest or my SOAP box on food allergies.

That's a favorite thing with me ..sharing the many aspects of life.

I'm glad I was able to share this post with you.

HUGS!

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