Sunday, December 10, 2023

2023.12.10 Advent II. What's The Hurry? Lyn G. Brakeman, Spiritual Lemons, blog post, 12/2/23


When you read the Gospel of Mark, it becomes obvious that this evangelist, the first one to advertise, in the town square so to speak, that he’d met the Messiah, the one God promised, the one we’ve all been waiting for RIGHT HERE NOW. Where? 


There is no doubt that this Jesus was, and still is, a presence to follow. It’s much much more than everyone becoming a Christian. NO, this urgency goes to the root of longing in all creation to begin anew to LISTEN with care to all voices. YES, ALL. It’s urgent! WE should listen and follow NOW. The Hebrew translation of the word radaph the word Jesus used in John’s gospel when he urged his disciples to FOLLOW. It doesn’t mean meander or dawdle, or, for God’s sake fight!! 

 

Listen to this Baptist guy. He seems to have caught the urgency. 

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So as I look out my window daily I watch the language of nature and take special note of squirrels. As a child I loved to watch the squirrels dash about in Central Park where I too played, skipped, and hid. 

  











Squirrels are the best icon of, yes, Holy Spirit Divinity!  They dash, stop dead in their tracks, hop, prance, chase, curl up in balls, nest quietly, chatter and crunch nuts faster than thought possible. Squirrels are mostly gray but they also come in albino white and black.They are urban and beyond. Squirrels are omnipresent, ubiquitous, speedy, adaptable, camouflage-able, fearless, vulnerable, mood-versatile, uncontainable, and fascinatingly mysterious. They are vociferous, insistent, never give up, and utterly true to their mission to BE.  

2 comments:

Lyn G. Brakeman said...

Plus they can keep their tails up along their backbones to keep them warm and STRONG!

(comment from a wise friend, well informed about all things Nature!)

Laurie said...

YES YES YES. I too often look to nature for wonderful ways of seeing and engaging with all creation. Not humanity. Squirrels are an incredible part of creation. watching their agility and determination is awesome. They don't seem to need reminding to pay attention. In their darting about they are also mindful to stop watch listen and assess before darting off yet again. I can close my eyes and see the Holy Spirit in that squirrel care taking her needs and the needs of the created order. The wonder of it all is that glimpses of God's loving power everywhere. Just look