Category Archives: COVID-19

Building Resilience through Contemplative Prayer

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Gooseberry Beach along Lake Superior

As winter approaches and the Covid-19 pandemic continues, dread can enter our hearts and minds.  Though the arrival of a Covid-19 vaccine(s) is highly probable it will still be late spring or summer before the necessary percentage of the population has been vaccination to ease the pandemic.   Many of us are suffering from “pandemic fatigue” or even “pandemic anger.”  We want (or demand) that the social restrictions be lifted so we can get back to “normal.”  But humans are not controlling this pandemic – the virus is.

Though at times my faith wavers, I trust that God is greater than the virus and that God will bring forth good from that time of suffering.  We know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).  I seek to love God  and neighbor in midst of our shared trial.  

As a society we are learning how to live with the virus.  New medical treatments are being developed to treat those afflicted with the virus.  New behaviors, like keeping social distance, wearing face masks, washing hands, and avoiding large indoor crowds help reduce its transmission.   Old practices like phone calls, exercise and prayer help us maintain hope in the midst of the challenging time.  Particularly the spiritual practice of contemplative prayer can be most beneficial in helping one to quiet the reactive thoughts and emotions that can overwhelm us at times.

Contemplative prayer has a rich and broad history within the Christian tradition.  The heart of contemplative prayer is simply being with God.   Various spiritual practices seek to open our hearts and minds to the indwelling love of God.    For example, you can use the power of imagination in order to visualize or experience the stories of the Bible as your own story, such as imagining yourself as one of  the two sons in Jesus parable in Luke 15.  Another is the daily practice of gratitude which invites you to set aside time to give thanks to God for the many blessing you have receive.  These are but two of many spiritual practices.

The contemplative spiritual practice that I have embraced is Centering Prayer. I have written about on my blog here and here.   Centering Prayer is a method designed to prepare our minds and hearts to receive the gift of God’s gracious presence. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer; rather it casts a new light on them.  The twenty minutes of silence teaches me to Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). Centering Prayer is also called the Prayer of Consent, in which we let go of our own thoughts, reactions, desires and feelings, so that God may commune with us.  We let go, to let God.    Learning to let go has strengthen my resilience and patience during this year of Covid-19.

The Guidelines of Centering Prayer

  1. Choose a sacred word or a sacred breath as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.
  2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
  3. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so- gently to the sacred word. Thoughts include body sensations, feelings, images, and reflections.
  4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

 I will be co-teaching a four week Introduction to Centering Prayer (on Zoom), beginning Tuesday, November 10th from 9-10:30am.  Rev. Luna Gebbengreen will be co-facilitating with me. The class is open to anyone who wants to learn how to start their own practice of Centering Prayer.  Further information and registration are at minnesotacontemplativeoutreach.org/enrichment

ALL THINGS

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Wedding Plaque

All things work together for good, Romans 8:28

Above the desk in my small home office is the above plaque. It was a wedding gift that has followed me for 40 years.  The scripture has a provocative message in the season of Covid-19: that something good is being birthed.

At present, most of us see only the pain, the disruption, the uncertain chaos surrounding us during the pandemic.  We feel only the fear and anxiety that the suffering evokes.  We are trapped by endless loops of mental agitation that bounce around in our brains.  We yearn for physical and emotional connections that has been stifled as our society seeks ways to stop the spread of the pandemic.  We hate this disruption and we long to return to normal.

Yet St. Paul makes a radical declaration for us to consider.  He states, in a matter-of-fact-way, WE KNOW that God is at work in ALL THINGS.  And ALL THINGS includes a COVID-19 pandemic.   And that the ALL THINGS works together for GOOD.  God is not out to punish us or afflict us.  God is working to bring GOOD to God’s children , TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD.

Could this chaotic, fearful, stressful, lonely time be a birthing process to something new?  Some good that God wants you and I to experience in the depth of our being?   A wake-up call to the reality of God’s abiding, loving presence in ALL THINGS?

Earlier in the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul writes about the groaning of new birth.  We know (again that common knowledge) that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pain until now; and not only the creation, but we are ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait adoption, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:22-23).

God is birthing something new during this season.  Something that pushes us deeper into the reality of God’s abiding love and grace.   Such “knowledge” does not remove the pain and suffering, but it can bring hope and meaning as we awaken to God’s abiding purpose “to work all things together for good.”

Perhaps this is the promise of God to which we need to cling.

Work and Wait

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man wearing blue scrub suit and mask sitting on bench

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com

The Divide

Right now there is a tremendous divide in our nation as together we face the COVID-19  pandemic.  Those who work and those who wait.

The Essential Work

Many millions of people are overwhelmed and overworked: doctors, nurses, and other health care workers; public health officials and scientists, government leaders and grocery clerks, mask producers and delivery drivers. A member of my congregation cleans the local hospital’s ICU and she is worried and burdened by the challenges she sees.  They are our front-line workers in the desperate battle to mitigate and eventually end the pandemic.

They need our prayers and unwavering support.

Almighty God, we call out to you for help.  Your children are being overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bring strength, compassion, and hope to all who are working day and night to stop this pandemic. Guide our leaders with your wisdom.  Empower the nations to work together.   We cannot do this without your grace and power.  Amen.

The Essential Wait

Yet as millions work and work to find a way through this pandemic, tens of millions are at home not sure what to do.  I am writing this post primarily for those who are staying home, waiting for the pandemic to pass,    And waiting is so hard.

As Americans we hate to wait.  Our culture values action, doing, and productivity.   We are measured by what we accomplish.    We become restless if we don’t have something to do.   We want instant gratification and satisfaction.  We hate to wait.

But now so many must wait.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this is our opportunity to learn how to wait?  How to simply be?

Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.  (Isaiah 40:31)

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

Be still and know that I am God.  (Psalm 46:10)

Rather than learning to wait and be patient, many of us are practicing panic, worry, and anxiety.  We become overly saturated with news and information.   We succumb to despair rather than abide in hope.

Many spiritual practices that can help in the waiting.  Scripture study and meditation is one; hymn singing and chanting is another.  Many are finding new ways to volunteer, even in this season of social distancing.

The practice that I have embraced in recent years is Centering Prayer, a form of Christian meditation that I practice daily.   I have written about this in other posts of my blog: here and here.   You can also learn more at Contemplative Outreach.  The practice of Centering Prayer deepens my trust in God and continues to transform my life from the inside out.

Perhaps this is your season to begin such a practice?  In the next week or two I will be starting an online centering prayer group though the online Meditation Chapel.   I will have more information in the coming days on this blog.

Centering Prayer will not be an instant pacifier.  But it can help you learn to wait and stay calm as the present storm intensifies.

How are you handling this time of waiting?

 

Hide and Seek with God

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Andrew_peekingWhen my children (and now grandchildren) were small, a favorite game we played was hide-and-seek.  One of us would close our eyes and count while the others scattered through the house to hide.   The basement closet, the upstairs bathroom, under the bed – no room was off-limits.  The seeker would search every room, look behind every door to find the hidden ones.  If I was hiding, I sometimes would make special shouts – “Ookookachoo” – to help them in their search.  We would all squeal with delight when the hidden were found and then a new person would close their eyes and start to count.

When I was a child I imagined God was playing an ongoing game of hide and seek with me.  I knew that God was somewhere in the house but that he was hidden in some way and that I had to find him.  If I prayed long enough, or studied the right scriptures or behaved the right way, God would suddenly pop out of his hiding place and we would embrace.  I experienced moments of shared spiritual intimacy and wonderful joy, but then, in a moment, God was hidden again.

In this season of COVID-19 pandemic, one might think God is hidden, beyond our normal sight lines.  Our regular practice of gathering for worship has been interrupted.  The comforting taste of Holy Communion and church coffee has been locked away.  The familiar sounds of congregational songs are silent.   We sit alone searching on our computer screens for the hidden God.

Yet what the Bible teaches and what my contemplative prayer practice affirms is that God is always present, especially in the suffering of life.   When the great leader Moses died, his young protégé, Joshua was called to lead the people into their promise land.   Joshua was frightened by the unknown challenges ahead.  In that moment of uncertainty, God spoke to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:9)  God did not magically remove Joshua’s obstacles (nor our pandemic) but God gives us courage and strength to walk through the challenges, the fears, and even death itself.

What I am learning -and it is a life-long process- is that God is not hidden, but rather I am the one who has closed my mind and heart to the God.  She is always with me.  And the ironic thing is that it is often when I close my eyes, quiet my racing mind, and open my heart in centering prayer, I hear the still small voice of God shouting, “I am here, I am always here.”

Be strong and courageous, friends.