March 30, 2008
Acts 2:42-47; 1 Pt 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31.
Inner Room
I love the readings from the Sunday of March 30th. It touches on values that I hold most dear and in the gospel it states that Christ can penetrate any fear with love.
Growing up in a family of seven children we shared everything from the television to arguing about whose night it was to do the dishes, the boys or the girls. Through out most of my life, with the exception of one year, I have shared a common living experience. Much to my surprise at times I found out that I had my own set of idiosyncrasies of which I wasn’t aware.
Some of the revelations were less painful than others. I remember Sr. Elena telling me one day that she would be glad to help cut the raison bread that I had made the day before. When I said that I could do it by myself, she told me that I didn’t cut the bread straight which in turn made it harder for others.
This revelation was easy to take in.
Other revelations were more challenging as they question my intention to be thoughtful of others. Although I do my best to live community well, it has been those harder revelations that continue to call me to look at the values that are most important to me.
When the Risen Christ walked through the fear of the disciples to bring His peace we encounter the power of love that gives us the foundation to live in community, whether it is as of large household or family or as a global citizen. I love this gospel as it pulls me out of any current fear, darkness or doubt into the possibility of love overcoming fear, light meeting darkness with peace rather than judgment, and trust reaching out to doubt.
This season of Easter seeks to deepen within us, what the season of Christmas does with lights and decorations, gifts and parties; only it does it by going inward. It invites us into that inner room where, like the disciples
we sometimes hang out in our fears, it invites us to walk the road of Emmaus and hear in our prayer another voice that places a deeper longing for the yet unseen.
My challenge is to trust that my inner room is as permeable as the one where the disciples were gathered when the Risen Christ moved into their fear with peace!
Other E-scriptures at: http://www.rc.net/saginaw/srsclare/journal.html
The Poor Clare Sisters in Spokane, announce they are starting presales for their latest book, “101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer.”
