Good Humor

From "The Rule of Benedict" by Joan Chittister, here is something that has made me stop and think:

"The tenth step of humility is that we are not given to ready laughter,

for it is written: 'Only fools raise their voices in laughter'."

The halls of Benedictine monasteries do not ring with raucous laughter. But before we conclude that Benedictines must be a pretty dour lot, let's think about what makes people laugh. The current election season was loaded with laughter. There were parodies, satires and witticisms filling the air every time we turned on the TV and, depending upon your point of view, these things made you laugh...or make you angry and uncomfortable. These were laughs gained at the expense of someone's dignity or reputation. Maybe we laughed because we enjoyed seeing other folks squirm when we didn't agree with them, or maybe we just laughed because the joke was witty and clever.

Why would St. Benedict have a problem with this?

Benedict didn't actually want to stop laughter as much as he wanted the members of the community to examine what they laughed at and why. What does it say about us when we laugh at things that are crude or sinful? What is in our hearts when we laugh at people whom we should treat with respect or compassion? What is the character of a nation that allows its votes to be swayed by the exaggerated comedy of late night TV, who gets its news and insights from satirists and jokesters?

How easily we lose control of the direction of our own opinions when we let ourselves be led by laughter. We find ourselves laughingly agreeing with ideas that might be repugnant to us if we heard them presented in serious conversation. We dismiss our reaction by saying, "It was only a joke."

Benedict would say that what we laugh at tells something about who we are. It is better to stop laughing and start thinking if we find ourselves lining up with views that actually oppose our better judgment just because the speaker is funny.

Better to replace laughter with good humor, the kind that responds gently and respectfully to the experiences of others. The Benedictines do laugh together, but it is at the kinds of things that come from innocence, not from malicious intent. Benedict is in favor of the laughter that bubbles up in the presence of surprises and unexpected happy events. He encourages us to greet each other with smiles and the sounds of joy that come from our loving and encouraging hearts.

One can't help laughing delightedly at the sweet antics of children at play. We laugh with each other when something silly happens. We laugh for sheer joy when we are carefree and playing together. This is laughter that comes from good humor. It comes from a clean heart that doesn't despise one's fellow man.

Oh, to have a mind that is discerning and a heart full of good humor. Then we are less likely fall into laughing at the things of which we should be ashamed or by which we should be saddened. Then we will be able to lead the world toward goodness instead of following it into the darkness of thinly veiled hatred and prejudice.

Good humor is lighthearted and it brings light into the hearts of others.

Lost Tools of Learning

Please, please read the following article by Dorothy Sayers. It is for everyone who wants to learn--or teach others.

http://www.gbt.org/text/sayers.html

Doing what comes unnaturally...

Sometimes that best thing I can do is make a small, but simple decision NOT to do what comes naturally. A few months ago I decided not to eat sweets when I am by myself. It seemed like a silly thing to make a decision about, and it was really just an experiment in self control, but it has led to interesting results.

I have lost a few pounds, for instance, but I have also lost an annoying compulsion to treat myself with sugar when I am discouraged, tired or bored. I have had numerous meaningful conversations with myself about what I would do instead of eating a cookie or some chocolate and I have had to remember why I made this decision. I have eaten apples or nuts or nothing at all because I decided I didn't really need anything. Obviously, I have stumbled into a healthy habit. It is interesting to note that my regret over not having a treat has lasted only moments, but the satisfaction of practicing self control lasts for days.

Also, these small decisions have given me courage to make bigger decisions. I now know that if I say no to myself in a healthy way I can make it stick. I have learned that it's not so hard to make it through a day without a cookie. The next day it's easier and after a week or so, I hardly think about it at all. Once the decision is made, I just stick with it.

All of this has led to a reverse in my thinking process and I am starting to ADD a few things into my life that I think are worth doing. Just as I chose a few things I will never do, I am choosing a couple of things I hope I will always do. They also come unnaturally to me.

For instance, I plan to make sure that I read my Bible everyday, without excuses. I am a pretty avid Bible reader already, but I want to raise the quality of what I do. I will use my One Year Bible, but I hope I will also find other creative ways to think about the Bible. Maybe I will incorporate it into art projects or home decorating...maybe pictures of this will show up on my blog...don't hold your breath.

I also plan to learn how to pray without ceasing. Fortunately, the Bible (which I read daily!) says unceasing prayer is possible and I am picking up a lot of good hints from people who are way ahead of me on this, so I should be able to overcome my natural lack prayerfulness eventually. I don't expect 100% success in the first 10 years or so, but after that I should be pretty good at it. Meanwhile, I will have spent a lot of good time developing a useful prayer life. It's a good goal so I plan to allow myself plenty of time to succeed at it.

The trick is to be patient and not try to do too much at once. I know I am doing what comes unnaturally, so I am going to give myself grace. I think that there may be temporary discomfort in reminding myelf to do something unnatural that I said I would do, but the benefits will last for years. If I can't pray without ceasing every day, at least my commitment to try means that I will be praying more than I was. If I find it hard to read the One Year Bible everyday, at least my commitment to read the Bible everyday means I will probably read it more than I did before.

Just as I have been surprised by the results of my commitment not to eat sweets alone, I hope I will be surprised by the results of making a commitment to read the Bible and pray more everyday. Little changes can have a pretty cool result. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Ah, My Longsuffering Friends...# 8 Vespers has Arrived

My dear husband has been pointing out to me that I have neglected this blog. For all who have not abandoned me in this long interval, here is the story of Vespers, perhaps the sweetest of the Hours.

Vespers is the hour of gathering in and the lighting of the lamps. The work day has ended for most of the us and we have tied up the loose ends of what we were doing during the day. Now we turn for home as darkness descends and the lamps begin to glow. The evening meal is being prepared and we begin the transition to a peaceful close to the day.

In the monastery the monks may choose this time to walk in the garden on their way to prayer. I have sometimes gone out to my own back garden to light a lamp or candle when it is time for Vespers. Surrounded by my flowers, vegetables and trees, I watch the light fade from the sky and the stars come out and I have a sense that the creatures of the world are coming home to their nests and dens. My neighbors are gathering with their families all around me and my children are with their spouses in their homes. Soon we will have our evening meal, followed by a good night of rest.

Some days I may come to the Hour of Vespers with unresolved conflicts inside. I may have prayed in the Hour of None for forgiveness, and the ability to forgive others, but that may not have lifted the whole burden of concern from my shoulders. I may still be holding onto pieces of the day and trying to put them together in ways that make sense.

Vespers is the time to let go of all of that and place it into God's hands. He has made the night for sleep and He wants me to come to my place of rest with an untroubled heart. I do not have the strength, wisdom or power to resolve all of life's issues everyday, but God has promised to oversee all that concerns me and Vespers is the time to release those things to Him.


Since Vespers is the time of gathering in, it is also the Hour to enter into fellowship with those who share my home. Vespers prepares us to be hospitable to each other, to listen to each other's stories and help each other toward a peaceful close to the day. This is the time for loving greetings and genuine interest in each other.

T.S. Eliot points out that "In our rhythm of earthly life we tire of light. We are glad when the day ends, when the play ends...the day is long for work or play." (from his poem, Choruses from the Rock)

Vespers is the gentle transition from the glare of the day into the serenity of the evening. Breathe deeply the evening air and pause to watch the changing of the light in the world around you. Turn on the lamps, greet your loved ones and share together in a prayer of thanks for another day of Grace. Let God be God and trust Him to carry on for you while you prepare for rest.

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There is liturgy that goes with each of the Hours that I am mentioning in this blog. There are verses to read, songs to sing or chant and prayers to pray. The best way to learn about the Hours is to stay with a community that practices them, but many of us will never do that. I hope that will not discourage us from bringing these practices of prayer into our lives. My own experience is that it is hard to remember to observe all of the Hours through the day, but I find that I am more mindful of prayer simply because I am aware of the passing of these Hours.

It may be best to choose one or two of the Hours to practice in your day. If all you observe is Vespers, for instance, your day will still be enriched and your life with your family will be blessed. Lauds may become part of your daily Quiet Time or Sext may be part of your lunch time. Many Christian communities choose these three, Lauds, Sext and Vespers as their observance of the Hours of prayer.

We are nearing the end of our day of prayer. Next is Compline, the completing of the circle of Hours.

#7 None

Between 3:00 and 5:00 on many afternoons I tend to experience a sense of slowness, and vague feeling of discouragement or regret. The day feels both too long and too short in those moments. The clock ticks slowly as I deal with my more tedious tasks, but the hands are sure to fly if I take a look at the remaining items on my Do List.

This is the Hour of None. The word None refers to the nineth hour, or 3:00 p.m. If I were in a monastic community, it would be time to "put my affairs in order", organize my remaining work and face the fact that not everything I planned to do that day will be done.

Ironically this Hour of afternoon daylight and busyness is the one in which we are encouraged to remember that nothing lasts forever, including our lives. The sun has passed its zenith and the shadows are lengthening as we move toward evening. So it is in life. There comes a time when greater number of our years are behind us and the twilight of our life lies ahead. That is the proper time to "put our affairs in order", to think about how to bring life here to a peaceful close and accept the legacy we leave behind us.

Why pause to remember all of this in the middle of each day, especially while I am still relatively young and healthy? Why allow None to remind me of the thing I dread to name....death?

My life takes on more vibrant meaning when I look at it in the light of my mortality. If I remember the brevity of my life here I am much more likely to live it well. I am more likely to choose to do the things that will bring me real joy and that will have lasting value. It is good to be reminded that each day might be my last day. It helps me keep short accounts with my work and in my relationships with others.

How do we pray at None? First we find a way to be alone, if possible. The monastics suggest that we seek to be "alone with the Alone" for this time of prayer. Until now the day has had an outward movement and our prayers have been directed toward things outside of ourselves as we were concerned with the business of life. Now it is time to turn inward, take stock of ourselves and prepare to finish the day well with God's help. We lay out unfinished tasks and unmet expectations and ask for guidance from Him who has led us through the day until now.

None is also the Hour of forgiveness. It is time to forgive ourselves and others for things that did not go so well this day. We confess our own failures and sins of the day, but we also ask God for grace to forgive those who have offended us. If our hearts feel hurt or diappointment caused by others, at None we can dissolve it away with compassion and forgiveness. "We love because He first loved us". In this Hour of prayer we can truly offer love and forgiveness to others, knowing that the Lord has loved and forgiven us.

The moments we spend in prayer at None prepare us to finish the day strongly. We make peace with what must be left undone until tomorrow and go on to finish what we can today. Then we close our work stations, put away our tools and head for home. The next lovely Hour of prayer is Vespers, the lighting of the lamps.

The grace and forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

#6 Sext

Let's talk about Sext. This Hour of prayer comes right in the middle of the day and is the time when we usually stop for the noon meal. Traditionally, it is also the time for a prayer for peace.

In medieval Europe, towns and villages grew up with monasteries and cathedrals at their centers. The monks, nuns and priests were educators. They were charitable, they practiced healing arts and, of course, they taught the villagers how to worship God. As these spiritual leaders went through their liturgical days, they rang the bells that called themselves and the villagers to prayer and to the celebration of Mass. People who were busy in their homes and shops or working in the fields would hear the bells and be reminded to think of God.

At noon, the bells called Angelus were rung. Angelus refers to angels and especially to the angel who announced to Mary that she would become the mother of Christ. Upon Mary's acceptance God's will for her, Heaven descended to earth and the earthly life of Jesus began. When He was born, angels appeared again with more wonderful announcements. One of them was that God was offering peace to earth and good will to men.

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Heaven come down to earth, carrying the offer of peace with God, and that's the promise of the Angelus bells.

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There is a famous painting of two peasants standing in a field with their heads bowed in prayer. Their meal is waiting at their feet while they pray and in the background we can see the church whose bells have called them from their work. The painting is called "The Angelus". The couple are praying for peace for themselves, their village and, perhaps, the world. It is a quiet image that makes me wonder what has become of the days when people made time for prayer during the day.

These days, stopping as a whole community to rest and eat a meal in the middle of the day is out of fashion. Lunch is just a necessity and it is often part of getting the job done. We eat at our desks, hold meetings while "doing lunch" or squeeze errands into that precious hour. We certainly don't encourage each other to think of angels or to pray for peace. Quite the opposite. Too often we are wrestling with the demons of our fast-paced day and struggling with keeping our anxieties under control.

Pausing to pray at Sext can help bring peace back into our experience. It reminds us that there is more to our lives than work and the material world. There are angels who have brought us messages from God. There is God Himself who offers peace to His world.

There is also, every day, the opportunity to sit down to a brief, but gracious meal. We can take whatever food we are eating and turn it into a celebration of thanks. We can breathe deeply and be grateful for the constant provision of God in our lives. We can take time to really taste the food and think of all the people who worked to grow it, to prepare it and to bring it to our table. Lunch can become an act of sharing life with others in our world and with the Lord. It can contribute to our peace and to our prayers for peace.

I recently read of a symbol of faith that is depicted as a wreath of thorns. In the middle, floating untouched by the thorns, is the word Pax which is latin for peace. Our days are sometimes like that wreath of thorns, but Sext can be the peace in the middle. Stopping to pray for peace, to give thanks to God and to be grateful for other people will help us experience peace and carry it with us into the rest of the day.

Selah.

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Next we will think together about None.

Telling Stories

In Tajikistan there is an ancient epic story that is told only by specially trained story tellers. Villagers hire these people to come and tell the story in the long winter evenings. They gather in homes where they can share warmth and food, and they listen, fascinated, as the epic unwinds. For a while they forget their hardships and the cold and are instead caught up in a world that existed long ago. This story reminds them of their heritage and of who they are as a people.

Someone has said that every time the Gospel is shared, it should begin with the phrase, "Let me tell you a story." That story might be the personal account of what the Gospel has meant to the storyteller, or it might be a story about someone in the Bible or maybe it's a story that Jesus Himself told. Jesus certainly knew and used the power of story telling.

You and I have countless stories to tell. Yesterday my friend Michele told a story to someone she met and it ended with that person taking the story book (Michele's old Bible) away with her. Now we are praying that she will open and read the book for herself.

In John 4, the woman Jesus met at the well persuaded a whole town to come and meet Him simply by telling her story. In the end they had their own personal stories to tell about their encounters with Jesus and they told her that her story had brought them to that point.

"They said to the woman,

'We no longer believe just because of what you said;

now we have heard for ourselves and

we know that this man really is

the Savior of the world.'"

John 4:42

The beauty of Jesus's stories is that He always drew from the moment and incorporated what was going on around Him to catch people's attention. He used nature and business and human relationships. Everyone of us can find a story to tell. Even if we aren't bringing the Gospel into it, it's great fun to tell each other stories. I think that is why Jesus did it...and I think that is why we might try it....just for fun.