Sunday, March 16, 2008

Opening Meditations

What struck me most was the silence. It was a great silence, unlike any I have encountered on earth, so vast and deep that I began to hear my own body; my heart beating, my blood vessels pulsing, even the rustle of my muscles moving over each other seemed audible. There were more stars in the sky than I had expected. The sky was deep black, yet at the same time bright with sunlight. The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic. The Earth was absolutely round. I believe I never knew what the word "round" meant until I saw Earth from space.

Russian Astronaut Aleksie Leonov (quoted in Elizabeth Lesser, The Seeker's Guide)

Beloved Lord, Almighty God!
Through the rays of the sun,
Through the waves of the air,
Through the All-pervading Life in space,
Purify and revivify me, and, I pray,
Heal my body, heart, and soul.

Attributed to Hazrat Inayat Khan, by Elizabeth Lesser in The Seeker's Guide

Readings and Conversation: Psalm 118: 1,24,26

O give thanks to the Lord, for s/he is good;
Her/His steadfast love endures forever!

This is the day which the Lord hath made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord:
We bless you from the house of the Lord.

A Reading from Matthews 21: 1-11

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, 'Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, "The Lord needs them." And he will send them immediately.' This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet saying, 'Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ';Hosanna to the Son of David!'
Blessed is the one who comes int he name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!'
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking,'Who is this?' The crowds were saying, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.'

A Reading from the Gospel of Mary

Then Mary stood up and greeted them; she tenderly kissed them all and said, 'Brothers and sisters, do not weep, do not be distressed nor be in doubt. For his grace will be with you sheltering you. Rather we should praise his greatness, for he has united us and made us true Human Beings.

A quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Jesus Christ belonged to the true race of prophets. He saw with open eye the mystery of the soul. Drawn by its severe harmony, ravished with its beauty, he lived in it, and had his being there. Alone in all history he estimated the greatness of man[woman]. One man was true to what is in you and me. He saw that God incarnates himself[herself] and evermore goes forth anew to take possession of his[her] World. He said in this jubilee of sublime emotion, "I am divine, Through me, God acts; through me, speaks. Would you see God, see me; or see thee, when thou also thinkest as I now think.

From An Address, The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson