Bursting Out in Praise by Murphy Gavin Thomas;

Author:Murphy, Gavin Thomas;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: RELIGION / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth
Publisher: Messenger Publications
Published: 2020-09-09T00:00:00+00:00

Reflect

How do you know when you are becoming too busy?

Who helps you to maintain a balanced lifestyle?

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MATTHEW 6:25–34

LIVE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

‘ ... So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.’

BALANCED MOOD

In his book, Finding the Still Point, Gerald O’Mahony presents a mood scale that is a bit different from our typical one. On a scale from zero to ten, he considers a score of five to be the optimal point of mood, known as the ‘still point’. He says that numbers four, five and six are an experience of consolation, while the other numbers on the scale are an experience of desolation. Like the wisdom of agere contra in the reflection on spiritual guidance, if we’re in a high mood, i.e., 7/10 or above, the best thing is to train ourselves to slow down – breathe, turn off the internet or the TV, connect with a friend who can steady us, turn to our inner strength. It is best to gently push onward when we are at the lower end of the scale, i.e., 3/10 or below. It takes guts, courage and heart to keep to appointments, go for a walk and remain warm to friends, neighbours and strangers.

We can look to Jesus in the Gospels as someone who exemplifies balance and stillness, for example, in the story about him and the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8:1–11). A noisy crowd of people bring the woman to Jesus, putting her in the middle so that all can see. In their cunningness, they question Jesus about what to do with her declaring that in their law she is to be stoned to death. Jesus clearly loves the woman, as is his nature, but he doesn’t fret about the situation. Instead, he starts to write on the ground with his finger. When the crowd confront him again, Jesus faces them and says: ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’. They go away one by one, beginning with the elders, who are more experienced in matters of conscience. Jesus is left alone with the woman who is freed from being stoned to death. He calmly and lovingly tells her to go on her way. No fretting, and all is well.

Finally, finding regular times to pray is one of the best ways to enter into stillness. For example, in the practice of centring prayer we repeat our sacred word, e.g., ‘Jesus’, ‘love’, ‘peace’ slowly and steadily, enabling us to focus our mind and heart and anchoring us in the Spirit. We stop saying the word when our thoughts drop away, moving us to simply and profoundly rest in God. We repeat the word when our thoughts return, and so on in this manner. This contemplative experience has the capacity to transform our lives and nurture our being.

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