Week VI - The Blessing Cup

After a weekend of emotional highs...followed by emotional highs, I am surprised to be surprised by something new this morning.  Honestly?  I did not think my tired head had the capacity to become curious so early on the Monday morning following Easter. Yet, that is what Joyce has done by introducing me...broadening my perceptions...of "the" Cup.

Each step...leaving a blessing.

Once again, Joyce turns to the 13th century Muslim poet, Rumi, quoting him:

"Wherever you place your foot, there rests a blessing."

In today's world I hear so much about my carbon footprint and the impact of that footprint on the world, I am feeling a bit confused and amazed by considering each of my footprints as a blessing.  Yet, the expanding of my mind and perceptions does not end there.  Joyce continues:

"Perhaps the best known 'cup' in the scriptures is that of the blessing cup in 1 Cor 10:16: 'The blessing cup that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?' The cup of blessing is a term derived from the Jewish Passover rite, meaning not only that the cup is blessed, but that the cup itself holds a blessing. It holds the gift of life." (Joyce Rupp, The Cup of Life, p 131)

Blessings. 

What are they, Joyce asks on this Monday morning after Easter.

How do they come?

What do they do for us?

I checked several sites and after defining "Blessings" as prayers, Blessings are also defined as: "to consecrate or to hallow by a religious rite or words; to make or pronounce holy or sacred."

"To bless is not so much to 'make sacred,' however, as it is to acknowledge the sacredness that is already there. All creation is sacred because it was made by God.To bless anything of creation, be this a person or an object, is to acknowledge the touch of the Creator upon that person or object." (Ibid)

Joyce continues to stretch my heart by suggesting that wherever we (I) place our (my) feet - wherever we are - can be a blessing IF we are aware of the inherent sacredness and beauty of that place.

WOW!

That 'place' she says, might be the heart of another person or the limb of a newly budded tree or a fuzzy caterpillar climbing a drainpipe.

"Attentiveness to the present moment is essential for a blessing to truly communicate the life and beauty of God to us. 'Calling forth' a blessing is actually a naming of the goodness that is already there." (Rupp, p 132)

Jackie Nowak

Some times I have to hear a message three times...and often in three different ways to really get it! Such is the case with "Blessings."  I have heard this before and was moved and energized by the learning!  But, then the daily work within my church...my new learning became pushed back into one of the dark closets of my mind. Still, the learning was there, stored, ready for the next invitation.  I have heard this before from Jackie Nowak of The Blessing Center in Dayton, Ohio.

But, for now...to continue with Joyce:

"In the Hebrew scriptures a blessing is perceived to be something that communicates divine life. With this life comes strength, stamina, and inner peace. Blessings or berakahs ( Original Word: בְּרָכָה) were often shared by the Jewish people. When they prayed 'blessed are you, O God...' they were acknowledging with gratitude all that God had done for them." (Ibid)

I THINK this is new for me because it has always seemed strange that "I"...me....would bless GOD the creator of all I am and see!!!  I thought I was acknowledging with gratitude...yet it always felt funny to do that as a "blessing."

Now, this is more familiar to me:

"Blessings were given for a variety of purposes: to invoke divine care; to pray for someone; to regard another with favor; to bring happiness; to guard, preserve, protect, and to keep safe; to give good fortune or satisfaction; and to approve or encourage another. Whenever God blesses, there emerges bounteous life and an abundance of goodness." (Ibid)

As an old man, God blessed Abraham
with descendants, more than stars in the sky.

Joyce names one of the first examples that comes to my mind, the blessing/s of Abraham within several chapters of the book of Genesis.As I write this, I thought how Abraham laughed at the suggestion of some of God's blessings, yet the character in the story remains faithful to listening to God, to living out of relationship with God...and the blessings follow.  The blessings were given and then follow through faithfulness AND not always as Abraham's human mind could perceive happening.

Held in God's Embrace

"Anyone and anything that brings good or God-ness into our lives is a blessings. To bless is to bring the touch of God, the touch of love and goodness, to another by our presence as well as by our actions. Blessings are a greeting from God, saying 'I care about you. I desire what will be for your good. You are dear to my heart. I want your life to be filled with love." (Ibid)


I like the image of "God-ness."

SQuire Rushnell has written When God Winks, stories of "coincidences" that are so unbelievable, they must come from a powerful source... An interview with a wonderful story/God Wink about Emmett Kelly's daughter upon his death...

SQuire shares that God Winks are to give us "hugs" to give comfort when life is difficult.

"Blessings are not always immediate, 'feel good' sorts of things. Sometimes these blessings come disguised in the pain, struggle, and hardship of the unwanted parts of our lives. It is only later, with hindsight, that we look and see what a gift those times and events were for us." (Ibid)


Can you tell I do not read Joyce's entire reading AND then go back and journal?  "Blessings are not always immediate..." It is nice when the ah-ha comes and is then reinforced. I am learning that if I read and journal in small pieces, my learning/my ah-has are richer and deeper than if I read the entire lesson and then go back.  But...what works for me...is for me.  I know others have a different way of working through Joyce's readings that work for them.

"Blessings sometimes come disguised..." I have written in past postings about the "blessing" of the last car accident.  HOWEVER, the realization that my brokenness was a blessing, only came in hindsight....much/much/later. All the stories I have read and shared within worship over these past several weeks of Lent and Holy Week...the blessing within those encounters and events were not seen as blessings at the time!  It was only in hindsight that the disciples understood all that Jesus had told them...and given.  And they were receiving "God-ness" in the flesh....and it was still in hindsight that they recognized the blessing.

"As you pray though these days with the 'blessing cup,' may you grow in awareness of the countless blessings that are yours. May you become much more aware of how you yourself are a blessing in the lives of others by the loving quality of who you are and what you do. Mos of all, may your love and appreciation of the Giver of all Gifts, the best of all blessings, continue to grow and be enriched." (Ibid)


I've just received a wonderful blessing, that even though it was written several years ago in a book AND many have read the same blessing...at this moment I claim this blessing.  Prayerfully, as I remain faithful...it will  come in ways....perhaps ways I have not considered..

A wonderful way to begin a new day...a new week!  The Blessing Song.

Gifting God,


Tie a ribbon of remembrance around my heart,
so that I can often recall those sacred places
where you have made yourself known in the hidden recesses of my life.


Stir up my memory-cup, let me look deeply within it, seeing all the people and events that have led me to you.


Refresh the photographs of my mind where the vivid traces of your love are etched in our relationship, and marked upon my memory.


As I gaze into my personal history unlock the storage spaces of my soul,
reveal the truth of your bountiful love, fill my heart with awe and gratitude.


God of Beauty, the blessings of your loveliness astounds my being,
the power of your presence enriches my every moment.
Blessed are you. Blessed are you. ~ Joyce Rupp (Rupp, p 133)


Many Blessings ~ Sandi

Week V - Day 5 - Pouring from the Cup

Whirling Dervishes of Sufism

I enjoy how Joyce pulls spiritual references from teachers of other faiths.  It is a reminder how connected and how similar we are in so many ways.  Today, she once again goes to Rumi, the 13th century Muslim poet who founded   the Mevlevi Order of dervishes, better known as the Whirling Dervishes of Sufism. Through a turning movement, body posturing, mental focus, and sound, the dervish achieves ecstasy through union with God.

Rumi, a man with a fascinating story said, "Anyone who gives anything to the Divine will find that it comes to them turned to gold."

Again, Joyce speaks to my heart...as though she has been watching me.

"MY carefully crafted timetable."

"Our lives are such that our deepest compassion and generosity often get masked by our frustration with schedules, calendars, and clocks...I find myself becoming closed and selfish.  Sometimes it takes a challenging or humbling moment to shake loose my tenacious hold on trying to get everything done on my carefully crafted timetable." (Joyce Rupp, The Cup of Life, p 123)

I was so touched by Joyce's story of receiving a tape from a blind woman. Seems after returning home from a three week absence, Joyce was overwhelmed by the amount of mail waiting for her attention.

Glad I've never had
grumbling moments!! 

"I moaned and groaned, thinking of all the time it would take me to open, process, and respond...in the pile...was an envelope with a cassette tape in it...I grouched and grumbled to myself for a day and then decided that I had better find out what was on that tape. I discovered it had been sent by a blind woman. It contained one of the most beautiful letters I have ever received. I was deeply humbled and very regretful of my initial response...I was only willing to pour out a thimblefull of my time and attention for someone else while God was offering me a bushel-basket of golden insights and reflections." (Rupp, p 124)

We are encouraged throughout scripture to be generous and loving.  We are assured that we can live from an attitude of abundance rather than the fear of scarcity. Jesus told his followers that if they were generous in their giving that the same measure of generosity would be returned.

"Their giving would be turned to gold. Compassion is like that. When we let compassion pour forth generously from us instead of holding back with meager giving, it can be a powerful experience. We often receive more than we give." (Ibid)

Today's reading follows a wonderful Maundy Thursday service last evening where I was once again reminded of Jesus' compassion and generosity.  Joyce asks that today, I reflect on my generosity AND on God's. Have I, she asks, had any life experiences when I hesitated or resisted giving and then, later realized how much I had received in return?

Breathprayer:
Breathing in:  I give to you...
Breathing out: ...You give to me

Giving - Receiving - Giving - Receiving

Reflection:
Hold the cup in your hands.
Look and see all the space it has for filling.
Visualize God pouring love into your heart.
Picture your heart filled with this love.
Bring to mind someone who is suffering.
Let the love within you go out to this person.
Picture your love poured out profusely, filling this person's whole being.
Sit in silence and be at peace.


Scripture: Luke 6:37-38
    ³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."


Journaling:
When someone is compassionate toward me, I...
God turned my giving into gold when...
One of the situations in my life where I tend to hold back and not offer compassion is... because...


With last evening's service still on my heart, with the thoughts of several I hold within my prayer journal, as I walk into this Good Friday, a song by Third Day comes to mind, which I think I've used before, but it is one of my favorites...Cry Out to Jesus - Third Day

When someone is compassionate toward me, I...it depends upon who is compassionate to me. I have sat here for several minutes, watching the images on the Third Day video...and the truth is that I have a different inner response depending on who I see offering me compassion.  This little ah-ha has surprised me and I am not sure what to do with it.  I am feeling that this insight is not the answer Joyce would have been looking for...and while I am "feeling that thought"...I recognize the demon of expectations and/or judgement tempting my trembling heart away from healing, growing, wholeness.


The demons in scripture and in movies are often portrayed as noisy, ugly, and obvious.  My demons are much more subtle and cagey.  They sneak up on me, sometimes without my noticing. Nudging me away from a new insight or nudging to not investigate that opening in my heart Light is shining through.

Cry Out To Jesus - Third Day

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keepin' you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing
And there is no one who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary
And love for the broken hearts
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are

Cry out to Jesus - Cry out to Jesus



I am on my fifth week of this reading and journaling...Lent is nearly over.  On this Good Friday morning the insights, the writing, the images, the songs...I remember:

• How interconnected we ALL are! I am as connected to a beggar on the streets as I am to an individual at my church as I am connected to someone who lives a lavish lifestyle.  I am connected to a stranger just as I connected to someone I know.  That when ANY of these people show me compassion, it is Jesus working through them to "meet me wherever I am."
• Barbara Streisand  sings There Are Lessons To Be Learned. "We start to doubt..."
• That I am not in control. 
• That Jesus provides lessons and gifts through the voice and hands of others...not just me....but others!
• That compassion runs both directions.  A Gift is to be GIVEN and RECEIVED.

When someone is compassionate toward me, I... I can look into the face of the one offering me compassion and see the face of Christ...and be glad!!! I can receive the gift of compassion with the same generous heart in which it was given.  Just as I can receive the gift of compassion that Jesus offers on this Good Friday...I can receive it in praise and in the love in which it was so generously offered rather than feeling guilty, rather than demanding why, rather than trying to give a logical explanation...I can receive this gift and I can can receive future gifts of compassion ...and see the face of Christ and be glad! Praise God!

I can see Christ in the homeless man
who offered to pray for me.

I can see Christ in the
woman in the checkout line.

With this insight, I can appreciate that there have been times when God turned my giving into gold when... when someone I was to be giving to, ended up blessing me.  Or someone who was younger, someone who was struggling, someone I didn't know...or someone I am not comfortable with...have given to me.  I let those sneaky demons enter my heart, creating a feeling of guilt, suspicion, anxiety...and I missed the gold that was mine for the taking.

I can receive Christ in the
smallest, not realizing they
have a GIFT to give me.

O, my Lord! Open me today to receive as well as give from your heart of generous compassion.  Help me to see your face, where I least expect...and to be thankful for that moment...for that opportunity to give to you AND to receive.  Yes, in today's world, sadly we do have to be cautious.  Yet, you told your disciples, ¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) 

I can see Christ in the woman with
cancer and RECEIVE a gift from her.

Perhaps our fears are nothing new...they have been around for centuries, just with different faces and called different names.

Some of my fears stem from the demons that demand I feed my EGO.  That EGO that wants to appear to be smart, in charge, sure of self, the "go to person".... Some of my fears stem from thinking I am not doing what I should for someone...they are the needy one!  Again, that EGO demon subtly working on my heart...preventing the light of Christ to shine forth as it can when "I" get out of his way.

So many lessons yet to be learned...yet as Barbara sang, there is no right/wrong...just lessons to be learned. 

Prayer:

O God, you turn my meager offerings into golden treasures. Let me not be hesitant when you ask for my love in the form of compassion. You are so abundant in your compassion to me. May I be as generous with others. May the measure of compassion I give be the measure of compassion returned to me. AMEN.

Today:

I will pour generously from my cup of love and kindness today.

Many images to carry in my heart today.  A few more...Give Me Jesus

Many Blessings ~ Sandi