Journey during Holy Week
Holy Week began for me with a celebration. My dear friend of the heart, otherwise known as "Soul Sister," made her life profession as an episcopal nun last Saturday. I don't know when I have been so moved. Knowing all that she's been through, seeing where she's been and who she is made me feel so proud and humbled at the same time.
I'm sure she has no idea about the lessons she has taught me over the years through her ups and downs, struggles and joys. It takes real courage to be fully human. What do I mean by "fully human"? I mean being courageously truthful about all that you are, all that you think and feel--not hiding anything from yourself or the One from whom nothing is hid.
If becoming fully human can be compared to the act of giving birth, I can witness to the bloodiness and mess of it. I can also witness to the miracle of freedom and fullness at the end of it.
By the time Palm Sunday arrived I was worn out with joy.
Now I am feeling simpy quiet.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Humbled.
Let me share from one of the prayers on Saturday:
O God, we humbly ask that as we go out from here today,
warm with the love of one another and of You,
we carry to a world in need the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
Grant us wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge,
ghostly strength, true godliness and holy fear.
Give us grace to place our trust in You,
to abandon oursleves to your loving service
and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Give us eyes to see and ears to hear oppression,
deceit, anger and fear and meet them
with hope and love and truth and freedom.
Give us hearts that break then mend them
with the knowledge that it is the love we love with
that is the healing love.
warm with the love of one another and of You,
we carry to a world in need the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
Grant us wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge,
ghostly strength, true godliness and holy fear.
Give us grace to place our trust in You,
to abandon oursleves to your loving service
and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Give us eyes to see and ears to hear oppression,
deceit, anger and fear and meet them
with hope and love and truth and freedom.
Give us hearts that break then mend them
with the knowledge that it is the love we love with
that is the healing love.
posted by Zanne @ 9:46 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Zanne, I tend to doubt that you realize it, but from what I've learned about you, from you, in the little time that I've known you, you live your definition of "fully human." As I read what you wrote in the paragraph, all I could think was that many people could be writing that paragraph about you, even those of us who haven't known you for years. Those of us who's lives you have touched learn and grow simply by knowing you! Love you sweet friend!
Quit making me cry!
Love you too my friend! xo
I do believe that God wants us to be fully human, and I cannot understand why we are despised by so many people of faith.
Amen, amen.
Trop, never worry about those other people... continue to be true to thine own self, and you will always be fully human. It ain't easy in conformist America, but the struggle, my friend, is the most rewarding part of the journey.
Hi Zanne,
You have some wonderful friends that have posted to you pretty much what was in my head as I read this entry and that is you are both eloquent and authentic from my perspective!
You brought to mind something that I will be "real" enough to share briefly here. There was a time when I suffered greatly from PTSD resulting from long term childhood abuse and also developed Major Depression. At one point it got bad enough so that I was hospitalized. I was so ashamed of that initially but I grew to realize it wasn't my fault. The wrong in that (aside from the abuse) would be letting it defeat me.
Anyway, one thing struck me when I was in the hospital. I had a visitor, my sister as a matter of fact. She and I are as different as night and day and she commented out of ignorance, fear or a combination of both "How can you allow yourself to come here? These people are crazy!" I said to her at the time "They are disturbed yes, but not necessarily crazy. Many are more authentic in their thoughts and feelings than we were ever taught to be growing up."
Sometimes you can almost watch it happen. A child is born, fresh from God and so very real.They cry when sad, throw temper tantrums when angry, love wholeheartedly and believe in magic and so it comes to them. The sad part is that so many are taught to close off that authentic part of themselves as they grow. I'm glad you didn't do that! (Or at least, aren't doing it anymore,lol!) Take care, Lori
Beautiful, Zanne.
You seem so sweet.
Trop, Listen to GF, he's right! Hugs!
GF, said it before and I'll say it again, it's a privilege walkin' with ya! :D
Lori, I'm sorry for what you've been through. Thanks for sharing from your own story--God bless you as you continue to find the courage to be you!
Kmae, thanks! :D
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