Open my heart, O God
Give me courage to love beyond my fear
 
I am in awe of all the truly compassionate souls who are willing to let their hearts break so another can begin to heal.  I don’t think you can be truly compassionate without being willing to let your heart break.  What a wonderfully generous gift this is.  The practice of compassion is holy as it asks us to enter into another’s sorrow and pain. When we feel true compassion, we are moved inwardly. 

We have all felt compassion for someone we dearly love who is suffering and we would do anything to release our loved one from their suffering.  Imagine if we felt this way towards everyone?  When I think deeply about this I feel myself pull back fearful I could not bear the sorrow associated with opening to such deep compassion.   Is this why we turn a blind eye to those most in need, the strays and the homeless?  Are we afraid of how deeply we are capable of feeling another’s pain?  There is much pain and sadness in our world but it is only transformed through our willingness to bear it.  Christ is our supreme example of compassion.  I used to think we had to be detached from feeling another’s pain as it didn’t belong to us.  But I believe Christ allows Himself to feel our pain and through this loving sacrifice He transforms suffering.  I believe we too must be willing to carry another’s pain and in so doing Christ transforms us all. 

Len Sweet in Postmodern Pilgrims recounts a letter a physician wrote to a church-related magazine:
Today I visited an eight-year-old girl dying of cancer. Her body was disfigured by her disease and its treatment. She was in almost constant pain. As I entered her room, I was overcome immediately by her suffering, so unjust, so unfair. Even more overpowering was the presence of her grandmother lying in bed beside her with her huge body embracing this precious, inhuman suffering.

I stood in awe, for I knew I was on holy ground... The suffering of innocent children is horrifying beyond words. I will never forget the great, gentle arms and body of this grandmother. She never spoke while I was there. She was holding and participating in suffering that she could not relieve, and somehow her silent presence was relieving it. No words could express the magnitude of her love.

(Thoughts and reflections by Andrea Chinn-Parillo)

What joy, devotion, and anticipation filled the church on Friday night of this glorious Christmas Retreat 2011.   How special it was to gather Christmas morning as a spiritual family to celebrate our Lord Christ’s birth together.  We would love to hear what you experienced throughout the weekend and what this Christmas meant to each of you.

A new year holds so much promise.  It’s the epitome of new beginnings and second chances.  I always buy a new journal to begin the New Year and its empty pages offer hope for the possibilities of the New Year.  Each day I begin again with a clean page, an empty canvas.  And while the events of my outer world may not change, each time I turn the page I have an opportunity to experience my life differently.  I choose the story I will write; I choose how I will experience each day. 

This year I am committed to viewing my failures differently.  I read a statistic about New Year’s resolutions that said, “Four out of five people who make New Year’s resolutions will eventually break them. In fact, a third won’t even make it to the end of January”.  I have been that person.  When we break our resolutions we often feel a sense of failure and we may allow our discouragement to dissuade our efforts.  But this isn’t an all or nothing endeavor.  We all will stumble.  It is helpful to see our stumbling not as failure but as a point along the trail where we are handed a mirror and asked to take a closer look.  What we do in those moments define the progress we will make.  As we move through the year and evaluate our progress, we should ask not only how we are doing with our resolve but how is the process changing us.  Have you gained more understanding about yourself or others?  Have you soften through the process?  Have your shortcomings taught you more compassion?  You may find you are transformed in ways you never intended.  Embrace your journey.  Happy New Year.

(thoughts and reflections by Andrea Chinn-Parillo)

Rev. Lucy Wold spoke of a spiritual truth in her recent talk that always gives me pause.  She mentioned we need to be dissatisfied with ourselves in order to grow spiritually.  I think this is absolutely true.  At the same time, there is an emphasis in our culture to learn to see ourselves as worthy, to accept ourselves as we are, and to recognize that we are enough.  I think there is also merit to these ideals because within our culture there exists a great deal of self loathing that can be quite destructive and spiritually debilitating.  And so, I have struggled to reconcile these ideas.  How is it that I can be worthy, accept myself as I am, and feel I am enough while also understanding my limitations and the need to overcome them?

Here is what came to me in meditation:  “You are confusing your value with your journey.  God does not value you more when you overcome some quality of your lower nature.  Your value is constant in God’s eyes.  You have worth because you belong to Him.  But your journey back to God does require the overcoming of your lower nature and so He rejoices in all your successes.  Imagine it like this.  God has given you each a piece of holy clay.  It is holy because it is made of His essence; it is a piece of God.  With this clay you are asked to mold His likeness.  Only when you are able to reveal His image will you truly know Him.  This is your journey.  Each piece of clay has equal value because each has the same potential.  Your living, your consciousness, and your choices mold the clay revealing how well you know your Creator.”

Christ has demonstrated this journey so beautifully.  He continues to be our perfect example.  Because He Lives, we continue to be inspired, uplifted, and encouraged.  Let us make our clay more beautiful in the year to come.

(thoughts and reflections by Andrea Chinn-Parillo)

Weekly practice: Aspire to enter into the Christ Spirit, taking yourself beginning with the physical plane and ascending to the highest reaches you understand, into the aura as well as attention of your Lord.

I was so touched by everyone who shared their stories during our Advent series.  These talks created a sacred space where we were united ever deeper as a spiritual family.  I appreciate all who shared and all who held the space for those who allowed themselves to be seen in such an authentic way.  I recently heard a talk on vulnerability by Brene Brown where she said the original definition of courage came from the Latin word ‘cur’ which meant heart.  She said courage originally meant to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.  In showing this sort of courage, these speakers gave us a rare gift of connection.  We saw that what makes us vulnerable also makes us beautiful and lovable.  Through their stories we felt our own struggles and fear as well as beautiful moments of joy and love.  Thank you to all who helped create such a powerful Advent series.   As we prepare our gifts to Christ this year, our hearts overflow with gratitude for the blessings we continue to receive from Him.  I look forward to sharing the joy and blessings of Christmas with each of you.  Merry Christmas.

(thoughts and reflections by Andrea Chinn-Parillo)

Weekly practice:  Pay heed to Christ entering you.