The first send of this post had a glitch. We are resending it with apologies.
A weekly collection of inspiration and resources for the journey, gathered from websites, books, and pass-alongs that have been shared with us. From The Wisdom Years – Spirituality for the Last Third of Our Lives.
I Become the Elder
Leaving behind my journey of struggling and racing
Through the white water of many rivers,
I become the river, creating my own unique way.
Leaving behind my self-imposed role as a tree upon
Which others have leaned, I now become the wind,
With freedom to blow whenever and wherever I choose.
Download the full poem.
Good reads this week
Fr. Ron Rolheiser on Making and Breaking New Year’s Resolutions
In making new resolutions we are saying: “I believe in a God who continues to love me, even when I can’t live up to it.” Every time I pick myself off the floor after a fall and begin again with some hope in my heart looking for a new start, I am saying the creed in a way that is considerably more radical, in terms of expressing actual belief in God, than is my too-easy Sunday recital of it. To make a new resolution is to believe in God.
Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson on the Unpredictable-ness of Epiphany
The word EPIPHANY comes from the Greek and means, loosely translated, “Dang – didn’t see THAT coming in a million years!” Other preachers will tell you that Epiphany means a “showing” or “revealing,” and that’s not wrong. The thing is, a “showing” of God is NEVER EVER EVER what we expect. Epiphany means “I make plans; God laughs out loud.” Epiphany means a breakthrough, a rip in the veil, a brief interlude in another dimension of reality.
Marthe Curry – Emmaus Now
This past year, 2020, has been a great international leveler. Not one country has escaped the Corona virus; all have suffered. In our country, we were experiencing unprecedented economic prosperity and growth; joblessness was at a record low; opportunities seemed to be limitless. We were barely into the new year when the virus struck a blow that upended the whole world. And it changed our lives.
Listen
Do we have a Savior?
An audio sermon from SSJE
Did his coming make a difference? Has the Savior actually saved us? If the Messiah has come, and if he now reigns, why is there still such suffering and chaos in the world? We say we have a Savior, but it often appears that we still need one. Br. David Vryhof of the Society of St John the Evangelist steps into the complicated “already, but not yet” of God’s promises.
Click to hear the sermon.
e-courses
Awakening the Sage Within
Jan 16, 17 and 23, 1-4 pm (PT)
$95 to $150
From Sage-ing International
The three-day online event introduces elders to Sage-ing concepts including life review, forgiveness work, and issues surrounding mortality. Includes development of a personalized plan for eldering, including service to others and leaving a legacy.
Quiet Prophecy: Another Kind of Protest for Social and Religious Transformation
Wednesdays, March 10-24, 7-9 p.m. (CT)
$30
From Oblate Seminary
What if you are not the type of person who can openly protest things and openly challenge others? What are your prophetic gifts? How can your quiet gifts challenge the world and the church to be more just, more loving, and more faith-filled? Is there another kind of “protest” that is powerfully prophetic? Principles for Quiet Prophecy.
If you have something to add to Gathered Wisdom, send it to Marjorie George at
marjoriegeorge62@gmail.com
Gathered Wisdom is from The Wisdom Years, a ministry that invites older adults to deepening spirituality in the last third of their lives. If someone forwarded this to you, learn more about The Wisdom Years and subscribe to the site at
ww.wisdomyears.org.
The Wisdom Years 