Gathered Wisdom, Feb 9

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.

Hope is the basis for taking responsibility; for claiming our capacity to create, to make a genuinely new thing. It is also the springboard for trying to act justly; and for accepting absolutely our incorporation into each other. It is not simply that we share with each other a common humanity, but that individually we have no humanity without each other.

— Sara Maitland in A Big Enough God by Sara Maitland

From Spirituality and Practice

Praying So as Not to Lose Heart

By Fr. Ron Ronheiser

“One of the reasons we need to pray is so that we don’t lose heart. We all do sometimes. We lose heart whenever frustration, tiredness, fear, and helplessness in the face of life’s humiliations conspire together to paralyze our energies, deaden our resiliency, drain our courage, and leave us feeling weak in depression.”
 
Read the full essay.

The Little Girl and the Parrot

A Valentine story from Joan Chittister

“It was a mystical moment. The bird and child locked in some kind of preternatural condition. Lady moved slowly and sweetly to Brigid’s fingers, and Brigid leaned over and smiled a smile as fragile as the dew. The sense of satisfied love and shy spiritual awe on her small face lit up the entire room.”

Read this sweet story.

Life In The Deserted Place

By the Rev. Mike Marsh

“When was the last time you said to yourself, ‘I really want to go to a deserted place; a barren, empty, and desolate place; a lonely place; a place without water; a place that is wild and risky; a place where anything might happen; a place where if you get lost they might not find you?’ My guess is that nobody wants to go to that place and yet we’ve all been there.” 

From a sermon preached Feb. 7, 2021 at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Uvalde TX

Read the sermon.

Open Hands and Willing Hearts

An online course from Shalem Institute
Course material available Feb. 14 to Apr 4

Recognizing and living into one’s call is a lifelong process of discernment. In this online class, Patience Robbins and Margaret Pfeil will invite you to look at your life, no matter what age, and notice your unique contribution to God’s vision. This Lent, lean into spaciousness and learn to become more receptive to the ways the spirit is guiding you with this six-session series. Listen to stories of discernment and engage in enriching experiential exercises.

For more information.

Pass on the Gratefulness – Send an e-card

From A Network for Grateful Living

Expressing care and gratitude is a vital part of grateful living practice. The Network for Grateful Living offers lovely, free e-cards for you to send to those who need some inspiration. Make someone’s day. Make a connection. Make a difference. For your sake, and for the benefit of others. 

To learn more and see the collection.