The Lenten Journey

It was the temptation Jesus overcame in the desert. Being tempted with bread and with power and yet Jesus said no to the tempter. Jesus knew that He could live without food and without power for He knew something greater. Becoming aware of what is actually possible during Lent, when more fully understood then becomes possible beyond the 40 days of Lent. It can become a way of life: overcoming temptations for something greater. To struggle courageously against temptation is one of the most meritorious acts we can perform; and once we have triumphed with God's grace, we can repeat it. As quoted from: Aristotle "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self."
Are we tempted to carry grudges our whole life as a justification for some wrongdoing done to us, or can we over come the temptation through forgiveness of ourselves and those that may have hurt us knowingly or unknowingly. Are we tempted by excess drinking, doing, living versus using moderation and temperance? Are we tempted to justify our lent through giving up meat only to have a juicy lobster tail on Friday.
Upon deep reflection during my Lenten journey, to overcome the temptation for sharing the juicy stories in the form of gossip will be what I practice giving up during this season of Lent. By doing it for 40 days, I hope that I become more thoughtful in my speech the other 325 days. Think of what you are tempted by most: pride, gluttony, greed, jealousy, anger, sloth or something only you can name? As you begin to discover what tempts you most, it is this that we should practice giving up to discover the real value of Lent comes when we overcome temptation and live more fully.
Sometimes it is easier to not eat meat then to deal with the real temptations that cause suffering for us and others. In the end as Sir Edmund Hillary states, "It is not the mountains that we conquer, but ourselves." When we overcome our self we find our SELF.

The Woman at the Well

Today's gospel reading at mass was about the Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at the well and He offers her living water. Our priest did a beautiful reflection on this, one of my favorite gospels. As a devout follower of Jesus Christ, the woman at the well reminds me that Jesus called her to be one of the first to drink from his "living water", the well spring that dwells in our hearts to inspire hope, joy and life to the fullest. Jesus called her to be one of the first disciples. I joke among my friends that the Catholic Church is run by the "old boy network" and indeed it is. I am convinced that Jesus calls us all to lead our church community as men and women to bring the living water to all. Further, the priest eluded that in Jewish times men and women met at the well to meet a spouse - WOW. I never knew that and the symbolism for me a single woman in love with Jesus finds this whole meaning even more touching as I have sought God as my spouse and since that pursuit have found love in everyone I meet well pretty much. So today my blog offers you an image of the well, drink deeply, be inspired to be living water for yourself and for those who need your compassion, forgiveness, kindness, service and any act of love possible. P.S. I relish joy with James, my nephew, who placed 5th in a math contest yesterday.

Listening with the HEART

So often we long to talk and share our stories, problems, views, opinions and ramblings. However, as a long time sales representative we practice the art listening so that clients are heard and that we are able to understand the challenges they face in order that we might essentially sell them goods or services that can solve their problems. In the process we learn that listening for information is one part of understanding issues/concerns however another deeper level is listening from the heart. This allows sales people to begin to develop a relationship with a client so that we can continue to dialogue over time and eventually become the trusted advisor. At the heart level we not only hear the concerns but we may be able to feel/recognize the underlying cause of a story, view, opinion and rambling. We begin first by practicing listening, restating what we heard, asking clarifying questions and then moving into deep listening, watching the subtleties of the body movement, eye movement, and emotions behind words. In this deeper level of listening we quite literally get into the shoes of the other person. As sales people this is a developed skill and therefore is possible for all people to develop the art of listening with the heart. While it is useful in sales, the real value comes when we practice listening with the heart in all our personal relationships. This skill develops lasting relationships built on trust, confidence, compassion and love. P.S. This is the same way in quiet meditation that we come to know the Self and hear from our God the answers to our own challenges.

The Will of God

As a Catholic there is often training, sermons and other catholic instruction on doing the will of God. Even up to age 38 I really wondered what is God's will, and what does it mean for me "to do the will of God". Questions for me included whether God's will was for me to marry or not, keep my career or give it all up for the poor, even buying a home versus living more simply, these were my questions concerning what is God's will. This question of "what is God's will became a source of anger with this God who did not talk to me about what I should do with my life and Who never seemed to save people who needed food, safety, shelter and other needs even more serious than these. I wanted answers from this God. After much frustration, fret and confusion, an answer finally came through meditation, prayer, reading and spiritual direction: God's will was to love. This understanding has brought clarity, peace and joy in my life. God's will for us to love enables me to make choices to love and out of love in everything. This is practical advice and can be better translated as prayer into action e.g., calling someone who may come to my mind in prayer, providing food and or money to a homeless person and when I am personally worried about a family member or friend providing loving service to help them. God's will, once fully understood and lived, brings a peace that truly is lasting. We must be the arms, legs, hands and heart of this God that is somewhere unknown and yet revealed in love.

Brilliance from Comedians and Their Audience

Last night I went to see Maria Bamford and several other comedians performing at the Punchline in San Francisco. She provided much comic relief through a range of talent in voices, humor and hand movements for all of us. The others were also enjoyable to see. I have not generally enjoyed going to comedy shows as I feel the tension/anxiety of the performers when people don't get or don't laugh at the jokes. However, this was my third time at the Punchline and what I observed is that the audiences have always been supportive of the performers so much so I could feel the generous hearts of the audience and frequent joy found in the laughter of the audience from the humor of the performer. The power of people to provide support or to denigrate comes at individual levels however the energy then enables the whole crowd to emerge within that supportive acknowledgement. Last night and the two times before the brilliance of the performer and the audience made for a beautiful fun and positively energizing evening. I truly admire comedians and the courage, intelligence and generosity of their authentic mind revealed for all of us to see and enjoy.

New England Patriots will Find Peace

No doubt the New England Patriots tossed and turned while trying to sleep last night following their loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. While not really a football fan, I did attend a lovely super bowl party and after much joyful visiting with others like me who were not interested in the game, we all stopped to watch the final 10 minutes and found it exciting, even jumping up when an awesome catch by one of the NY giants was made, never losing hold of that ball even at the expense of falling hard on his back - wow what a grip! However, this article is about the finding peace for both sides as the Patriots grieve the loss of a perfect season and the Giants relish a powerful win. Getting rest for all of us when things are heavy on our minds, hearts and bodies can be difficult. The disappointment for the Patriots is what caused me to write. Last night as I tucked into bed I prayed that the players would find rest through their disappointment. My prayers continued to a larger population, including people who suffer as victims of global struggles. These would include victims of violent crimes, parents who are losing children to serious illness or sudden accidents, people who suffer hunger in the world, soldiers fighting for causes unknown and masses of people dying from genocide. While the Patriots loss is disappointing for them and their fans, this will pass as the Patriots and all of take on a larger view of the real disappointments in the world and work to defeat poverty, injustice and loneliness. Peace follows when we embrace the world's struggles and work towards justice for all.