I am thinking about the Biblical story of Jacob wrestling all night; Jacob is wounded for life, but he realizes that the stranger who has been wrestling with him is none other than God. Barbara Bowe, in her wonderful book on Biblical Foundations of Spirituality, suggests that we also wrestle or struggle to find and know God in the midst of our busy lives. Jacob says in Genesis 28:16: "Surely the Lord is in this place--and I did not know it!" We, too, do not always know how to recognize God's presence in our midst. So, today let us reflect on where God is present in our lives. What might I be wrestling with and could this somehow bring me to recognize the presence of God in my own life? Or maybe He seems to be absent and wants me to search for His presence.
I thought a great deal about the 3,000 who died on September 11th all day yesterday. I guess I also was thinking of those left behind and the great tragedy that day was for so many of us. Now, this hekps me to understand better what those in the Ukraine are suffering. I think I might be wrestling with God about all the bad things: war, famine, floods, draught, climate change, 80,000 refugees, etc. I guess I need to return to concentrate on a list of present joys.
One personal joy is that I am going to make the Guided Imagery Weekend at the end of September with my spiritual director. Now that I am really enrolled, I am looking forward to it. It is to be at the Domincan Vacation House which means bringing sheets, towels, etc. but I think the Lord waits for me there in a special way.
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