This week, I’d like to commence our reflection with a poem by William Stafford named “The Way It Is” which is used by Richard Rohr in his book Immortal Diamond:
There’s a thread you follow. It goes among
Things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for other people to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
- Richard says his words for the thread are The True Self, who you are, and always have been in God, and at its core, is love itself. Love is both who you are and who you are still becoming, like a sunflower seed that becomes its own sunflower. Richard continues the thought that “you” or who you think you are, have nothing to do with its original creation or demise. He says it’s sort of dis-empowering and utterly empowering at the same time…All you can do is nurture it, which is saying quite a lot. It is love becoming love in this unique form called “me.”
- Romans 8:28 tells us, that this is a fully cooperative effort. God never forces himself on us or coerces you towards life or love by any threats whatsoever. God is utterly free and utterly respects our human freedom. Love flourishes inside freedom and then increases that freedom even more.
Relax now in body and mind, slow your breathing, and enter your meditation, centering your prayer, and allow yourself to hear the words in Romans “…for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called…” Envisage the thread that you don’t ever let go of, and as we come to a time when restrictions on our outer life may soon be removed, that the inner freedom has always been there and always will be.
Love and every blessing
Kathryn
Immortal Diamond, p 176– 177.
