RUACH

breathes I AM

*me*you*all

sings dark alive

owls who/rabbit scream

lovers laugh/moon/orbs/stars

sings life Unknowable

~not any breathing creature

blossoms dance down

finches fledge gold

light!yes!sing!JOY!

terrors not eternal

E-I-N S-O-F~E-I-N S-O-F

E-I-N-S-O-F~E-I-N-S-O-F

light-dark myyourour

strikes balance

on this fruitful sphere

STEALING JESUS

I read today that thieves had stolen the infant Jesus figure from three different church Nativity displays. Wow, I thought. Those were some chance taking thieves!

What must they have been thinking? Surely they weren't thinking beyond the moment of their thievery. Were they planning on selling it, or doing damage in some way to the Church and the faithful. Or was it all too common vandalism out of sheer anger at the world? I could even picture the thieves taking the figure home to remain close, and somehow comforting.

I like to picture that. In any case the persons who stole the baby Jesus figurine may have gotten a lot more than they bargained for.

Jesus says: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. "At hand." I wonder if those who took Jesus had read or even heard of Luke 17:21 or Matthew 3:2 or 3:17.  However, there is the big picture symbolized by the plaster figure.

We are too often, myself included, caught up in "the pursuit of happiness".  We think it's a private happiness: more money, bigger and better toys, all that material stuff which we think will bring us happiness. With so much suffering in the world the pursuit of personal happiness in things is a baby faith, that never really makes us happy. We coo and cuddle our baby faith and make much of the baby Jesus. And then, moments later, we too easily fall back into the trap of seeking power, success, money and control. But surprise. Things go wrong. We get sick, we die.

Richard Rohr, a priest who has written many books and a daily blog says: "God, it seems, want adult religion and a mature, free response from us." By that measure we're going to need to wipe the slate clean - be completely transformed.  Read that RE FORMED. The thieves by the Grace of God may someday find their way beyond mere happiness to transformation and JOY. Joy is not the earthly thing we think it is. Joy is cosmic.

In today's reading of Malachi 3:1-4 we are assured that Joy will come, but that the transformation of our hearts and minds will come with a price. "See. I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly to his temple. (Note that Temple elsewhere in Scripture is defined as our bodies, minds and souls.) "The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight - indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But Who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?"

Tougher stuff yet: "He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and...he will purify."

Well! Do we think we have Jesus in hand, under our control? Would we seek to steal Jesus? Jesus may be hotter to handle than we thought. And God never leaves. Once touched by God, you can never let go.

 

--Ann Ahnemann 12/6/2015

 

RAGE

These troubled days, don't you wonder what goes on in the minds of those who tie bombs to their bodies with the idea of setting it off in crowded places to kill not only themselves. But as many innocent people as possible. Or those who arm themselves with grenades or with assault rifles shoot round after round into restaurants, stadiums, markets?

 We all like to be good at something, transcend, stand out in a crowd. I'm convinced that acceptance looks good to those who have experienced too little of such. We call these murders insane, sociopaths, losers. Just perhaps their deeds are the only thing that feels good in their lives. The rush. The certainty of a cause. Relief of private pain. Or perhaps all of this and more... Aren't we drawn to wonder how society has birthed such rage? A few years ago, after reading about what was described as a senseless murder, I wrote a poem. It occurred to me that the murder made perfect sense to the murderer. I wrote a poem about such a person. 

RUSH

Crouched in the spill pool

Backpack and all

Cold water heaves forward 

 Faint pink foam from his clothes

 Bar food and Boiler Maker images

The stripper's golden shoes

Heavy Metal his arteries' staccato backbeat

Gathering  ecstasy his glistening blade

Stabbing loveliness of her eyes widening

To see her spurting blood 

Sudden sensual slack peace

To run with the ebb embrace

Dark, so dark, blessed blind dark

 Flagellating branches, cutting shale

Barked shins sweet pain come

Dawn crystal clear knowing:

Christ! They don't catch me,

I want it again

 --Ann Ahnemann 11/17/2015

MYSTICISM

 

MYSTICISM

As the seasons change, so do the stages of life. The thoughts I write here about the subject of mysticism are mine alone. I have no special authority on the subject. In this stage of my life, in retirement from work and busy family life, I find I have more time being rather than doing. So it is that contemplation is more an important part of my life, and that it reaps great rewards for me.

I have recently been thinking about mystery, and the general subject of mysticism, and in particular how mysticism has impacted my life. As i say, I have no authority to teach anyone on this subject. I can only relate my experiences. My bedrock is Christianity - what some would call a liberal Christianity which is inclusive, and drawing wisdom first from God, and then the Bible, and the many other places where one encounters those who are seeking what I will call The DIvine Presence.

Mysticim. The dictionary definition:

1. belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender. 2. belief characterized by self-delusion or dreamy confusion of thought, especially when based on the assumption of occult qualities or mysterious agencies.

 

The dictionary, I find, doesn't have the final word on the subject. Experience often defies definition.

We can safely say we are 'spiritual'. Spiritual is a slippery term. Spiritual but not religious. Acronym: SBNR. Being spiritual may mean that one appreciates a beautiful sunset, the aurora borealis,  the full moon, conjunction of planets- beauty in nature. Hopefully we translate our love of the world and the creatures thereupon into action for the betterment of all life. Being spiritual is a rational response to the wonder of Creartion.

Judging from postings on the Internet, there is an increasing awareness of the need for action on our planet to help all those in need of help. I believe this comes out of some rational spiritual awareness of and care for life on our planet. 

It's all good. This is the fruit of the spiritual life.

But, Mysticism? Oh now, that's different thing.  It seems to go deeper than spirituality which has the self as center. Mysticism has as its center Divine Presence. Diety. God. It is a place where one gives up the ego. Your 'You' surrenders. "If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it" Luke 17:33 New Living Translation. The Mystic seeks Self in unity with God.

 The Church regards itself as the guardian of Church doctrine. As such the Church since at least the Middle Ages has in effect corralled what is acceptable as 'mystic' and roped off that which is regarded as unacceptable. One wonders how some of the Prophets statements would be regarded if spoken today.

The mystical experiences, however, seems not to have to do with defy doctrine, reason, systems, religion per se. They seem to come unbidden. The Bible records the mystical experience of Divine intervention in lives which we can regard as Truth of God's working in lives in the past, and our lives today. Jonah, Job, Hagar, Isaiah, Jesus, the Disciples, including the doubting Thomas, and those of us today like Thomas. The Bible should be read with this in mind: The Bible written in a certain time and place in history speaks to us personally today as we contemplate the meanings conveyed therein. The mystical meaning, God's action in the world in all ages. The experience of God's action in the world may come, unbidden by our reason, as a mystical experience.

It is of note that Pope Francis is undergoing some rather extreme criticism for his efforts to reform the Vatican. Francis fits the pattern of a mystic. His council seems to come from a deep place of the soul - a unity he feels with Christ.

An interview with Eugenio Scalfari, atheist founder of the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, was published Oct.1. Scalfari’s interview took place at the Pope’s request on Sept. 24 at the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence, where Pope Francis lives.

When Scalfari asked the Holy Father if he had ever had a mystical experience, Pope Francis replied that he “rarely” has. However, he shared that one such experience did take place during the conclave, shortly before he accepted his election as pope.

“Before the acceptance, I asked to be able to retire for some minutes in the room next to that with the balcony on the square,” he said. “My head was completely empty, and a great anxiety invaded me.”

“To make it pass and to relax, I close my eyes and every thought disappeared, also that of refusing to accept the charge, as, after all, the liturgical procedure consents,” he said.

Pope Francis shared that, once he closed his eyes, he did not feel any more “anxiety or emotion,” but that, at “a certain point, a great light invaded me; it lasted for a second, but it seemed really long.”

“Then the light dissipated, and I stood straight up and headed to the room where the cardinals were waiting for me and the table on which rested the act of acceptance,” he said. “I signed it ... and then on the balcony came the ‘Habemus Papam!’”

 Our pastor affirmed in his sermon several months ago to the effect that mysticism was not a scary word. That on the contrary, mystical experiences should be accepted and embraced. This, I thought, was a courageous sermon in a northeastern Protestant church, where there is nary a hand raised in praise, or a shouted AMEN. As a congregation we are not given to outward expression of our interior lives. I have no doubt there mystics among us, but who are uncomfortable sharing or even being able to express the mystical experiences they've had.

So, here goes. I'm not at all comfortable calling myself a Mystic. The word seems to heavy with human definition. In addition, mysticism is not a static state. One doesn't  always feel that union with, or absorption into, God. What I can say is that I have experienced the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect through contemplation and self-surrender. I have felt in the Presence of the Divine. Not always. It is a rare occurrence. There is too much reason and rational thought to overcome. And surrender? The ego is a powerful master. To put it in Scriptural terms, one has to come down from the mountain.

The mountain is a dizzying place. Recently, I experience these which do not adequately describe the whole experience as it is impossible to put a mystical experience into words.

 It may happen at a memorial service for a nephew, who was born gay into a family that never accepted his reality. The air seems suddenly alive as the pastor speaks a homily about the man, telling the truth of his life in an unaccepting family - a family with a host of ongoing problems, weeping now in memory of a departed son. One suddenly sees a great Unity of pain and joy. A love which passes all understanding. It feels like an unloosening, a freedom, a unity.  All the hurts, bitterness and separation fades away absorbed by calm and peace. A mystical thing, that. And it stays with you and changes you in the depths of your being.

Or a person with a troubled life you've been praying for years for who has had multiple divorces, children shuffled from one place to another, upsetment from birth a way of life.  Some no longer speaking to each other. Others through God's ineffable Grace finding that they are beloved by God from before they were born. The mother's house burns. She and her youngest son by her second husband are not hurt. Her dog and cat get out alive and safe. Amazingly the cabinet where she stored her mother's china was untouched. The mystical vision is that there will come changes, better choices, greater love for life and children. And it may come to you that God is present in this too. The pain of the past burned. The joy saved in a cabinet of china. A miraculous gift of God's unity of pain and joy as blow by blow by blow we "get it."  There is a calm and peace in the rightness of all dawns. How else to explain it except to say that life itself is mystical beyond all imagining.

 We are all looking for peace of mind, perhaps transcendence in some form. That 'Is that all there is?' feeling. The needing to be in union with something bigger than ourselves. What will alleviate the unbearable stresses of life? Too many are looking in all the wrong places. Drugs for depression are used more than ever before and the market is growing.  Heroin use has reached literally critical numbers. Kids are dying here.  Alcohol abuse. You name it abuse. 

And church attendance is dropping. Projectors, new hymns, book clubs, hayrides, spaghetti dinners. Good charitable work is being done. For that I'm grateful. So very grateful. Work for the homeless and jobless, food for the hungry, donations for the needs of the building in which we meet for services. And church attendance continues to decline. Some need isn't being met. Christ is the Center. How do we pass on the Good News?

So, let's visit mysticism again.  Do we feel the Divine presence in our churches? Taking Communion once a month are we taking Christ into our bodies, our very cells? Are we good disciples, spreading the Good News outside of our walls?  Are we communicating God's love?

Human reason has limits. One cannot reach the Grace of God by natural reason. If that were true, stresses would be reasoned away. Many religions accept that by faith and Grace alone can one be renewed. God has provided humankind with the ability to receive a direct vision of God. That is mysticism in a nutshell - that God becomes intimately present to the created mind and this, enlightened by special illuminations, contemplates fills one with ineffable joy the Divine essence. And lives are changed.

This is spirituality with a Center. It has little to do with 'religion'. Spirituality and deep mystical experience is about much more than going to church and agreeing or disagreeing with church doctrines. Spirituality is the shorthand term we use in our society to talk about a person’s relationship with God. For many people, how they think about it is certainly guided by what they see and do in their congregations, or in those sent to us as models of God's gift of Grace.  God bless us as we receive You into our being and pass on the Love.

Here is a film a friend of mine, C W Seper, made about a mystic in whose books we have found great truth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjLc4FVhwWw

I pray that all of us accept and experience God into our lives and pass on the Love.

 Ann Ahnemann

November 13, 2015

MYSTERY: ANGEL MESSENGERS

ANGEL MESSENGERS

Is it merely wishful thinking that angels exist? It seems a lovely, if harmless fantasy. Right? Those rosy cheeked Hallmark angels. How cute they are!

I can tell you that angels do exist, that sent by God, they visit us with messages from God. It's a dangerous thing to admit that one not only believes in angels, but that they have seen angels and have communicated with them.  Such an admission may be regarded by many as madness, an overactive imagination, wishful thinking. All that. So be it, even though polls show some 80% of people believe in angels.

Pope Francis said in his daily mass at the Feast of The Guardian Angels, "The doctrine on angels is not fantasist. No, it's reality....According to church tradition we all have an angel with us, who protects us and help us the understand things."

The tradition is that every individual has his appointed guardian angel, in our Saviour's words: "See that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father Who is in Heaven" (Matthew 18:10)

See  Matthew 4:1 And now Jesus was led by the Spirit away into the wilderness, to be tempted there by the devil. 2 Forty days and forty nights he spent fasting, and at the end of them was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached, and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, bid these stones turn into loaves of bread. 4 He answered, It is written, Man cannot live by bread only; there is life for him in all the words which proceed from the mouth of God.[1] 5 Next, the devil took him into the holy city, and there set him down on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down to earth; for it is written, He has given charge to his angels concerning thee, and they will hold thee up with their hands, lest thou shouldst chance to trip on a stone.[2] 7 Jesus said to him, But it is further written, Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the proof. 8 Once more, the devil took him to the top of an exceedingly high mountain, from which he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, 9 and said, I will give thee all these if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Away with thee, Satan; it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and serve none but him. 11 Then the devil left him alone; and thereupon angels came and ministered to him.

The cult of Angels is Scriptural. The Bible contains many descriptions of hierarchy in the angelic realm in both the Old Testament  and the New Testament. The most complete site on the tradition of angelicals can be found here:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01476d.htm

So what does all that prove. Nothing, of course if you don't believe in God's word, the Bible, or any other religious tradition of angelicals. You can go on your merry way, and blessings be upon you.

--------

Years ago while I was meditating a woman with shoulder length black hair appeared to me. In meditation one learns to let thoughts and images appear and go. But this woman had an arresting quality. She had no particular expression on her face that I could identify. She was silent, but somehow she conveyed meaning to me. The feeling was calm watchfulness. She seemed to mean wellness for me. Faith? I still can't pin it down. Thinking about her now, I can still feel her calm assurance, for want of a better description.  My mother has had that expression the second time I 'saw' her after her death. The meditation seeing, was many years before my mother passed over.

A day dream, a waking dream, years ago. Another sighting. Much more alarming. A young, muscled man with curly blond hair cut short, dressed in a short white tunic. He wore a band of silver around his upper arm. He gave out a feeling of strength and great power  I asked him who  he was. Misha, he said. And it was not a gentle introduction. Pay attention. Be not a hypocrite. Arm yourself...Those were not his exact words, but that was the feeling of this angel Misha. He showed his teeth clenched, lips red with intention. A warning I needed at the time.

----

A waking dream: I was talking to a friend we had invited for dinner. I don't remember the discussion exactly, but he was a writer, a poet. He was talking about his poems about love. The room we were in morphed into a blinding white light. And I remember crying and thinking, 'This is the meaning of life!' All, good and bad, all of life was a unity. And I was filled with a Joy beyond explanation. I thought I might die in that Joy. I still remember that feeling after these many years. The complete certainty that all was truly in God's hands, that all is well and all manner of thing would be well.

---

Another waking dream. I was in Maine. A bright sunny day in Autumn. I left our cottage for a walk and instead of going down to the lake I turned right down the Carrier road. The voice said, What do you see? Brightly colored leave of Maple and Oak. And enormous White Pine weeping great globs of pitch. The air began to vibrate. The pitch turned to blood red tears. I said aloud, the pines are weeping. Crackle of leaves on the dirt road. A young man with long dark hair tied back, wearing jeans and a flannel shirt and carrying a bright red backpack. I said hello. He returned the greeting. And then stared at the pine tree I had been looking at, blood pitch dripping down. 'All things are well and truly living beings,' He wasn't speaking words. He was thinking these things to me. You don't speak my language, he explained.  There was an aura about this man. A presence that was unnerving. Given that apparently I was reading his mind and he mine. We know everyone who lives in this cove. I have never seen you around here. Do you live in one of the cottages? Rent one for vacation. I knew it was a stupid question. No. I'm not from around here. What is your name?  Richard, he said offering no last name. I dared not ask him. He stood there smiling though that doesn't describe it. Beaming? That was more like his expression, but still inadequate. Where are you from? He lifted his arms and pointed to the sky, which had turned a deep indigo color studded with star gems of every color. It staggered me, Who are you? What are you? I'm an angel. An angel? An angel named Richard??? Come on. Where are your wings? I don't show them very often down here. I don't  want to scare people. Scare people? It's not my mission. Your mission. Yes. To show things to people they otherwise wouldn't notice. Life as you know it is so very much more than the conscious mind can take in.The blood tears of the pine. The glory of the Cosmos. Earth and heaven. Unity of Creation. Yes. Something like that. Was he winking? A hippy guy, this? Ha! You mean like those nice folks who come down here to sell their garden produce? Nice people, those. They know me. So, what about the wings? Well alright. If you wish.

Out of a place behind the red backpack the wings unfolded. White, but as though glitter had been sprinkled all over the feathers, flashing colors moving to and fro. Unfolding slowly the wings rose. Ten feet high? More? And the man himself enormous now. Filling the entire sky above me. I dropped to my knees on the ground. Then instantly the man was the man I first had seen. Jeans, well worn flannel shirt, red backpack, hair tied back into a ponytail. He continued down toward Carrier's cottage, and disappeared.

Whenever I think about Richard Angel small details change and others come to mind. How incredible that an angel named Richard, real, imaginary, or whatever he was, changed my life. I remember thinking then, and still do think, So, everything written about God is true. And more. So much more.

The Psalmist asked, What is humankind that Thou art mindful of them? I ask myself that question every day.

Ann J. Ahnemann 11/7/15

A WEEK OF ANGELS

 

A WEEK OF ANGELS

Do you believe in Angels? Polls show that some 80 percent of people do. We are inundated with pictures of angels, looking like us except that they have wings.The Bible and books such as Enoch which not part of the Canon record many experiences with angels. These beings are not as Hallmark depicts them. Believe it! I will write more on the subject of Angels. Here is my offering today.

The following comes from a site called Manadoo. It is a description of the seven archangels and the mission of each. Included are prayers for each. This comes not from traditional Church catechism, which I will post later. However I found this interesting and useful in prayer life. Think on it as you will. Prayers to you all. Ann Ahnemann

The Seven Archangels

Angels are often divided into groupings, called a Hierarchy. Closest to humankind are angels who act as our guardians and helpmates. Above them are the Archangels, who act as messengers in service to God. It’s also said that the Archangels do battle with the forces of negativity, endeavoring to maintain a positive balance of light and Godliness throughout the universe. They’re also consigned with the task of being guardians to world leaders so that the earth and we who dwell here are protected. These are the Angels who stand around God's throne, ready to carry out the divine and most important decrees to humans. According to the book of Revelation, there are seven Archangels who stand in the presence of God, but only four are mentioned in the Old Testament, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. The identity of the other three is subject to debate. Each of the Archangels has a distinct personality, and an area of life as a specialty. They all have their special skills along with their divinity and they will come to the aid of anyone who calls on them. The Archangels are described below and with each one is a special prayer calling on the specific Angel to help you. Simply hold your bracelet and repeat the prayer aloud. Michael and a Prayer for Protection Probably the best known and most powerful of all the Archangels is the Archangel Michael. He was also the first angel created by God, and his name means “Who is like God.” He is the leader of all the Archangels. A warrior who is often depicted carrying a sword to do battle with the forces of Satan, Michael’s domain is protection, courage, strength, truth, and integrity. Not only does he offer physical protection, he also protects us against psychic attack. It is Michael’s task to rid the earth of fear. He can help you to be fearless, strong, and uncompromising when it comes to doing the right thing. Call upon the Archangel Michael when you feel you need protection. He can be very inspirational and is the perfect angel to contact when you are in doubt or nervous about something. When your motivation or sense of commitment are lagging, call on Michael to boost your strength and dedication. He can also help with your self-esteem and sense of personal worthiness. It is Michael who can help us realize our life’s purpose. He stood beside Adam in the Garden of Eden to teach him farming and family values, and he spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. He can be of immense help in your career, your ambitions, and your personal life's calling. He can literally help you fight the darkness in yourself as well as in the world around you. The energy associated with Michael is profound because it comes from the power of being aligned with all things "Good" and "Just." Because of his bravery and help with heroic deeds, Michael is considered the patron of police offices. He’s also very helpful when mechanical or electrical devices malfunction, so call on him when you’re having car or computer trouble. He can also help vanquish nightmares. Seeing clearly into our own hearts is an important task here on earth, and it’s Michael who can provide the openness and wisdom necessary for you to do that. He can help you be faithful to who you truly are and were meant to be. A Prayer for Protection I call on Michael to be with me now. Blessed Angel, please surround me with your loving goodness and fill my heart with the strength I need to make my life work. Please protect me from all negativity and shine a light on the path I need to follow. If I falter, please lift me up, and help me see the life I should be living. Thank you. Raphael and a Prayer for Abundance The Hebrew word rapha means doctor or healer, and the name Raphael means “Healing power of God.” He is healer of all humans and animals and the one to call upon when you’re ill, or when a loved one needs a healing. It was Raphael who taught Tobias how to make balms and ointments from a fish when his father’s sight was failing and these remedies cured his blindness. Raphael performs healing and acts as the patron of doctors and other medics endeavoring to do healing work. If you need help with your own medical career or in obtaining the funds to pay for your studies, Raphael can come to your aid. It’s said he can find lost pets, reduce or eliminate cravings or addictions, aid in clairvoyance, and bring unity and a new found sense of spirituality to your life. Raphael can help you with anything in your life that feels out of balance, assisting you in getting back on the right course in order to reap rewards. He will guide you every step of the way in starting new adventures and new enterprises. He is always encouraging of growth and rebirth. Call upon Raphael to help you generate abundance and miracles in your life. Known as the Patron of Travelers, he is there for those on the road who need protection, guidance, or assurance. Likewise he will shepherd your luggage safely to its assigned destination. In addition to physical journeys, call on him when you’re embarking on a spiritual journey and need a guide. Renowned for his sense of humor, Raphael is sweet and loving and is often depicted chatting merrily with human beings. A Prayer for Abundance I call on Raphael to be with me now. Please surround me with your healing kindness and clear my heart of any negativity. Heal me of all darkness and open me up to your love and light. Please help me find my true path and the road to abundance. Let all good things flow through my life and let me share what I have with others. Thank you. Zadkiel and a Prayer for Happiness Zadkiel is known as the Archangel of freedom, and his name means “Righteousness of God.” He is the patron of all who forgive and thus benevolence and mercy are his areas. As you think about it, it makes sense. Nobody can truly be happy with anger and revenge in their hearts, and once forgiveness is offered, the heart can be cleared of that misery. Zadkiel's virtues include freedom, guidance, diplomacy, righteousness and spiritual development. It’s said that it was Zadkiel who prevented Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac. Because of this, he’s often depicted holding a dagger. He is one of the two standard bearers, along with Jophiel, who follow directly behind head Archangel Michael when he enters into battle. He is associated with the color violet, a most spiritual hue. He’s also associated with the planet Jupiter, the planet of expansion and luck. A Prayer for Happiness I call on Zadkiel to be with me now. Please surround me with your loving mercy. Help me forgive those who have hurt me and please ask those whom I have hurt to forgive me in turn. When tempted to make a negative choice, please be with me and point me in a better direction. Clear my heart of all pain and suffering and open it to the joy that life can bring. Thank you. Jophiel and a Prayer for Wisdom Jophiel, whose name means “Beauty of God,” is the Archangel of art, beauty and Paradise. He is also known as the angel of art and beauty. His special gift is helping us appreciate the beauty all around us. He also can help us think beautiful thoughts. Jophiel was present in the Garden of Eden and later watched over Noah’s sons. He is the patron of artists and all those who appreciate the beauty surrounding us in the world. Most of us believe that creativity comes from within the person doing it, but in fact, it is a partnership. Divine inspiration always precedes creativity, and as the artist opens to the flash of inspiration, he or she uses personal talents to give substance to the divine vision. Jophiel brings inspiration and inspires us toward awareness, enlightenment, open mindedness and freedom of thought. Jophiel is also the patron of interior designers. He helps create beauty wherever he goes. He also helps us see the beauty around us, whether in the physical world or in the hearts of those we know. Beauty is everywhere, if we’re open to seeing it, and it’s Jophiel’s task to help open us up to this miracle. Through beauty, joy and laughter result, and Jophiel can be called upon when you’re harried and not willing to stop and smell the roses. He brings the light of vision and of joy. Jophiel also works on a spiritual level to awaken our souls to the greater potentials of who we are and the infinite wonders that surround us. A Prayer for Wisdom I call on Jophiel to be with me now. Please surround me with your rainbow of inspiration. Let me see the colors of life and all the beauty that is everywhere. Please open my mind and my heart to inspiration, so that I can find the best path and take the best journey possible. Help me see life clearly, in all its details, and help me know how to handle wisely everything I see. Thank you. Uriel and a Prayer for Success It is Uriel who presides over fire, energy, passion and creativity. His name means “God is light.” He might as well be considered the angel of intellect, because he is known for being wise and savvy and ever ready with creative insight, practical solutions, and intellectual information. Uriel rules over enlightenment and insight. Call on him to remind you of your true purpose, which is to connect to your inner Light. When you suddenly know something you didn’t know before, perhaps Uriel has whispered the answer in your ear. Very subtle, he doesn’t always require a lot of fanfare, but provides answers when they’re needed in a quiet and helpful way. It was Uriel who warned Noah of the impending flood, helped the prophet Ezra to interpret mystics’ predictions about the coming of Jesus, and delivered the Cabal to humankind. He also brought the practice of Alchemy, which in fact has never worked, but on a spiritual level, it’s quite possible to turn dross into gold via a transformation that brings illumination and new wisdom. Uriel is the Archangel who helps with natural disasters such as floods and fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes. He can both lead you to safe ground and aid in your post-disaster recovery. When you need help with spiritual understanding or problem solving, call on Uriel. He also can assist with magic and writing. A Prayer for Success I call on Uriel to be with me now. Please surround me with your wisdom and enlighten me to everything I need to know. Help me see the barriers that prevent my success and aid me in easily moving them aside. Please open my heart to my true path so that I may walk on it happily and successfully. Thank you. Gabriel and a Prayer for Luck This angelic horn blower's name means “Strength of God.” Gabriel presides over water, emotion, psyche, and movement. Along with Michael, he is considered one of the two highest-ranking of all the Archangels. Gabriel can be quite inspirational and he tends to nudge us all in beneficial directions. When you’re unsure of your own direction and need guidance or prophecies, call on Gabriel. When you’re contemplating a big change, Gabriel can provide the clarity of vision that you need. He is above all else, a messenger. Gabriel brings news of happy tidings, like impending births, just as he did to the mothers of Jesus and John the Baptist, Mary and Elizabeth. For those who are yearning for a child, whether a natural one or an adopted one, Gabriel is the angel to call upon. In his role as messenger, he is also a coach for those who are communicators, and he helps artists and writers overcome fear and procrastination. Gabriel also acts as a healer in that he can help release the body’s toxins, the mind’s impure thoughts, or even the heart’s pain after a horrible ordeal. When you feel you’re under psychic attack from negative influence, call on Gabriel to vanquish them. A Prayer for Luck I call on Gabriel to be with me now. Please cleanse my heart and soul of all negativity and open me up to all good things. Where I have faltered in the past, please show me the way to stand in the right place for fortune to find me. Let me be positive in all things and in response, let all good things come to me. Thank you. Chamuel and a Prayer for Love Chamuel is the Archangel for pure love, not just romantic love, but the purest force within all of creation. His name means “He who sees God.” Chamuel is known as the most compassionate of all the angels. He embodies the great heart and love of the Divine Creator for all of mankind. Chamuel can help in the search for a soulmate as well as with the desire to repair and heal any relationship in trouble. In any relationship, a secure foundation of devotion and affection is necessary and Chamuel helps us find the way to build that. Whenever unhealthy relationship patterns are evident, such as jealousy, clinginess, or insecurity, Chamuel is the one to call upon for guidance and support. If there are problems between a parent and child or of simple lack of self-love, Chamuel can light the way toward a healthier interaction. When someone has left your life through death, divorce, or separation, Chamuel can help ease the pain. He will stand by you in your time of need and help your heart to heal. Negative emotions such as depression, hopelessness, or despair also fall to Chamuel to heal. When a broken heart dampens your days, reach out to this kindhearted, loving angel. The most important thing to have in life is a loving spirit. The ability to feel love for all people and all creatures, even for plants, can help us all live better lives that enrich not only ourselves but all mankind. Call on Chamuel to help make this possible. A Prayer for Love I call on Chamuel to be with me now. Please fill my heart with love for all those around me, and for all those I’ve yet to meet. Let me appreciate the tender hearts within us all and open my own in the process. Let love flow through me like the blood in my veins, making life joyous and a true celebration. Thank you.

MYSTERY

ALL SAINTS DAY

Psalm 8:3,4
3 When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?



I am glad to have Americain Halloween behind me! I mean the costume candy silly thing we do here on what for me is a sacred time. All souls/all saints. Meditating on the real meaning of All Hallows I am so very mindful of the saints upon whose shoulders I stand today. I've been feeling the close presence of my maternal grandmother and my mother especially. In that space between sleeping and waking they 'speak' comfort to me. Their faith sustained me in life and even now that they have passed.

 
October is a mysterious time of year. We walk on sacred ground. And the older I get the more I am content to leave situations in the realm of mystery and wonder. Most of our lives one is concerned with _doing_ and not _being_ I find that being is the better state. Every morning I read a Fr. Richard Rohr's blog.  His subject this week is The Cosmos. He writes, "Today, we know that the universe is old, large, dynamic, and interconnected. It is about 13.8 billion years old, and some scientists think it could still exist for 100 trillion years. The universe has been expanding since its birth. Our home planet, Earth, far from being the center of the universe, revolves around the Sun, a medium sized star in a medium sized galaxy, the Milky Way, which contains about 200 billion stars. The Milky Way is about 100,000 light years in diameter. Furthermore, it is one of 100 billion galaxies in the universe. We do not appear to be the center of anything. And yet our faith tells us that we still are. This cosmic shock is still trying to sink into our psyches."

October.The mystery has been celebrated through the ages. This month there was a dramatic vertical lineup of Venus.Leo's bright star Regulus, Mars and Jupiter. They were joined by Mercury and the Moon. The full Hunter's moon made a spectacular appearance on the 27th.

Our field has hosted a parade of creatures gathering stores for winter. Deer, possums, chipmunks, groundhogs, foxes, coyotes, wild turkeys. A bear or two was spotted in nearby towns. Trees and plants are dropping nuts and seeds which will bring new life come Spring. Hickory, Walnut, Acorn, Dogwood, Coreopsis, Thistle. Flocks of birds feast on their way to warmer places. Owls call in the woods. Young hawks are soaring with their parents above. Bats swoop for last insect meals before winter. Spiders are weaving their last. Moths flutter their last. The cicadas chirp a slower, hopeful beat.

In the magazine Alive Now the editor Beth Richardson writes: "Mystery--it is something that I cannot explain or even understand. Gazing at a vast sky and know that I am but a tiny part of an infinite universe of creation. Sensing that those who have passed away are right here with me." ( We celebrate the lives of our friend Paul Huber, and nephew Bruce Doele. My Mother is close, and her mother both of whom passed on their great faith to me.) "Standing with others around the communion table, knowing that the Holy is here in this place." As it is in every place.

In youth I was so certain of things. Today, I embrace the presence of mystery in the world, and in my life. The older I get the less I know for sure.

Some quotes passed on from my friend Fr. Serafim Sigrist ressonate. (1)

“(We are) incapable of certain knowledge or absolute ignorance. We are floating in a medium of vast extent, always drifting uncertainly, blown to and fro. Whenever we think we have a fixed point to which we can cling and make fast, it shifts and leaves us behind. If we follow it, it eludes our grasp, slips away, and flees eternally before us. Nothing stands still for us. This is our natural state and yet the state most contrary to our inclinations. We burn with desire to find a firm footing, an ultimate, lasting base on which to build a tower rising up to infinity, but our whole foundation cracks, and the earth opens into the depth of the abyss. Let us then seek neither assurance nor stability...” --Blaise Pascal

(2)

 "The shop seemed to be full of all manner of curious things — but the oddest part of it all was that, whenever she looked hard at any shelf, to make out exactly what it had on it, that particular shelf was always quite, empty, though the others round it were crowded as full as they could hold. 'Things flow about so here!' she said at last..."

(3)

 When Alice does choose an object in the shop, an egg. She finds it is not something she can hold on to but a passage into another place. The sheep instead of handing her the egg sets it on end at a far corner of the shop and in so doing the sheep, who is the White Queen's bishop in the dramatis personae and list of moves made by Carroll for the chess game the story represents,, makes a move out of Alice's vision. The egg becomes Humpty Dumpty as Alice approaches and the shelf on which he is set has become a wall on which he is perched.  --Lewis Carroll

And so it is with me these days. It is not important for me to comprehend the Mystery. The Mystery, God, comprehends me in an eternity I can't see.

AMEN

Ann Ahnemann - 11/2/15
state.

ABIDING

Who Am I?

This is a strange question to be asking myself having almost reached the seventh decade of my life, wouldn't you say? Yet that is the very question on my mind today.

No one came today to Bible Fellowship that I lead. Home here writing, I'm okay with that. Once again I'm reminded that God is in control, not me. Today was another reminder.

I'm a relatively new member of a church in my neighborhood. I left my other church to be closer to home when my husband suffered heart failure last year. So, I'm a new member of another church family. And I'm wondering who I am, where I fit as a new member of a new family. Looking back, it seems a question I've been asking myself my whole life.

A quote came up in my email today. "One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.

Sigmund Freud

Thus began my day. Then I read messages from friends and family about the difficulties in their lives. And I thought about my own. At age 31 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I thought my life was over then. My uncle, my mother's brother, died of the disease at age 52. My husband and I were a young married couple, we hadn't yet had a child. What frightful things did life hold for us, I wondered. Who was I? What had happened to that joyful, optimistic person I was?

So, the Einstein quote. Here I am, having had a wonderful marriage for 46 years, a son who makes us so very proud, a daughter in law who is a wonderful person and mother of our granddaughter. I taught for 34 years. I can walk, see, despite further immune disease, thyroid, Graves, and I still find joy packed down and overflowing - after all these years. Life is good. God is good.

So, the Bible study today which I had prepared, prayed, studied, and re-studied as I sat in the church lounge today alone.

ABIDING

1 John 4:7-21
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 4:9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 4:11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 4:15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 4:16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 4:19 We love because he first loved us. 4:20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 4:21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

These were the words of Scripture for me alone today in the church lounge. Often it is in the still quiet that the still small voice of God is heard. I must never forget "So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them."

Life's journey is not the getting there; it's the going. God speaks if we have ears to listen: See, Ann? You know who you are in Me.  And your path may look rocky and crooked to you but it is never such to Me. Abide in my love for you.

Another quote I read yesterday about relationship.

FRIENDSHIP is a mirror to presence and a testament to forgiveness. Friendship not only helps us see ourselves through another’s eyes, but can be sustained over the years only with someone who has repeatedly forgiven us for our trespasses as we must find it in ourselves to forgive them in turn. A friend knows our difficulties and shadows and remains in sight, a companion to our vulnerabilities more than our triumphs, when we are under the strange illusion we do not need them. An undercurrent of real friendship is a blessing exactly because its elemental form is rediscovered again and again through understanding and mercy. All friendships of any length are based on a continued, mutual forgiveness. Without tolerance and mercy all friendships die. --David Whyte

A reminder that I need to be a better friend, that with God's great mercy and understanding there is always another chance for us all.

AJA May 6, 2015